First Brew Day

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Got my label/image for the IPA all ready:

And the [home]"Brewery" logo:


My second beer is going to be a stout based on Zoidberg. Hoping to make it dark, heavy, hoppy, and high ABV. To me that's what personifies Zoidberg (as far as a beer goes). Bitter, strong, and will knock you out. (And dark like his ink too.) I need to come up with a good image for Zoidberg to use for it. Most likely one of him doing his scuttle side-ways running away thing. The beer will (most likely) be called "Scuttle Stout".

 

[Minky]

What is the best way to get the lid off of a Pail Ale bucket? I don't want to introduce anything to the beer, and I'm having a horrible time getting the lid off to check it.

Here's a picture of a pail opening tool that Home Depot sells. The homebrew supply stores also have them.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Awesome, that's great, thanks. I'm a nail chewer, so I have no nails (one of my wife's huge pet peeves too), and I've been struggling getting this lid off, and I worry if I yank it off stuff will get in or I'll spill it or something.

 

[Minky]

Awesome, that's great, thanks. I'm a nail chewer, so I have no nails (one of my wife's huge pet peeves too), and I've been struggling getting this lid off, and I worry if I yank it off stuff will get in or I'll spill it or something.

Yep, the Ale Pail lid is a mother!

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

So, one week into fermentation today (in 3 hours). Temperature has been holding steady at 73 degrees for the past 5 days.

Good time to dry-hop, or should I wait a bit? There's no bubbles in the airlock.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Also, can I dry hop in an ale pail or do I need to transfer to a (glass) carboy?

 

[BMWillis]

I'd keep it in the pail, no need to need to transfer to a secondary. Just increases the chance of oxidizing the beer.

You definitely can dry hop now, but I think you might be rushing a little bit.

If it were me, I wouldn't touch it until at least day 10.

Day 10 - take a sample for a SG reading
Day 14 - take another reading, start the dry hop
Day 19-21 - package

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

I was reading a few dry hop articles on Beer&Brew, and a few other sites, and some said as early as 5-6 days if Fermentation is complete, and some said 8-10 days if fermentation is complete. Today marked 7 days. So I felt comfortable dry-hopping. There was zero activity in the air-lock, and when I opened up the pail, the beer looked good, no infections, so I went ahead and dry-hopped with the cascade hops.

I took a reading. I'm not the best (yet) at hydrometer readings, but it looked to be around the 1.014-1.016 range, which should make me on target then; as the recipe called for a final gravity of 1.015. So it looks like I nailed it/got close enough on that.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

How the beer looked when I opened up the pail, before dry-hopping:

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Had someone tell me to keep it dry-hopped fermenting at 75 degrees. Is that smart / a good suggestion?

 

[xpops]

Yes dry hopping at your ferm temp is ok!

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Thanks xpops.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Bottling day questions. Planning on doing my bottling either tomorrow or thursday. What's the best way to go from fermenter (pail ale) to bottling bucket? For an IPA, what's the better style bottles to buy, 16oz or 22oz? (Does it even matter?)

Any suggestions/tips on how best to do the bottling?

I really appreciate all the help guys!

 

[BigCrazyAl]

Revvy has a great in depth bottling guide here.

As for the bottles, I can't help much with the effects of different bottle sizes. I imagine the priming sugar would be adjusted a bit for larger bottles but I don't know.

Edit: fixed link

 

[65C]

main risk at this point is oxidisation I think - if you're syphoning out you want to be making sure it's gentle and not causing any bubbles or anything

also I find that using the boiled sugar method gives me the best carbonation - for 23l I'll boil up around 150g of sugar in a cup of water and pour that when coolish in to the bottling bucket (after pouring myself a small test glass off) - I'll stir the sugar in gently twice over 5 mins before bottling - without causing too much ripples etc.

 

[xpops]

Boiled method is great. Put it into the bottling bucket first then rack your beer onto it, to do a nice gentle mix. I also typically do the gentle stir, but be real careful.

