First Beer Brew Eve

[allynlyon]

Twas the night before my first brew and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. When what to my wondering eyes does appear a shipment from UPS with my 10 gallon brew pot and a bayou burner I ordered from here....

I ran to the door, met the delivery man in the driveway. "Set it here good sir, right here, I've got it!!"

As he drove away I pulled open the box and took out the final pieces to my first brew puzzle. Like a kid in a candy store I carefully assembled, turning each last screw, not too tight... but not too loose. Then to my sinking heart what do I see? only??? Now it's too late to start my 3 hour brew.

So I took my recipe and my instruction sheet to bed while images of beer bubbles danced in my head.

Tomorrow is the day... my first real brew. Now dash away one and dash away all and I will update tomorrow after my fermentor takes over the job.

 

[NTXBrauer]

Congrats I will be hard to sleep tonight.

 

[allynlyon]

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care- Ie- ingredients are sorted, everything sanitized and the water is on to boil.

 

[unionrdr]

This is the version for after the first batch is ready...'twas the night before Christmas,& all through the house,the whole damn family was drunk as a louse. When on the roof there arose such a clatter,paw got off maw to see what was the matter. Away to the window,I flew like green flash! Tripped on the chair & busted my a$$. When what to my blood-shot eyes should appear...but a rusty old delivery truck filled with stuff to make beer!

 

[allynlyon]

I just put the grains in to soak for 30 minutes.

 

[allynlyon]

This is the version for after the first batch is ready...'twas the night before Christmas,& all through the house,the whole damn family was drunk as a louse. When on the roof there arose such a clatter,paw got off maw to see what was the matter. Away to the window,I flew like green flash! Tripped on the chair & busted my a$$. When what to my blood-shot eyes should appear...but a rusty old delivery truck filled with stuff to make beer!

This is fantastic! HA

 

[unionrdr]

It seemed to fit,so I thought y'all would enjoy it.

 

[allynlyon]

Extract is in and I'm waiting for it to come to a boil again so I can start adding hops (a mixture of what I grew and the hops that came with the kit).

 

[allynlyon]

I can't get my wort to come back to a boil. I just keep waiting and waiting and waiting... my husband just told me I wasn't patient enough to brew beer.

 

[allynlyon]

I finally just took the temp and it was just over 200 degrees. After searching some other threads I have read that others have had the same issue and it wasn't a problem. That being said... I also found out that you shouldn't leave the lid on while you are boiling. Good to know because I almost left it on. <-Newb

 

[allynlyon]

Just added the 60 min hops-

 

[TheSmithsEra]

I just put the grains in to soak for 30 minutes.

The grain bag looks a bit tight. . what kind of beer is this??

 

[allynlyon]

The grain bag looks a bit tight. . what kind of beer is this??

An IPA. Should I have made it so the grains were spaced over the whole sleeve?

 

[allynlyon]

Started the ice bath in the blue tub...the water got warm too quickly so I moved it to our tub. Picture doesn't show it but the lid is on now (Instructions said to?)

 

[allynlyon]

Yeast has been pitched and now we wait----

 

[allynlyon]

Hmm last question... recipe says starting gravity should be 1.08...mine is 1.06. Are these readings inaccurate/not terribly important/other?

 

[unionrdr]

Maybe you didn't get the chilled wort & top off water mixed well enough?

 

[allynlyon]

Maybe you didn't get the chilled wort & top off water mixed well enough?

I didn't have to top it off I did a full boil. I think I figured out what was wrong. I didn't have it cooled to 60 degrees I only got to 68, which means I should have added to the number and then i'd be almost spot on.

 

[unionrdr]

I didn't have to top it off I did a full boil. I think I figured out what was wrong. I didn't have it cooled to 60 degrees I only got to 68, which means I should have added to the number and then i'd be almost spot on.

Here's a hydrometer correction program that comes in handy; http://www.brewheads.com/gravcorrect.php

 

[TheSmithsEra]

An IPA. Should I have made it so the grains were spaced over the whole sleeve?

Maybe just make the knot a bit higher, so when the grains expand they all get nice and wet.

I love this thread, reminds me of the excitement of my first time and also makes me want to leave work and go brew !!!

Cheers

 

[allynlyon]

Here's a hydrometer correction program that comes in handy; http://www.brewheads.com/gravcorrect.php

Thanks!

 

[allynlyon]

Maybe just make the knot a bit higher, so when the grains expand they all get nice and wet.

I love this thread, reminds me of the excitement of my first time and also makes me want to leave work and go brew !!!

Cheers

Good to know.

I'm glad you are enjoying it. I was worried I was that annoying newb. Maybe you need to take a mental health day and go whip up a batch.

