Bottle and brew.

[FifteenTen]

I brewed my first batch on March 7. I decided too bottle today. I know, I know, longer on the yeast would have been better. But this is my first batch and I currently have the patience of a first batch brewer.

It occurred to me yesterday that if I bottled today my fv would just sit there empty and lonely for at least 3 whole weeks while my first batch conditioned unless I took immediate action. So yesterday I went to what I will hence forth refer to as the SLHBS (Simi-Local Home Brew Shop as it is 50 minutes one way).

As of two and a half hours ago I have my first batch in bottles and my second batch in the fermenter.

What’s the non point of this pointless post. I’m pretty darn proud of myself and my wife could care less. I post here to express my joy.

Even if I did break my hydrometer and test tube.

P.S. Don't buy the plastic test tube thinking, "I'll get plastic, it won't break." Trust me. It can and will break. Stupid Murphy and his stupid law, and do you think Gravity would ever give you a break. NO.

 

[kcold0403]

Well I'm proud of you too! Good call on just going ahead and getting your second batch going, now it's time to think about your third!

 

[RM-MN]

I hope you thought ahead and picked up another fermenter while you were at the SLHBS and another set of ingredients because in about 10 days you will be wishing you could brew again and your fermenter will still be full.

Congrats on your first brew!

Now the long wait for the beer to mature.

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Welcome to your new obsession

My wife could give a **** about my brewing as well...tolerates, but could care less...meh!!!

 

[curlyfat]

Welcome to world of the "pipeline". I'm just now getting mine back in action after a hiatus.

Good thinking starting the process of continually full fermentors right from the beginning. Too many folks wait till the drink their first batch and then think, "Hey, maybe I should brew some more..."

Even if I did break my hydrometer and test tube.

P.S. Don't buy the plastic test tube thinking, "I'll get plastic, it won't break." Trust me. It can and will break. Stupid Murphy and his stupid law, and do you think Gravity would ever give you a break. NO.

I just broke my plastic one last week too. It's still less of a mess than I glass one will make. Also, always keep two hydrometers around. That way you'll never break one. They only break if they're your only one.

 

[Bithead]

So what style(s) are the first two batches?

 

[FifteenTen]

Bottled is an American Wheat, fermenting is a london porter. Yummy...

 

[DunklesWeissbier]

I did the same thing today. Kegged my first batch and brewed another for the fermenter.

 

[MrMeans]

I am the guy that will sing the praises of letting it sit on the yeast as long as possible. I just switched to four weeks on yeast and it made a huge difference. Do it and compare your short fermentation to the longer one. I am starting to get myself set up for the pipeline. I am jealous of yours. If I wasn't. Married I would brew twice a week.

 

[Calder]

When you have no beer and lots of empty bottles, I completely understand bottling as soon as possible. I think you have done well waiting 20 days.

I have the opposite problem. I have 400 full bottles, over 50 gallons in fermenters and desperately want to bottle next week, but don't have enough empty bottles.

Just wait, this hobby will become an obsession.

 

[trigger]

Also, always keep two hydrometers around. That way you'll never break one. They only break if they're your only one.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure I could write a doctoral thesis on this and have it accepted. Why does it happen? I don't know. I'm pretty sure it's included somewhere in general relativity, though. Something about spacetime bending around paired hydrometers...

 

[MaltMonster]

I have 400 full bottles, over 50 gallons in fermenters and desperately want to bottle next week, but don't have enough empty bottles.

Just wait, this hobby will become an obsession.

Holy cow! My math might be off, but by my calculations you have about 37 cases of beer on hand!

Getting back to the OPs post. I just had a really close call with my pipeline. I'm down to three 12 ounze bottles from my last batch. My next one in line will be in the bottle 3 weeks this Friday. So I will probably just make it. If not it is so close it won't matter. I'm not taking any chances on the next one though. Final ingredients for my next batch are on the way.

 

[dstuckrn]

Congratulations! Hooray Beer! I bottled my first batch yesterday as well. I am hoping to brew an imperial stout in 3 weeks when I crack open my first bottle.