Brewers friend has a real nice priming sugar calculator I've always used when I was bottle conditioning. It never failed me!

Good luck - lookin forward to hearing how it tastes in a couple weeks!

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Well, I was going to either bottle yesterday or today (yesterday would have been 6 days dry-hopped, today is 7 days dry hopped) [Wed/Thurs is my weekend from work], but my LHBS was closed these two days unexpectedly. (And I didn't buy my bottles/priming sugar ahead of time like a dolt.)

But they will be open tomorrow, so the wife is going to be getting my bottles/sugar while I'm at work, and when I get home I'll be bottling.

One extra day of dry-hopping shouldn't affect anything right......... ?

 

[65C]

no you'll be fine - but you're brave dry hopping on a first brew

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

no you'll be fine - but you're brave dry hopping on a first brew

Why's that? I was told for an IPA it's the best idea. Wasn't hard to do at all. Maybe at bottling? Will it be harder at bottling?

 

[65C]

for me it added quite a bit more complexity - getting it into the carboy - getting the beer into bottling bucket - and then cleaning the yeast up to repitch

 

[xpops]

One extra day of dry-hopping shouldn't affect anything right......... ?

you'll be ok - i dry hopped an Imperial Black IPA for 3 weeks once. was great. Different beer, but for a regular IPA, i usually go 7 days anyways. it will still be beer!

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Picking up my bottles to later bottle today (well, wife is picking them up, and I'm going to be bottling when I get home from work.)

Is there any difference (taste wise, clarity, etc,) in doing 22oz bottles vs. 16oz? Not worried about time to bottle or cost (the LHBS sells them at the same cost). Just curious if there's a notable difference in the way they affect the beer, etc. Thanks!

 

[BMWillis]

Taste and clarity wise? Nope. Don't get clear or green bottles though. Brown bottles will keep out ~98% of the bad stuff that skunks your beer.

Its been a while since I've bottled, but I always remember 22s taking a couple days longer to fully carb up, but that could have just been my impatience haha.

Personally, I'd go with 22s just for the simple fact that its less bottles to fill and cap.

 

[beernutz]

I think this checklist is a good reference for new brewers.

https://cdn2.brewersfriend.com/brewersfriend_checklist_allgrain.pdf

 

[xpops]

as long as your priming sugar is distributed evenly, it doesnt matter what you bottle in...but larger bottles are definitely nicer to bottle with!

 

[ncbrewer]

Well, I was going to either bottle yesterday or today (yesterday would have been 6 days dry-hopped, today is 7 days dry hopped) [Wed/Thurs is my weekend from work], but my LHBS was closed these two days unexpectedly. (And I didn't buy my bottles/priming sugar ahead of time like a dolt.)

You can use table sugar and not worry about when to buy your priming sugar - it's always available in the kitchen. It takes a little less than with corn sugar - the priming calculators will tell you how much. I use it right out of a canister in the kitchen - boiling for 10 minutes gives me confidence that it won't have any microbes.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Just about to start bottling. Seems most are in agreement, 3/4cup of priming sugar in 2 cups of water. Sound right for a 5 gallon IPA batch? And then I just put it straight into the bottom of the bottling bucket and then siphon from fermenter into bottling bucket. And then go from there to bottles.

Am I correct?

 

[BigCrazyAl]

That sounds great! Don't over think it. The goal is to get priming sugar mixed in your beer then put it in bottles. It may be a good idea to stir after siphoning into the bottling bucket. I have had uneven carbing the last 2 batches and will start a gentle stir before filling bottles.

Enjoy your first brew!

You can sample as soon as 1 week in the bottle but the flavors will greatly change in the first few weeks. Be sure to refrigerate for 24-48 hours before opening them.

 

[BigCrazyAl]

On second thought, be sure to double check your priming sugar with an online calculator.

