MN_Jay
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2008
- Messages
- 267
- Reaction score
- 9
Yep, another newbie here, 3 days into my first batch. I brewed on friday night - I decided something really simple for my first one - coopers draught. Everything went good except I accidently broke my hydrometer on my basement floor so I didn't get an OG. Live and learn I guess.
I was also paranoid about the water at my house (I live in the country and have a well) so I bought some generic bottled water at $1 a gallon and used that. Everything I read seems to say to ignore the instructions on the kit so I did. I boiled 3 gallons and used 2 gallons of cold. I even made a chiller using some instructions I found online and I had the thing cooled to 75 degrees in about 6 minutes (well water can be very cold).
I had it pitched and put in my basement by 11 pm, the next morning at 7 am it was already started bubbling throught the airlock - good sign I guess. My basement is around 65 degrees constant temperature and even though the coopers instructions says that it should be fermenting at temps over 70 - I chose to take the advice here and go lower (plus it keeps the wife happier when it's in the basement). Fermentation has been steadily chugging along - showing signs of slowing now as there is a bubble about the size of the tip of my pinky finger every 3 or 4 seconds (as opposed to the quarter size bubble every second or two yesterday).
One thing is that I can't leave the damn thing alone - I'm constantly looking at it, smelling the airlock, putting my hand on the side of the bucket for any noticable temp changes. My wife says she swears that I'm taking care of a baby down there because of all the time I go and check on it.... I've surprised myself with my restraint to pull the lid off the bucket and take a look at it. The urge is there but so far I haven't done it. I fear I may have a weak moment soon though. I should go and buy another hydrometer and then at least I'll have an excuse to remove the lid...
I was also paranoid about the water at my house (I live in the country and have a well) so I bought some generic bottled water at $1 a gallon and used that. Everything I read seems to say to ignore the instructions on the kit so I did. I boiled 3 gallons and used 2 gallons of cold. I even made a chiller using some instructions I found online and I had the thing cooled to 75 degrees in about 6 minutes (well water can be very cold).
I had it pitched and put in my basement by 11 pm, the next morning at 7 am it was already started bubbling throught the airlock - good sign I guess. My basement is around 65 degrees constant temperature and even though the coopers instructions says that it should be fermenting at temps over 70 - I chose to take the advice here and go lower (plus it keeps the wife happier when it's in the basement). Fermentation has been steadily chugging along - showing signs of slowing now as there is a bubble about the size of the tip of my pinky finger every 3 or 4 seconds (as opposed to the quarter size bubble every second or two yesterday).
One thing is that I can't leave the damn thing alone - I'm constantly looking at it, smelling the airlock, putting my hand on the side of the bucket for any noticable temp changes. My wife says she swears that I'm taking care of a baby down there because of all the time I go and check on it.... I've surprised myself with my restraint to pull the lid off the bucket and take a look at it. The urge is there but so far I haven't done it. I fear I may have a weak moment soon though. I should go and buy another hydrometer and then at least I'll have an excuse to remove the lid...