First Batch

[SmartyJones]

So today I started brewing my first batch, right now it's taking an ice bath to cool off before pouring into fermenter ... I thought the hardest part would be temperature control and cooking and boiling ... But that was easy I now know the hardest part is the waiting for it to be drank. ...

 

[Calder]

And it is going to get harder .... and harder ..... and harder!!!

But it is worth the wait. Many new brewers have lamented that the last bottle to be drunk was the best and wished they had waited longer.

Welcome to the obsession.

 

[Brulosopher]

There's a trade-off in waiting... I say

 

[SmartyJones]

Oh I will wait .. I want my first batch to turn out good ... So I won't rush the waiting part of it by no means ... It is going to sit (in fermenter and bottles) for 6 to 7 weeks before I even taste the first one... So it'll be a while before I can give a review...

 

[Spraentart]

What did you brew? Start planning for your next brew! I'll be brewing a Honey Weizen on Wednesday and I'll be purchasing two more kits to do in the coming weeks. I'm ready to stock up on my own brew.

 

[SmartyJones]

Stocking up won't be a bad idea ... I just brewed a simple Hefeweizen ... Since I'm just getting into it I still need to get bottles but that shouldn't be a problem since I've got three weeks before it'll be ready.

Not really sure what I'll want to do next? I'm open to suggestions though? I may do another Hefeweizen with different ingredients?

 

[Spraentart]

Stocking up won't be a bad idea ... I just brewed a simple Hefeweizen ... Since I'm just getting into it I still need to get bottles but that shouldn't be a problem since I've got three weeks before it'll be ready.

Not really sure what I'll want to do next? I'm open to suggestions though? I may do another Hefeweizen with different ingredients?

Awesome! I have a couple of buddies collecting bottles for me to get my stash up. I have an American Pale Ale that I just bottled. It was pretty straight forward and the uncarbonated sample of it tasted great so I think it'll be really good carbed up. I guess it really depends on what you like. I already bought a Honey Weizen kit from NB and plan to get their pumpkin kit and either a cream ale or their farmhouse.

 

[Golddiggie]

Plan to brew as often as you can so that you establish a solid pipeline early. That will help carry you through the times between brewings. It will also help carry you through times when you brew something bigger, that needs more time in primary. Get more primaries so that you don't need to move something to another vessel just to ferment something new.

A good number of us don't bother with a secondary vessel (or brite tank) for the majority of what we brew. I only rack (before going to keg) my beer when it makes 100% (or better) sense to do so. Such as aging on something that works best (not just better) off of the yeast. Or to get it off of one element before adding another (to stop the contribution from the first).

Also read up on making starters (if you're using, or are going to use, liquid yeasts). There's plenty of other things to read up on concerning brewing to help hold you over between batches.

 

[SmartyJones]

Today is bottling day! Will be bottling my first batch of brew later today ... Can't wait!