First Brew Day - What I learned so far

[violinguy]

So my first brew day is complete. It was the BBS Everyday IPA (1g) and was a very good learning experience so far. Everything went smoothly for the most part, with my only big concern being temperature control. I can hardly wait to see how the batch turns out, but for now I sit through a few weeks of fermentation, then bottle, then wait, then results.

So what did I learn?

1 - Either get a floating thermometer or buy/rig a bracket for my lab thermometer so I can have better temperature control during the mash in/out. I had a very hard time with this, and I was getting temp. readings all over the place. I'm afraid I may have added heat without needing to, or vice versa. I saw some advice (a little too late sadly) regarding setting the mash kettle in an oven set to 150 to better control temp.

2 - I need a bigger strainer. I had a feeling going in that it wasn't big enough for the mash, and I was right. I improvised and it seemed to work fine, but I prefer things to go smoother when recirculating the wort through the mash.

3 - This one is preemptive but I need an auto-siphon. I'm terrified of trying to get a siphon going with the equipment in the kit. I've got 2-3 weeks to get one so plenty of time.

All in all, I'm happy and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Sanitation was smooth and efficient and cleanup wasn't a chore at all. My fermenter sits in the cabinet awaiting the airlock in a couple days...

VG

 

[andy6026]

I had the same problem with thermometers, including with a 'floating thermometer' that I left in my mash tun. It and the meat probe thermometer I had on hand were reading 20 degrees apart. I had no idea which, if either, was accurate. So eventually I splashed on a thermapen thermometer (google it). It's expensive, and I cringed when I filled out the credit card info on the order form. But every time I take it out now I'm very pleased with that purchase. I'm confident that I'm getting accurate readings, and fast! It may not be in your budget, and you may have other priorities first, but I recommend saving up for one for as soon as you are able.

 

[RM-MN]

The quick read digital thermometers are pretty accurate and only take about ten seconds to get a reading. Mine is Taylor brand but CDN makes them too. Put one next to your lab thermometer to verify its accuracy.

 

[JimRausch]

Violinguy: Welcome to the obsession!
1st batch is AG? Wow, ambitious.
For temp control during the mash, get one of those picnic drink coolers and mash in that. I never lose more than 1-2 degrees over 60 minutes.
For temp. checks there are plenty of options. If you have a local kitchen supply store, get one of their good quality thermometers.I've used a digital one from Pampered Chef for 2 years now, and it's great(it was my wife's meat thermometer, but i appropriated it).
And definitely get that autosiphon. They are truly wonderful.
Sounds like you had fun and did a good job at the same time. That's a homerun!

 

[violinguy]

1st batch is AG? Wow, ambitious.

Funny thing. I got a BBS kit for Christmas and didn't know the difference between AG and extract and partial whatever until I read a bit about it before brew day.

Brewmaster's Wharehouse (Marietta, GA) is about 40 minutes away so now that I know a little more about the hobby, I can do some extract brews as well.

VG

 

[loucurr]

Williams brewing supplies has a nice thermometer that can be inserted throughout the wall of your mash tun...works great.

 

[violinguy]

Been fermenting 11 days and I'm working hard at not doing anything yet. lol

I also just ordered an auto siphon, some more sanitizer, and the Caribou Slobber 1 gallon kit from Northern. Should arrive about the time I'm ready to bottle this one.

VG:fro:

 

[beerman2013]

I am interested how this turns out for you. I got the same kit for my birthday and had the same problems (bad fluct. in temp, smaller stainer, I don't feel I got the yeast going right away, etc.) I bottled (it was a disaster, I didn't have auto siphon, I do now.) Left it in the bottle another 2 weeks and opened it up. It wasn't overly hoppy at all and had/has a grassy after taste to it. The all grain was a tough start. I backed it off with my next batch and just bottled NB Honey Porter extract kit. Good luck with the brewing. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[violinguy]

I'll definitely let you know how it turns out.

Aside from the temperature issues I think I had, everything else went pretty well. The fermentation is going fine. After about 12 hours it bubbled and fizzed like crazy and I got lots of runoff. After 3 days I put in the airlock and that's how it sits now.

This process is really pushing my already ledgendary lack of patience . I hope I can wait another week before bottling. It ain't easy lol

VG

 

[zdbrown1]

I'll definitely let you know how it turns out.

Aside from the temperature issues I think I had, everything else went pretty well. The fermentation is going fine. After about 12 hours it bubbled and fizzed like crazy and I got lots of runoff. After 3 days I put in the airlock and that's how it sits now.

This process is really pushing my already ledgendary lack of patience . I hope I can wait another week before bottling. It ain't easy lol

VG

It will get even more painful when you have to wait for your beer to bottle condition. Make sure you give it a week or two before cracking one open to try it...it will be tough but no point in wasting a good beer that is un-carbonated.

