Finished my first batch tonight !

[flywallyfly]

Brewed up a Bass Ale knockoff and had a blast doing it ! I had a detailed list to keep me from screwing up too bad and everything went well with a few improvisations. The specific gravity target is 1.051 and I ended up with 1.046 -- is that close enough or am i in trouble?

I think I'll start another next weekend -- maybe a pilsner. :rockin:

 

[Quietandsimple]

Brewing beer is some amazing stuf, isn't it? My first batch is in primary right now.

 

[flywallyfly]

Brewing beer is some amazing stuf, isn't it? My first batch is in primary right now.

It sure is ! What did you go with for your first batch?

 

[mikebiewer]

Gravity is such an interesting bench mark. I think you can spend a lot of time getting to a specific gravity.

What I think is the most important is that you keep to the recipe and the temperatures involved. The gravity will only change the amount of alcohol involved. It won't completely change the flavor. Temperature, light, and where you place it will affect that the most. I used to keep track of OG a lot. I kind of still do just to see the change, but it isn't that important. Yeast will react based upon other factors, not the gravity of the wort.

So regardless, I think your ok. Just pitch that stuff at the optimal temp.!

 

[WillPall]

Temperature, light, and where you place it will affect that the most.

Temperature during fermentation does have a huge effect, but even then there's about a 10 degree range where the flavors won't change much. Light is very unimportant unless you sit it in front of your big picture window all day long and then throw it under some UV lights at night. Where you place it just determines the above two things. Just saying so that you're not scared to death now.

As far as your OG, if you topped off with water to hit five gallons (or however much your recipe was for) your wort was probably not mixed very well. In that case you're OG was probably spot on.

By the way, welcome to your new addiction.

 

[Quietandsimple]

For my first batch I went with a Gruit Stout. A person in my househould can't have hops so I'm going to bitter before bottling with cold brewed chicory. I'm also adding Raspberry, and Hazelnut extracts to taste.