My numbers I'm getting for you are closer to 1/2 a cup for 5 gallons. I'd prime with 3.8oz (0.54 cup) to get 2.3 volumes but I don't want to mess you up. I'm new too. If your instructions differ then follow those. The high end for an American ale is 2.7 volumes requiring 0.68 cups. Make sure you're priming for what you want. Good luck!

Sorry for the double post!

Edit: clarify my numbers

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Pictures from my bottling day today:

First picture, me taking my final (final!) gravity reading in the fermenter. Dry hopped with Cascade.

Second picture is the bottling bucket as it siphons into it.

Third picture is the siphon going from fermenter into bottling bucket.

Fourth picture is the amount I was able to bottle. (12 22oz, 19 12 oz).

Last picture is the sample I pulled.

 

[GiavaBear]

Congratulations on your first born! I actually just bottled my first beer tonight as well and I've been following this thread along the way. Cheers to your first brew and many more to come! This is addicting, isn't it?

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Congrats to you as well. Yes, it definitely is. Already thinking of what I'm doing for my 2nd (and 3rd and 4th....) brew.

What was your first?

 

[GiavaBear]

Thank you! My first was a Belgian Dubbel brewed on 7/9. I got a second fermenter and then brewed an IPA last Saturday. So now time is ticking for my 3rd (deciding between a porter and a pumpkin ale) since that Dubbel needs to condition for a while in the bottle. Oh the choices! What are you thinking of for #2?

 

[ncbrewer]

Just about to start bottling. Seems most are in agreement, 3/4cup of priming sugar in 2 cups of water. Sound right for a 5 gallon IPA batch? And then I just put it straight into the bottom of the bottling bucket and then siphon from fermenter into bottling bucket. And then go from there to bottles.

Am I correct?

Generally, it's best to measure priming sugar by weight rather than volume. I use an electronic "Pocket Scale" that I bought from Williams Brewing for about $8. If you plan to keep measuring by volume, I've read that table sugar is more consistent in bulk density, so volume measurements are more accurate than with corn sugar.

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

Ok, thanks for the advice ncbrewer. I've thought about getting a scale for future brewing anyway, so that gives me more incentive. Thanks.

 

[Mexibilly]

Only thing I might ask is what water are you using? I use RO from kroger, adding gypsum and calcium chloride for my IPAs per Bru'n Water, Martin Brungard's water chemistry Excel workbook, for mostly everything but stouts.
Martin's on here. Message him for details on his spreadsheet.
I rarely secondary except stouts that age and for fruit additions.
Dry hop will give you big aroma. I generally use 4oz for 5 gallons.
pH is very important. I don't even measure anymore after Bru'n Water predictions proved accurate every time.
Good crush and sparge water temp to get your mash in the high 160s are key to good efficiency.
Welcome to the forum and the hobby. Let us know how it went

 

[Mexibilly]

This has never failed me for carb levels:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/beer-priming-calculator/
Boil in a cup or 2 of water, dump in bottling bucket, rack beer on top, give it a stir with sanitized spoon/paddle, bottle. Sanitize everything

 

[xpops]

Ok, thanks for the advice ncbrewer. I've thought about getting a scale for future brewing anyway, so that gives me more incentive. Thanks.

it will become very handy for when you get into water chemistry too

 

[xpops]

pH is very important. I don't even measure anymore after Bru'n Water predictions proved accurate every time.

Strongly agree!

i purchased a pH meter 4 brew's ago...i tested pH on all 4 brew's, and they were pretty much dead on to what Brun'water calculated!

 

[Bender_Braus_Brewing]

I admit to kind of 'cheaping out' I guess you could call it, by using the tap water here (Harrisburg PA area water). I got ready and all set to brewing, and realized I didn't buy water.... and instead of taking the 30+ minutes to get water and the 5-15$ for it, I just decided to use the tap. I'll admit it was a bad idea.