And.....it begins

[cfbugsbunny]

I just looked this morning and my first ever batch is bubbling away in a mad state of fermentation. I am making a Porter from MoreBeer and I am hoping it is everything I expected. A couple lessons learned: 1. I made an aquarium pump - stone aeration setup that seemed to like to float in the suspended wort instead of getting down to the bottom. I need another fitting for my ball valve as it is directed fairly straight out instead of down to the fermenter. It made a little mess when I moved the hop bag out of the way on transfer. All in all, it went very well and it is the start of a new hobby. Cheers

 

[BrianP]

I'd suggest a stainless steel aeration stone if you don't have one. You mentioned it floating, which made me think you were using the kind you'd find by the aquarium pumps in a pet store. I use a stainless one from MoreBeer and it sinks down nicely

Welcome to HBT, and good luck with your brewing.

 

[cfbugsbunny]

Thanks for the heads up... I will have to get one of those. I did try to use one that you see in a pet store. I think it was made out of ceramic.

 

[cfbugsbunny]

My initial attempt seems to be going well. I have the Porter after 23 days at a FG of 1.0163 at 70F. I have now kegged this and put 25# on the keg as I do not plan to refrigerate at this time. We will see how this turns out but I did get a taste of my sample prior to kegging and it seemed really good. It will be interesting to find out how the carbonation affects the flavor. All in all it was a pretty easy process for the first time. It took me about 4 hours from initial setup to reading instructions to boiling wort to putting the airlock on my primary.

 

[cfbugsbunny]

.....very tasty.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

I'm glad it came out to your liking. So what are you going to make next?

 

[cfbugsbunny]

I am thinking of a good pale ale, not an IPA or a real hoppy Sierra Nevada type but more in the Bass Ale sort of way.