first brew day today :)

[Dave6187]

All went surprisingly well, just trying to get it cooled down right now (stuck at about 80, trying to get it to at least 75) i have some sanitized ice blocks floating in my fermentor right now, hopefully those'll help. Had a OG of 1.043, which is right in the range I was expecting. I took a whole bunch of pics and should have them up some point today ::rockin:

 

[foxual]

it's awesome, isn't it?

 

[IrregularPulse]

Careful, those sanitized ice blocks will melt and lower your OG unless they're in a container Congrats on first successful Brew. Now the hard part is waiting!

 

[Dave6187]

well I had plastic ice packs that are sealed, and I also put some ice in a large ziplock bag. almost at 75 right now. And my yeast starter is all excited and ready to go as well

 

[Grinder12000]

I don't have to tell you to watch it but be aware that SOMETIMES it can get pretty active and you might need a blow off tube.

Watch the krausen. if it is getting close to the top and still rising you would be safe with a blow off tube. I think this is the one thing new brewers are surprised at.

Not all beer needs a blow off tube but . . . . . . when you are not prepared is when you will need it.

 

[Shooter]

Not all beer needs a blow off tube but . . . . . . when you are not prepared is when you will need it.

Like on your very first batch, a relatively low OG brew that really SHOULDN'T need a blowoff. It's not like it contains wheat or is fermenting too warm. So, there's absolutely NO reason that, come morning, you'll find a tower of brown foam shooting out of the airlock.

Lets just say I start with a blow off on EVERY batch now, whether they "need" it or not!

 

[beerjunky828]

Not all beer needs a blow off tube but . . . . . . when you are not prepared is when you will need it.

Isn't that the truth? I brewed up a 2.5 gallon IIPA (extract, stove-top batch) and in the morning I had hops and krausen flowing all over my clothes. What a drag. I had to wait until Lowes opened at 7:00 to get a blow-off tube. I lost about 0.5 gallon of beer. Needless to say that this is the most expensive beer thus far so I am waiting to bust this out in a couple of months when it is nice and mellow.

 

[Dave6187]

should be able to get the pics posted tonight. A few things i'm a little nervous about with the beer, the main one was that I accidentally transferred over some of the hop sludge from the bottom of my pot, is this gonna create any problems?

 

[Dave6187]

 

[Dave6187]

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Thank you, Dave, we never can get enough beer porn..................:rockin:

 

[niko]

Love the beer making pics.

 

[Vuarra]

Thank you, Dave, we never can get enough beer porn..................:rockin:

+1 for beer pron.

 

[Dave6187]

haha thanks guys. But yea, as I asked before, is any of the hop sludge I transferred over by accident gonna create any problems? i know i know, RDWHAHB, but I wont be able to have one of those till it's done :/

 

[DRoyLenz]

Especially when working with the pellets, it is going to be impossible for you to avoid getting any of the hop sludge. I used a hop bag and I still got a bunch in my primary. It'll settle out over time.