 

[allynlyon]

My airlock had been quiet for 48 hours so I decided to check the gravity and it was right where it should be, so I decided to move my batch over to my secondary and add my dry hops. - Pics I'll leave it here for 10 days then add priming sugar and bottle/rack? I think? I haven't quite figured that part out yet. Enjoy.

 

[unionrdr]

Your racking tube should extend to the bottom of the secondary. Pouring it like that will oxidize the beer.

 

[allynlyon]

Your racking tube should extend to the bottom of the secondary. Pouring it like that will oxidize the beer.

Oops. Good to know in the future. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[pluchar]

Your racking tube should extend to the bottom of the secondary. Pouring it like that will oxidize the beer.

.

Second that. You want as little splashing as possible

 

[allynlyon]

My first brew is sitting in secondary and I am just wrapping up with my second brew... wow this time seemed so much easier.

I rectified mistakes from last time including figuring out my burner. No problems getting the pot to heat up this time. I had a boil over because it boiled so fast this time. Other than that this has gone much more smoothly and took about 1/4th of the time. WOO HOO.

 

[Eugenio]

My first brew is sitting in secondary and I am just wrapping up with my second brew... wow this time seemed so much easier.

I rectified mistakes from last time including figuring out my burner. No problems getting the pot to heat up this time. I had a boil over because it boiled so fast this time. Other than that this has gone much more smoothly and took about 1/4th of the time. WOO HOO.

Quite an obsession isnt it?

Im finding more than liking the beer, I love the process.

Dont get me wrong, I love the beer....but theres something about brewing, and then having people over to help you finish your stuff...so relaxing!

 

[ronjonacron]

Quite an obsession isnt it?

Im finding more than liking the beer, I love the process.

Dont get me wrong, I love the beer....but theres something about brewing, and then having people over to help you finish your stuff...so relaxing!

I find this to be quite true for myself. I have enough beer to last me through the end of the year easily, but still planning brew days for every 2-3 weeks. My wife isnt too big on beer these days and i usually only have 1-3 pints a night. I usually end up brining six packs to work and sharing with employees.

 

[fuzzy2133]

... No problems getting the pot to heat up this time. I had a boil over because it boiled so fast this time...

Boil over from having the burner working right is always one of the better problems to have. :rockin:

And sad if you lost too much.

 

[allynlyon]

Another fun lesson... Triples have a lot of sugar... one should probably use a blow off. YIKES-

 

[allynlyon]

Quite an obsession isnt it?

Im finding more than liking the beer, I love the process.

Dont get me wrong, I love the beer....but theres something about brewing, and then having people over to help you finish your stuff...so relaxing!

Yes it is! I love watching it all come together. I can't wait until I feel confident in making my own recipes.

 

[RM-MN]

Did you know that you don't have to move your beer to secondary to dry hop? One less step to go through, one less chance for oxidation, one less chance for infection. Give your beer plenty of time to finish fermenting and do the dry hop right in the primary. Don't do it too soon so the CO2 being produced carries away the aroma, you should be at final gravity before dry hopping in the primary.

 

[TheSmithsEra]

Another fun lesson... Triples have a lot of sugar... one should probably use a blow off. YIKES-

lol you're guaranteed to need a blow off tube when your bucket is that clean!

 

[allynlyon]

Did you know that you don't have to move your beer to secondary to dry hop? One less step to go through, one less chance for oxidation, one less chance for infection. Give your beer plenty of time to finish fermenting and do the dry hop right in the primary. Don't do it too soon so the CO2 being produced carries away the aroma, you should be at final gravity before dry hopping in the primary.

actually i just figured that out the other day. Thank you for the info though because I had to really hunt for it.

 

[allynlyon]

Bottling day has come for my first batch. I think it went well. However, that being said waiting for the next two weeks is going to be such a pain.

 

[RM-MN]

Bottling day has come for my first batch. I think it went well. However, that being said waiting for the next two weeks is going to be such a pain.

Nice but now you need labels to make it look professional. www.beerlabelizer.com

Basic labels are free and the upgrade isn't expensive either.

Two weeks is cutting it a bit short, 4 would be better (but I never can resist sampling early).

 

[allynlyon]

Nice but now you need labels to make it look professional. www.beerlabelizer.com

Basic labels are free and the upgrade isn't expensive either.

Two weeks is cutting it a bit short, 4 would be better (but I never can resist sampling early).

Already on the beer labelizer band wagon. As for the wait.. I know it was my first brew though.. it's already going to kill me to wait another 3 weeks while it carbonates. AHHHH. Now I am brewing regularly and I can give them a little longer to "cook".