Brewing right now- need help

[Bravo11]

First time brewer. My wort is on the fire and bringing it up to 170.
Carboy not sanitized. Could use some tips there.
Also, I'm chilling in a cold bath, could use some tips there.
Basically If anyone is going to be online line for awhile I might have some questions.
I have my laptop on the deck with me
Thanks to all.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Sanitizing:
I sanitize with Iodophor, and just fill the carboy up with tapwater and a few teaspoons of Iodophor. It is a no rinse sanitizer, and just needs to be in contact with the glass for 30 seconds to sanitize it. If you don't have Iodophor or StarSan you can use a bit of bleach...but you must be careful to rinse as you will be able to taste bleach in VERY small quantities in your beer.

Cooling your wort:
After the boil, if you have a two tub sink you can fill both up with water and ice. Put your pot in one side, and stir the ice to keep the coldest part of the ice bath in contact with the pot. When all the ice has melted switch the pot to the second tub and repeat. While the pot is in the second tub, fill the first one up with ice again. Repeat and repeat until wort is below 80F (many will recommend 70F, YMMV).

Hope this helps!

 

[Blender]

I suppose that you could try the chat section, it might be more real-time.

 

[Revvy]

The recomended ratio or iodophor is 1 tbs/ 5 gallons of water..it should be straw colored. You don't really need to mix a full five gallons....if you have your bottling bucket handy, mix 3 gallons of iodophor in your carboy...swirl it around in your carboy to make sure each surface gets wet with the samitizer...do it a few times, even though the kill rate is 30 seconds you need to make sure all the surfaces are wet...Dump the sanitizer into your bucket, cantize you carboy cap or stopper for 30 seconds inthe bucket, then cap the carboy lightly to keep stuff from falling in...

Then dump anything that will come in contact with the cool wort into the bucket...strainer, wine theif of or turkey baster, I usually sanitize a set of kitchen tongs in case I drop something into my brew pot, your thermometer that you intend to monitor the temp of the brew pot, and your airlock....leave that stuff in the sanitizer while you are brewing.

If you don't have some ice bags, send someone out for 2-3 bags of ice, I usually need to do one changeout of the ice water bath after than water gets warm...Salt in the icebath will make it colder...

Biggest tip I can give you is RELAX!!!!! It ain't brain surgery your doing it is just glorified cooking....

 

[Bravo11]

Thanks for the fast reply. I'm at at 140 on my first grain bag.
A bottle of Star San came with my kit. I have my Joy of Home Brewing book out here and I'm reading about how to use it(Star san).
I have 4 bags of ice and the kitchen sink is ready per your suggestion.

 

[Revvy]

Thanks for the fast reply. I'm at at 140 on my first grain bag.
A bottle of Star San came with my kit. I have my Joy of Home Brewing book out here and I'm reading about how to use it(Star san).
I have 4 bags of ice and the kitchen sink is ready per your suggestion.

Just remember, don't panic when starsan foams up...it's supposed to.

 

[Rick_R]

Carboy not sanitized. Could use some tips there.

Mix the Star San per directions, but you don't need to fill the carboy up; a gallon or even a half a gallon is fine. Just make sure every spec of the surface gets covered a time or two; on my bottling bucket (be the same for a bucket primary) I put in about a gallon and then use a paper towel to wipe it down all over the inside several times. On my (plastic) carboys I also use about a gallon and put a multi-layered plastic "cap" on it, lay it on its side, and slosh and roll. The "cap" is plastic wrap with a couple of rubber bands, folded back on itself, another couple of rubber bands, folded again, then a third set of rubber bands; has never leaked. (I do the same thing after pouring the wort into the carboy to slosh around for aeration -- it works much better than sloshing it while upright; it mixes top to bottom -- but I probably wouldn't lay a glass carboy on its side.)

Also, I'm chilling in a cold bath, could use some tips there.

Put it in the sink with the ice and water, stir very gently until fairly cool to circulate the wort and help the heat exchange with the side of the brewpot. Add ice as needed.

You may be finished already, but if not I hope that helps. Good luck; as has been said, it ain't rocket science.

Rick

 

[Bravo11]

No, not done yet. bringing to boil now. Just removed the first grains.
Mixing my Star San now, in the carboy. Will pour off into my bottling bucket after making sure carboy is sanitized. Will put my cap and lock in there.
Thanks

 

[Bravo11]

I've got the chat thing open in another tab.
but I'm not up on that app, it's not exactly MSN IM.
I'm ok with the the regular posting for tonight if everyone else is.
Now adding all the contents of the "plastic bucket". FYI I'm brewing the Nut Brown Ale from the Home Brewery, in Fayetteville, AR, as suggested by a co-worker that brews pretty regular.
Thanks

 

[Bravo11]

It's been bout 20 mins on the boil and i've had a small boil over, no problem I'll clean the deck afterwards
The carboy has been sanitized and all is ok so far.
Enjoying a Fat Tire and waiting for the Irish Moss add-in.

 

[tdavisii]

Biggest tip I can give you is RELAX!!!!! It ain't brain surgery your doing it is just glorified cooking....

+1.........just relax, as long as you keep everything clean and cool the wort before pitching the yeast you will be fine. I once pitched yeast on 100degree wort and it still turned out. just relax.

 

[Revvy]

Just don't have too many fat tires or you'll forget to take a gravity reading...

Or forget to pitch the yeast...

It's been known to happen a few times by what shows up on here.

 

[Clonefarmer]

A little sanitizer solution in a spray bottle is really handy.

 

[Bravo11]

Just added finishing hops.
Fat Tire number 3.
All is good.

 

[talkingmonkey]

Relax and enjoy! I brewed my first on 6/8 and did ALOT of things wrong. I couldn't resist so I cracked one open last night. It was delicious!(not all the way carb'd yet though.) My advice is to use a strainer. That is my only complaint on my first. I got too much trub in my carboy and the beer has a slightly bitter finish, but overall it's great. Charlie's right, RDWHAFT.

 

[Bravo11]

OK, I knew it would happen. I'm in the chilling sink now and realized that there were TWO bags of grains. I chilled to 180 and steeped the other bag for a bit. I should have looked at the ingredients better. When it said add the grains I saw the one bag and did it.
We'll see.
4 fat Tires.
All is good.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Did you bring your wort back to a boil after steeping the other bag of grains? It will probably be OK if you didn't, but ANYTHING that touches the wort after the boil must be sanitized or you risk infection. Other than that, sounds like your brew day went great! Welcome to the obsession!