Excited to Learn & Share Brewing Tips!

[CarenSolis]

Hello, everyone!

My name is Caren Solis and I’m from Phoenix. I’m new to the world of homebrewing and excited to join this community. I’ve just started brewing and am eager to learn more from all of you experienced brewers.

I’ve been experimenting with a few basic recipes and would love to connect with others who share the same passion. Any tips for a beginner, especially on making my first batch of beer? Looking forward to learning and sharing experiences with everyone here!

Cheers!
Caren Solis

 

[lumpher]

Welcome, Caren. My advice is to start basic and keep it simple at the start. Don't sweat water chemistry, starting pH, or yeast potential, etc, early. Start with concerns like fermentation temps and sanitation. Learn the basics first. It takes a while, but the sheer potential, complexity, and diversity of this craft can keep us going and enjoying it decades later. Get as involved and hands-on as you want. You can keep it simple and do extracts forever or you can get into the depths of it and become a master craftsman; it's your choice.

 

[fluketamer]

are you making extract or all grain.

temperature control is the most important thing aside from the obvious water ingredients and recipe. i think most people can get to a point where they have a tasty sweet bitter wort (either from AG, extract, or a reconstituted tin can kit), and get that cold and get that into a clean sanitary fermenter.

the beer yeast we use IMO are sensitive and dont like high temps and dont like drastic temp swings (like us - or any living thing).

the higher the temps the more likely the yeast will make esters and phenols that dont taste like beer. or at least what most people consider beer.

i think they do this by metabolizing things other than sugar that they wouldnt ordinarily metabolize at there "optimal" temps.

in texas i could imagine you may have trouble finding a room that consistently stays below 72 degrees (the temp i feel makes my beers potentially taste like @#$^!)

fermentation is exothermic. the fermenter gets hotter than the ambient temps by a few degrees so even 72 ambient is too high imo.

thats why a lot of us use old fridges with an inkbird temp controller.

at the very least a swamp cooler will lower the temp a few degrees and stabilize the temp somewhat.



clean everything well before sanitizing it.

invest in starsan it makes life easier

leave you beer in the primary fermenter for at least 2 weeks preferably 3. dont transfer it to a secondary.

i feel a fermenter with a spigot at the bottom makes life easier than a siphon for bottling.

minimize splashing when filling bottles by attaching a bottle filler tube to the spigot . even if no spigot always fill from the bottom of the bottle up.

3-2-1
3 weeks in primary
2 weeks at least in bottle at 70-72 to carb up
1 week cold in the fridge always makes it taste better

use a glass for your beer and pour all of it out at one time except for the last few milliliters when drinking or you will dredge up the yeast at the bottom that you are trying hard to get to settle out of your beer.
have fun! try to watch high temps. if you make good beer you will want to make more if you make bad beer you have to really love tinkering to continue to make beer to figure out what you are doing wrong.

it took me a long time to figure a lot of this out , this site helps tremendously.

no matter what start a second batch of beer . it takes 6 weeks to get drinkable beer from wort and you will not want to wait another 6 weeks while fermenting more so you have to have some ready for when your first batch is gone.

welcome to hbt

 

[wallyLOZ]

Welcome from Missouri!

All good advice above. Only thing that I could add is, keep it simple and make sure you're enjoying the process. Make improvements/changes one at a time.

Cheers!

 

[Ramjet]

Welcome to forum and the hobby. I visited your area last year (Sun City West) and stopped at a home brew store. The staff was very knowledgeable. I believe they have a small home brew club, also a great way to learn

 

[Knightshade]

Welcome! Looks like there is a local home brewing club not far from you in Tempe that is pretty active. Might be worth a visit or two to see if you can sit in on a member's brewday?

https://azhomebrewers.org/

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Welcome!

It's great to be able to hang out with other brewers when you're eager to learn. Don't get overwhelmed, we have all started out just like you.