gratefuldisc
Well-Known Member
Well my first brew (True Brew California Common) is in the primary.
I preboiled and chilled 2 gallons of water, sanitized everything. I had all my ingredients laid out and followed the directions with the kit except I boiled 3 gallons instead of 1.
Brought 3 gallons up to temp and steeped the grains in the grain bag. Brought to a boil, removed from heat and added 2 cans of light LME and 2 ounces of pellet hops. Bringing back to a boil, I said to my wife, "I have to watch it really close now so it doesn't boil over." I watched it like a hawk, and kept it from going over until SWMBO started freaking out about the smell, gagging and running around the house in her pajamas trying to get away from the smell. She got her clothes together, grabbed one of the kids and went down the road to her mom's. Leaving me saying WTF? while my 4 year old she left with me (who is freaked out b/c her mom is freaked out) is screaming for her to come back. Meanwhile it boils over.
I got my kid calmed down, did a quick cleanup, and got it back on the burner to finish my boil. I threw in my finishing hops and put it into the sink to cool off. It was then I realized I had no ice in the freezer. I drained and filled the sink with cold water 4 times while stirring. I got the temp down to 110 in about 20 minutes. I put the 2 gallons of chilled water in the fermentor and poured in my wort. I stirred it up and took my OG reading 1.051, dead on to the kits instructions (1.048-1.051). I tasted the sample and it was okay, seemed more bitter than I was expecting but I have never tasted unfermented beer before. I pitched the dry yeast, stirred vigorously to aerate. and sealed it up. I had no vodka to put in the airlock but I had some bicardi (doesn't really matter does it?) all sealed up and I realize I didn't check the temp before pitching the dry yeast! Directions said to pitch when its under 90, I took off the airlock, spilling a few drops of bicardi into the fermentor (oops), took the temp and it was 89. Nothing else I could do so crossed my fingers and sealed it up.
SWMBO called while I was cleaning up and told me she had an idea for a name for my beer, "First and Last" I told her I already named it "Panicked Wife"
I hope things go smoother next time, I think she might "make" me get a turkey fryer so I can brew outside.:rockin:
I preboiled and chilled 2 gallons of water, sanitized everything. I had all my ingredients laid out and followed the directions with the kit except I boiled 3 gallons instead of 1.
Brought 3 gallons up to temp and steeped the grains in the grain bag. Brought to a boil, removed from heat and added 2 cans of light LME and 2 ounces of pellet hops. Bringing back to a boil, I said to my wife, "I have to watch it really close now so it doesn't boil over." I watched it like a hawk, and kept it from going over until SWMBO started freaking out about the smell, gagging and running around the house in her pajamas trying to get away from the smell. She got her clothes together, grabbed one of the kids and went down the road to her mom's. Leaving me saying WTF? while my 4 year old she left with me (who is freaked out b/c her mom is freaked out) is screaming for her to come back. Meanwhile it boils over.
I got my kid calmed down, did a quick cleanup, and got it back on the burner to finish my boil. I threw in my finishing hops and put it into the sink to cool off. It was then I realized I had no ice in the freezer. I drained and filled the sink with cold water 4 times while stirring. I got the temp down to 110 in about 20 minutes. I put the 2 gallons of chilled water in the fermentor and poured in my wort. I stirred it up and took my OG reading 1.051, dead on to the kits instructions (1.048-1.051). I tasted the sample and it was okay, seemed more bitter than I was expecting but I have never tasted unfermented beer before. I pitched the dry yeast, stirred vigorously to aerate. and sealed it up. I had no vodka to put in the airlock but I had some bicardi (doesn't really matter does it?) all sealed up and I realize I didn't check the temp before pitching the dry yeast! Directions said to pitch when its under 90, I took off the airlock, spilling a few drops of bicardi into the fermentor (oops), took the temp and it was 89. Nothing else I could do so crossed my fingers and sealed it up.
SWMBO called while I was cleaning up and told me she had an idea for a name for my beer, "First and Last" I told her I already named it "Panicked Wife"
I hope things go smoother next time, I think she might "make" me get a turkey fryer so I can brew outside.:rockin:
