First Batch!

[Reinheitsgebot]

Ok, so tomorrow is the first brew day. It will be a Wheat Beer.

Since I am from Munich, and Weissbier is my favorite beverage, I am hoping it will come out somewhat close. But I can be flexible

Here is a question: With the kit came a 1 oz bag of Coriander. I can somewhat see adding that - the flavor is definitely in there. But the 1 oz bag of orange zest totally threw me off. Now, I know that a Blue Moon is sometimes enjoyed with a slice of orange, but I am not a fan of adding anything to my beer.

Seeing that I am trying to get as close to a German Weissbier, should I just leave the orange out?

Thanks for your answers!

Prost

 

[shot0rum247]

The recipe you are starting to describe sort of sounds more Belgian can German. Can someone else confirm or dispute this with me? If you add the orange and coriander in the last 5 to 7 minutes of the boil they will be very subtle and probably delicious, but it is sort of a belgian beer trait. What type of yeast are you using and how much hops did it come with more importantly?

 

[SumnerH]

The orange peel is almost assuredly bitter orange (which is more for bittering than for citrus taste), making the recipe close to a Belgian wit. That means the yeast is also most likely a wit yeast.

There's not much you can do to try to make a Bavarian weizen or weiss out of this kind of kit. The yeast is hugely important to those styles.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

OK, a Belgian Wit would be fine, too. As long as it is not too citrussy (?)

Thanks for the answers!

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

So I just checked. It is a Thomas Cooper Wheat Beer Extract, with a Belgian Wit Liquid Yeast. My dreams of a nice cool Franziskaner are crushed

Oh, well. Beer is Beer, right. That way I won't feel to bad if I muck it up.

 

[Clonefarmer]

So I just checked. It is a Thomas Cooper Wheat Beer Extract, with a Belgian Wit Liquid Yeast. My dreams of a nice cool Franziskaner are crushed

I see a Hefeweizen in your future .

 

[shot0rum247]

The beer you are brewing will turn out fantastic, don't worry about it. The belgian wit kits I have had experience with are always good, tried and true recipes. Make the hefe your next batch and enjoy this one. Do the orange for the last 5 to 10 min of the boil and it will not be too citrusy at all, more of just an slight undertone.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

I see a Hefeweizen in your future .

Boohooo, that os all I really wanted.......

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

The beer you are brewing will turn out fantastic, don't worry about it. The belgian wit kits I have had experience with are always good, tried and true recipes. Make the hefe your next batch and enjoy this one. Do the orange for the last 5 to 10 min of the boil and it will not be too citrusy at all, more of just an slight undertone.

If it has too much orange in it, I will make YOU drink it! No wait....

 

[shot0rum247]

fiiiiiine by me, I'll give you my address and enjoy it . If you're worried cut the orange down to .5 oz.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

The batch is done! Happily fermenting away in the coldest room in the house. Thanks to an understanding wife, the whirlpool tub in the Master Bath will be out of commission for about 2 weeks.....

 

[Fingers]

Do you know what Rheinheitsgebot means? Nothing wrong with what you've brewed, but with a handle like that, I had expected a fellow aficionado.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Do you know what Rheinheitsgebot means? Nothing wrong with what you've brewed, but with a handle like that, I had expected a fellow aficionado.

I sure do - I am from Munich. Either way, like the title says this is my first batch. Gotta start somewhere, right? But the AG way will be my way in the future.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

So when can I expect the bubbling to start? It went in at 3PM and now it is after 9 and nothing yet.
I guess this is not a good sign for my beer-making-patience....

 

[homebeerbrewer]

So when can I expect the bubbling to start? It went in at 3PM and now it is after 9 and nothing yet.
I guess this is not a good sign for my beer-making-patience....

Did you use a starter for your yeast? If so, it'll be a lot quicker, but if not, don't expect anything for at least 12 hours. I've had dry yeast take as much as a day and a half to start, but usually within 24 hours is good.

 

[danorocks17]

I hope you used a blowoff tube, i learned that one the hard way

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Did you use a starter for your yeast? If so, it'll be a lot quicker, but if not, don't expect anything for at least 12 hours. I've had dry yeast take as much as a day and a half to start, but usually within 24 hours is good.

No starter, it was liquid yeast. I'll just try to be more patient, lol.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Liquid yeast works better, IMO, with a starter. To do that, I use a cup of DME (dried malt extract) and a quart of water, boil it for about 10 minutes, let cool to room temp, and pour into a glass gallon sized jug, and add the yeast. I usually do my starters a couple days before brew day.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Liquid yeast works better, IMO, with a starter. To do that, I use a cup of DME (dried malt extract) and a quart of water, boil it for about 10 minutes, let cool to room temp, and pour into a glass gallon sized jug, and add the yeast. I usually do my starters a couple days before brew day.

Thanks for the pointer - I will do that in the future.

The suspense is killing me: I am out of town right now. The temps have dropped, the wife says the brew is in the high 60s right now, and no more bubbling. I will leave it in the primary as is for a week and then start taking readings after 7 days to see what is going on.

Keep your fingers crossed for my first batch and me....

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Bubbling away on day 3. It was slow there for a day, as the temperature here in Texas ropped below 60! But it is happy again now, at 73 degrees!

So the question I am pondering, and I would love to hear comments:
How long in primary?
How long in Secondary
Secondary at all?

I am excited about the first batch. Can't wait to taste it. Smithwicks has to fill in, for now.

 

[Clonefarmer]

Since it's a wit you can bottle it after 7-10 days as long as fermentation is finished. Wit and Hefe can be bottled and drank young.

You can go longer in primary or rack to secondary if you want a really clear beer. Doing this will lessen the flavor from the yeast. The tartness will fade as well.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Since it's a wit you can bottle it after 7-10 days as long as fermentation is finished. Wit and Hefe can be bottled and drank young.

You can go longer in primary or rack to secondary if you want a really clear beer. Doing this will lessen the flavor from the yeast. The tartness will fade as well.

Since you were the first to answer, I will go that route! But what eally got me was leaving the yeast flavor. Mmmmmhhhhhh YEAST!!!!

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Here is an update:

After 8 days in primary, I ended up racking to secondary (glass carboy) I was surprised how much bubbly activity started up again! Because I was traveling, today was the first time for me to check up on the brew. Gravity is 1.012 adjusted for temperature and I will keep checking the next few days. The beer is very clear and golden, has a great flavor and not at all orangy as I had expected. (That is a good thing in my opinion) It could be more yeasty. I know Clonefarmer had recommended an early bottling - but a) I was away working and b) as a noob a bit afraid of having to much fermentation still bubbling away.

Anyway - last weekend I was out dumpster diving at the local recycling center. A nasty gash in my thumb later, I have myself a nice set of bottles, probably enough for the first 2 batches. I really like the Bud American Ale bottles (a so so beer for me). The seem thick and sturdy, and I like the eagle on the crown....
I soaked the bottles in Oxyclean for 4 days. The labels came right off, except for a nasty Amstel Light with a plastic type label. A good rinse later, they are now waiting for my next day off (after a few more hydro readings) to be sanitised and filled.

THANKS AGAIN for all your posts, encouragement and advise on this post and on this board in general. I have learned so much - it has made my first experience fun and easy. I am now hooked. The Smithwicks clone ingredients are already in the house, waiting for yet another day off...........

PROST!!!!

 

[Clonefarmer]

Sounds like it's going along nicely. Good idea getting another batch going, they don't last long .

 

[homebeerbrewer]

Sounds like it's going along nicely. Good idea getting another batch going, they don't last long .

Yeah, I agree.

It sounds like you'll have a nice beer for your first batch. Hopefully, you took notes on your procedure so you can duplicate it again. Soon, you'll be brewing every batch the same way, and getting consistently good beer.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

It has been a long wait. My first batch - a Belgian Wit - was born on April 8th. I have brewed a second batch since, and am planning number three as we speak.

The Wit has been in the bottle for a week. I just poured it, it came out clear with enough yeast at the bottom to make it just cloudy enough. It is plenty carbonated, but it is sitting in the fridge to see how long it will hold. The head lacks a lot, but that might mprove over time? Maybe I will add Fermtabs in the future to help with that.

Anyway, I am drinking a Michelob Schock Top Belgian White to have something to compare to. The turbidity is the same, mine is just a little less orangy (good thing I think) but a bit darker. Not yellowish but more on the reddish side. Could this be due to the extract?

Thanks to all of the advise here! I am planning brew 3 and already toying with the idea of going AG very soon. Unfortunately this is turning out to be just as much of a money pit of a hobby as my other one......

 

[Fingers]

Thanks to all of the advise here! I am planning brew 3 and already toying with the idea of going AG very soon. Unfortunately this is turning out to be just as much of a money pit of a hobby as my other one......

Now that you've caught on to our least best kept secret, you might as well go AG right away. The beer gets cheaper and the equipment more than makes up for it. Just try to relax and enjoy the ride.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

So after about 30 minutes in the fridge, the beer has very, very little carbonation left. It has been bottled only a week, so I am hoping for an improvement in that area.

As far as AG goes - after pursuing my other hobby tomorrow, I will stop at the Homer De Pot and check out some stuff. The plan is to get all the gear together (for now only a MLT) before my vacation in June and then brew my first AG when I get back.