 

[mjwj12]

Hello VG.
I brewed my first batch 7 days ago. My Mr. Beer batch. It didn't seem like i needed all of the toold for that batch but i also batched a 4 Gallon kit from "The Beer Nut" from SLC with grains, malt and two bags of hops. I feel like i needed all of the different tools for that. My shopping list consist of:
hydrometer
floating thermometer
fermometer
kitchen scale
colander
a larger spoon
a bigger pot
and some PWD
siphon tubing
and a new 5 gallon carboy.

I know it is a very big list but i still have a few weeks before i brew my next batch so i should be able to get all of this stuff by then.

Does anyone have any other suggestions on what i should get too??


Sorry if stole your thread lol

 

[andy6026]

A BBQ lighter to light your propane burner with? Oven mitts for moving hot pots? I don't know, what kind of suggestions are you looking for?

 

[mjwj12]

A BBQ lighter to light your propane burner with? Oven mitts for moving hot pots? I don't know, what kind of suggestions are you looking for?

This is all going to be in home.
Im talking about all in home stuff that would be good to have for on going brewing process

 

[andy6026]

To be honest, I find the more experienced i'm getting, the less stuff I used. First brew day I must have used every utensil in the kitchen, every water container imaginable.

Now let me see what I take outside for a brew day:

Pot
Burner
Mash tun
Big spoon
2 fermenters (1 for fermenting, the other for holding everything else)
grain mill
container for grains
2 scales (big one for grains, small one for hops)
electric drill with paint stirrer attachment (for aerating wort)
pH strips
turkey baster
hydrometer and tube
growler and blow off tube
sanitizer
wort chiller
hoses to hook up chiller
soap and sponge to clean up with
foldable table to work on
blanket to cover mash tun
ingredients
thermometer
lactic acid
container for various operations (squeezing grains, voffershopping (whatever that damned term is)


damn, that's a load of stuff actually. No wonder I'm tired after a brew day - it's lugging all that stuff around.

edit: and a bbq lighter and oven mitts sometimes too

 

[danimal615]

I learned not to use water from a garden hose for your beer on my first batch lol. It tasted nice and rubbery.

 

[cwbys4evr]

I'm confused by what you said about the air lock. Did you really wait three days to put it on the fermenter?

 

[violinguy]

Sorry, I used blowoff tube into a bowl of sanitizer for a couple days then the airlock. Per instructions.

VG

 

[violinguy]

Bottled today!

18 days of agony waiting to bottle, now 2 more weeks of it before I can drink it. lol

I did taste it, and it tasted exactly like it was supposed to (based on my reading anyhow). It tasted like a warm, flat IPA. It seemed to not be sweet enough. Will that come as they ferment a little more with the honey? I used honey per the instructions - next batch gets the fizz pills.

VG

 

[bobby4]

The honey will be used almost completely by the yeast, it won't normally leave any residual sweetness. You will find it tastes different after carbonation.

 

[violinguy]

So I drank my beer last weekend and it was very good.

What I learned:

- Have more patience: I opened a bottle during our little GA snowstorm which was at about 10 days since bottling. It tasted fine, but not outstanding. The other bottles were consumed at 16-17 days and they were much better.

- Don't use so much priming sugar: As explained in another thread, too much honey was used (per the instructions). As I have seen on the boards, the BBS kits seem to call for too much priming sugar.

- Have tighter control throughout the process: I have already brewed another batch and have tightened up the procedures, but knowing what I know now is going to help quality control going forward. Temp. control and sanitation are the biggest areas of improvement.

This was a really fun process and I can't wait to taste the English ale I have bottle conditioning right now, then brew some more! Thanks for all the help and encouragement to everyone on the boards.

VG

 

[bobby4]

I am so glad you enjoyed the first batch, now you will never turn back. A great hobby


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[RM-MN]

So I drank my beer last weekend and it was very good.

What I learned:

- Have more patience: I opened a bottle during our little GA snowstorm which was at about 10 days since bottling. It tasted fine, but not outstanding. The other bottles were consumed at 16-17 days and they were much better.

- Don't use so much priming sugar: As explained in another thread, too much honey was used (per the instructions). As I have seen on the boards, the BBS kits seem to call for too much priming sugar.

- Have tighter control throughout the process: I have already brewed another batch and have tightened up the procedures, but knowing what I know now is going to help quality control going forward. Temp. control and sanitation are the biggest areas of improvement.

This was a really fun process and I can't wait to taste the English ale I have bottle conditioning right now, then brew some more! Thanks for all the help and encouragement to everyone on the boards.

VG

I've found it much easier to give the new batch time to mature when you have several cases of home brew on hand. I know you couldn't do that for the first one and like you, I opened one way too soon on my first batch.