First batch ever

[unclefrank]

I am working with an Austin kit, and a dark mild ale mini mash kit. Did the boiling last night. Got up this morning and was rewarded with a nicely bubbling airlock. The advise on this forum really helped. A great group of people.

 

[Blender]

Sounds better than my first try. I had a kit that included corn sugar as half the fermentables and it was bad. Now the hard part begins with the waiting. Let us all know how it turns out.

 

[vcr5150]

yes, as Tom Petty sings, "The waiting is the hardest part."

Very few things you can do are as rewarding as seeing a newly bubbling airlock. Definately one of life's simple pleasures.

 

[unclefrank]

My airlock was bubbling like crazy this morning. As of now I am down to a bubble every three seconds or so. I wish I could see through the plastic bucket!

 

[sudsmonkey]

It's going just fine. Later on, invest in a 6.5 gal. carboy. The things you'll see in there are truly amazing. I sat one night and watched my first all-grain ferment. Looked like a blizzard or a sandstorm. A Beerstorm ! It was really cool.

 

[unclefrank]

I'm down to a bubble every rate of one every 20 seconds or so. I pitched about 37 hours ago. I took a quick look through the airlock hole, and saw some light foam on the sides. Do you'all think I'm OK?

 

[sudsmonkey]

Oh, God! No! PM me and I'll give you and address to send that batch to . I can analyze it and tell you what went wrong. Whatever you do DON'T drink it!
OK, All BS aside, it's weel on its way toward being beer. Everything sounds just fine. Congratulations on harnessing the power of fermentation. Use it only for good.

 

[unclefrank]

I feel like a little kid!

 

[user 4295]

Are you planning on racking this to a secondary fermenter, or just bottling it? If you are just going to bottle it I would recommend leaving in the fermenter for a total of 2-3 weeks regardless of airlock activity. This will give the beer some time to condition and clear before racking it to the bottling bucket.

John

 

[unclefrank]

I plan to rack it to a secondary glass carboy. I think I will give it another couple of days.

 

[user 4295]

That's great Frank. I would leave it in the primary for at least 7-10 days. Check your gravity a couple of times to make sure that primary fermentation has completed, and rack it to the secondary. A minimum of two weeks in the secondary would be ideal, longer if you have the patience. After that bottle it up, wait three weeks to carbonate at room temperature, chill some and enjoy!

John

 

[BeerLuvnGrl]

gotta love the 123 method.. 1 in the primary, 2 in the secondary, 3 in the bottles..

waiting is the hard part.. my first brew i was so excited you would have thought it was christmas when it was fermenting i kept saying omg it smells like beer.. my sweet other half would just respond..well thats what you brewed...

it was just amazing to me that i did it!!!

sit back relax and itll be done soon.. and youll be waiting on other batches to get ready!

 

[unclefrank]

I just racked my mild ale to the secondary. All told, I came up about a gallon short of 5. I will know to boil more next time. The beer smelled good, and there was a nice layer of sediment on the bottom of the primary. The next two weeks will be hard.

 

[unclefrank]

After racking last week, I had almost no activity. Now I am getting a bubble every three seconds or so, and a thin layer of foam is starting to form. It was a bit of a warm day here in Detroit, and my house got up to about 75 degrees. I did a fast smell test, and it seems fresh. Is this normal?

 

[SBN]

Frank - the increase in temp might have kicked off your yeast for a little more action, but i sort of suspect it's just suspended CO2 coming out - have you taken any gravity readings?

Sorry about that football thing yesterday.....OK, not really!

Skol!

 

[unclefrank]

No gravity reading yet. No apology nessessary. When the Lions suck (as always) I pull for the Bears. As long as it's not the Packers!

 

[unclefrank]

My brew has been in the secondary for two weeks now. Gravity is almost right at 1.010. Took a small taste from the thief, and it's excellent. Smells fine too. I'm so pumped. I can't wait to start my next batch, but that will have to wait until I get a chest freezer setup. A lager is next.

 

[disaffected]

I'm not far behind you, Frank. You started your beer on 09/02, I started my first brew on 09/03. However, I left mine in primary for 11 days before going to secondary, so two weeks of secondary for me won't finish up until Thursday 9/28. I'll probably just let it go until Saturday the 30th before bottling, as that will be a more convenient time. I'm sure it won't hurt it.

I'm finding that the waiting isn't so hard while the beer is in the big glass carboy. I know it's going to get really hard once it's in bottles, though. I'm looking for an out of the way place to hide it. Out of sight, out of mind, ya know.

Have you started another brew yet? I'll be moving my 2nd brew over to secondary sometime next week, as soon as the hydrometer says it's ready. And I'll be brewing my third batch tomorrow. I'm trying to see if I can manage to get some brew at various stages of development in both of my primaries and both of my secondaries all at once! Gotta keep up with my thirst.

 

[unclefrank]

I got 44 bottles from this batch. The next three weeks are going to be hard!

 

[unclefrank]

I just had to try one after one week in the bottle. Carbonation was good, and the beer tasted excellent. It kind of reminded me of a lite version of Guinness stout. If it gets better with age, I really hit the jackpot!

 

[user 4295]

That is great news Frank! As good as it is now, wait until you finally get to the last of the bottles in how ever many weeks it takes you to drink them. The last bottle will be so good you will have wished that you left a bottle or two laying around for a few months. When I bottle I do try and forget about a few bottles and check them out months later. I'm always glad that I did.

John

 

[nywanna]

I got 44 bottles from this batch. The next three weeks are going to be hard!

Tell me about it, I'm only half-way through the secondary process and I'm already considering bottling early. I know, I know, have patience - it will pay off...right?

Bottling should be interesting as my in-laws will be in town when I start that process...