Brewing my first batch

[vince805]

Just though I would start a post up while I am brewing my first batch. I just experienced my first boil over, how exciting! besides that everything else has gone pretty smooth. I think I got the stove dialed in now. 50 minutes to go...

 

[Bithead]

Congratulations and good luck waiting for fermentation and conditioning.

 

[Conman2U]

Congrats...Prepping to brew my second batch tomorrow!

 

[avidhomebrewer]

You (and conman) will soon be enjoying the fruits of your labors! Congrats!

 

[vince805]

Alright, well I got through my brewing session on Saturday without making too much of a mess... ok I lied i made a big mess, but I cleaned it all up! I did learn several things though and think that I can do my next batch without making a mess all over the stove and kitchen floor.

My brew is sitting in a closet in my basement. The temp down there stays around 64-65 all day. I checked it this morning and the airlock was giving a bubble about once every 4 seconds, does that sound right? All day yesterday when I would check it, there was no activity, so I got very excited this morning when I saw the airlock going!

 

[Allstar]

nice job man. I have been doing this for a month. I have bottled two batches and have a third ready to move to the secondary. My Amber Ale (Fat Tire Clone) was a big hit. I had 10 people try it and they all LOVED it!!!!. I had no clue on my first batch, took me 4 1/2 hours to get done brewing, left it in the primary for two weeks because I was reading the hydrometer wrong, and many other things. It came out great though. Good luck.

 

[robthefrog]

Alright, well I got through my brewing session on Saturday without making too much of a mess... ok I lied i made a big mess, but I cleaned it all up! I did learn several things though and think that I can do my next batch without making a mess all over the stove and kitchen floor.

My brew is sitting in a closet in my basement. The temp down there stays around 64-65 all day. I checked it this morning and the airlock was giving a bubble about once every 4 seconds, does that sound right? All day yesterday when I would check it, there was no activity, so I got very excited this morning when I saw the airlock going!

Although you shouldn't rely on bubbling for signs of fermentation (The only real test is a hydrometer reading along the way), That's pretty typical to see bubbling after the first couple days. Keep an eye on that airlock if it starts getting too crazy, use a rubber stopper and a racking hose as the air lock and run the other end of the racking hose under some water in a cup or jar (Blow off tube). Congrats on your first batch! :rockin:

Edit:
Oh! and for boil overs. I picked up this tip and tried it on my most recent (6th) batch: fill up a spray bottle with really cold water and give a couple spritzes on the boil over foam. Cuts through it like a knife.

 

[vince805]

Thanks for the tips!

So now I am trying to find a freezer on craigslist and some cornys to get a keezer going. I'm hoping to have it before this first batch is ready so I can keg it instead of bottling, but, we'll see if that happens or not. I showed SWMBO pictures of keezers and said "what would you say if i told you i wanted one of these?" She said I am crazy and to wait until my fist batch is done, and if she approves of the taste then I can get the keezer. I also let her pick out my next batch, which will be a raspberry wheat kit from williams brewing.

 

[kappclark]

Cograts on brew - I am sure it will be fine...

making a big mess is fun, as long as it is outside ... I watch my boilpot much more closely than before ..