First brew story (Long)

[Ionya]

Ok so the first brew is done. I learned a lot by just doing it. I hope to pass some of my experience on to others and get some advice or thoughts on what happened.

I used a Midwest Big River Brown Ale kit.

Most important thing I learned is my stove won't boil 3 gallons of water. Actually i think it was the pot it didn't rest properly on my glasstop range. So I already ordered my next kit and plan on using a turkey fryer burner for that kit. So that problem will be solved. I should have test boiled the water and would have known ahead of time.

SO.

Here is what ended up happening. I put the steeping grains in the pot with 3.5 gallons of water then brought the kettle to 160*. It took about 30 min to get it to 160 I let it steep at 160 for 25 min. Took the grains out squeezed the grain bag. Then attempted to boil.

After 2 hours of trying to boil. I decided to boil a gallon of water separately and add it to the pot. Still couldn't get it to boil. So I took 6 quarts out and dumped it. Still couldn't get it to boil. So, I started taking out 4 - 6 quarts at a time and boiling it separately and then adding it back to the big kettle. I did this for 45 min and it never boiled consistently. So I took what I had and split it between to 8 q stockpots and it boiled in about 2 min.

I took it off heat and added 1/2 of each LME to each pot. Brought it back to a boil. Then added the hops again split between the 2 pots. At some point one pot boiled over - what a mess and smelly. Everything went ok after that with the 2 pots.

I couldn't figure out how to cool both pots so I used the old big brew kettle stuck it in the ice bath and added both pots back to this. There was some splashing. Does that matter? There was even more splashing when I added 2 gallons of cold water to the pot. Good news is it cooled in about 5 min. I then added to bucket and topped off. I threw the yeast in the bucket which was about 73*.

At this point I realized I didn't strain out the hops. Is that a problem? Should I wait a week and move it to a secondary free of the hops? Or it doesn't matter? My original plan was to leave it in the primary for 3 weeks.

I took a hydrometer reading unfortunately the kit I had did not come with a test jar/tube. So i took the reading in the bucket in the wort. The hydrometer was sterilized. The reading was right on 1.046 the instructions said 1.044 - 1.048.

12 hours later had good airlock activity(1 every second). 18 hours later had great airlock more then a bubble a second. Still some bubbling today albeit slow (1 every couple seconds) it has been 36 hours. I believe the Krausen has fallen however I have not opened the bucket since taking the hydrometer reading.

So I am hoping all my improv doesn't hurt the beer too much. I picked the brown ale because it said it was more forgiving then most beers. I am really excited to see how it turns out.

 

[nos33]

sounds messy but i believe you still made beer. i would imagine as long as all the ingredients made it to the same pot then you should be fine. sounds like your boil times were okay as well.

 

[Ionya]

Yes.

Once I split the batch to the 2 pots. I was able to boil for 60 min with the LME and Bittering hops.

Yes I think it will be beer or at least some form of alcohol.

 

[ongreystreet]

It sounds like your beer is doing okay, not so sure about you.

I am only on my 2nd brew, but before I did my first brew I ran thru everything, did various gallon boils, timed one of them to get my scheduling figured out, practiced my hydro on some beer and water, etc.

I would suggest that you run thru some bottling procedures before you do that as well, even siphoning can be a pain/mess for some people if they've never done it before. I used the direct connect spring loaded bottle filler to bottle bucket above open dishwasher set-up, and it really made things easier also.

 

[Shinglejohn]

Everyones first brew seems like a big disaster and you end up feeling like you messed the whole thing up. What you eventually find is that in the end you made beer and its not so bad!

It only gets easier and the beer only gets better. Before long you will be know the proccess so well you will be wasted by time you add the hops!

 

[mlyday]

Sound just like my brew day, same problems same solution. I was using a fairly wide stainless steel pot on a flat top electric stove, one of the other pots I used when the first wouldnt boil was a smaller diameter aluminum one and that one seems to boil quicker.

If it makes you feel better, even with those problems the beer turned out great.

 

[Ionya]

Thanks Shingle always nice to hear. I think mine went particularly bad. But in the end I am pretty confident it will be beer. Hopefully it will taste good.

That's a good idea about the bottling. Try ahead of time.

Does the aerating matter after the boil before you pitch the yeast?

Also with the hops in the fermenter should I try to get it to a secondary after primary is done?

 

[Ionya]

Awesome great to here MLYDAY.

I figured I couldn't have been the only one to have that problem. I am hopeful it will be ok.

 

[mlyday]

I went out that next day and bought a turkey fryer. Its so much easier to get it to a boil.

 

[Hannable1975]

I went out that next day and bought a turkey fryer. Its so much easier to get it to a boil.

+1 - same here

 

[Ionya]

My cousin has one. So I will be using that from now on also.

Can't wait to make my second batch.

 

[Flomaster]

may I suggest you leave the beer in the primary and do not use a secondary at all. hops, yeast, and trub will setting out to the bottom and shouldn't be a problem when you siphon to your bottling bucket.

I'd go at least 3 weeks in the primary and another 2-3 weeks bottle conditioned before you put in the fridge for drinking.

-=Jason=-

 

[Ionya]

Thanks Flomaster.

That was my original plan to just leave it in primary for 3 weeks. I was just worried about not straining out the hops. So it is ok to just let it sit in there - the hops that is.

 

[jbug440]

I never strain my hops. It will all settle to the bottom.
And yes splashing and aeration are good right before you pitch the yeast.

 

[Danbreeze]

Here is what ended up happening. I put the steeping grains in the pot with 3.5 gallons of water then brought the kettle to 160*. It took about 30 min to get it to 160 I let it steep at 160 for 25 min. Took the grains out squeezed the grain bag. Then attempted to boil. .

I would suggest not squeezing the grain bag after steeping to prevent extracting unwanted tannins from the grains.

At this point I realized I didn't strain out the hops. Is that a problem? Should I wait a week and move it to a secondary free of the hops? Or it doesn't matter? My original plan was to leave it in the primary for 3 weeks.

It should not be too much of a problem if you didnt strain the hops. I am not quite sure if a 3 week primary will cause some of the hop trub to effect the flavor.

One thing I can suggest is to grab some hop boiling bags from your homebrew store. Just toss in the hops, tie it up, and mix it in with the boiling wort. Then just simply pull out the swelled hop bag before transferring your wort to the fermenter.

The more you brew, the less hectic it gets over time . I have only done about 15 batches or so and at this point I almost always end up doing other things around the house while the wort boils (once a steady rolling boil is achieved).

 

[Ionya]

That's a good idea on the hop bag. Would be much easier then straining.

That's good to hear about the hectic. I think if the water boiled as intended it would have made things much easier. But it just threw the whole process off.

 

[mikebowman]

i never strain out the hops, though i do use a secondary and try to minimize getting crap from the primary though the siphon. and definitely bottle over an open dishwasher! its so much easier. I usually run the bottles through the dishwasher on its hottest setting with no soap (after i've cleaned out any old beer/mold or anything), then set up my bottling bucket above the dishwasher. open 'er up, pull the bottles out of the dishwasher rack, fill 'em, cap 'em, good to go! clean up is as easy as pie haha

 

[Ionya]

Thanks Mike good advice on the bottling. I haven't quite figured that out yet. But that sounds easiest to me.

Good to hear no big deal about the hops in the fermenter. I have already ordered my second kit and have a glass carboy so thinking about racking it to that so i can start the next batch. Obviously in a week or so.

What is the easiest way to avoid sucking up the hops when you rack it?

Thanks everyone.