First brewday, cross your fingers!!!

[tumbleweed14]

Been so busy since I got my equipment. But finally had our brew day on 8/24/08.
So here is how it went...
Started 2.5 gal of water heating on stove in 3.5 gal pot.
Steeped in 1lb roasted grains, removed just before boil.
Added 7lbs light malt syrup at boil.
Added 1oz bittering hop pellets at boil.
BOILOVER!!! (OOPS)
Reduced heat and continued boil for 1 hour.
(Wife leaves house, says it stinks. Personally I thought it smelled great.)
Removed from heat and added 1oz aroma hop pellets.
Added 1 lb clover honey.
Chilled in ice bath.
Poured into SANITIZED primary bucket and topped with cold water.
Stirred and pitched with dry brewers yeast.
Sealed with lid, installed air lock, stored in basement @ 70deg F.
O.G. 1.050
Hmmm... no bubbles.
Next morning....BUBBLING like mad Sweet!!!
Now, we wait........................

 

[shecky]

Brew another now. The waiting is going to kill you.

 

[Rezilynt]

Congrats! Sounds like all went well. +1 on getting another one going.

 

[Petey]

And again definitely get another going....your gonna go through your first one fast and wish that you had more ready once it's gone...get it goin

 

[bearkluttz]

+ a million on the brew another one, or two... and congrats!

 

[RonRock]

Sounds good. You guys are making me thirsty.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I have six fermenters going right now. Gotta fill up the pipeline. Believe me your first few batches won't last very long at all.

 

[Moonpile]

Definitely brew again ASAP. Brew something that will be ready quickly, like a Mild or Hefe.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

HEY - Welcome to homebrewing.
I would just recommend, remove the grain bag at around 165F, or better yet bring it up to around 155F, and hold the temp there for 15-30 minutes, remove, rinse with 2 cups water at around 170F. (Mini partial mash?). You want to get the grains out of the water before 170F, to avoid extracting tannins that can add off bitter flavors to the beer.
Don't worry, the beer will come out fine, just a note for the next couple hundred batchs if you notice a little more bitterness than you wanted.

 

[tumbleweed14]

Thanks for the input and encouragement. got a great beer alcohol scent coming from the airlock. Will start another brew next weekend. (Got a craft brew tasting event I am running this weekend at our bar)

 

[ksuflash]

I love that sweet alchohol smell from the airlock. I frequently go over and get a whiff of it when I come home from work in the evenings.

I am weird I guess.

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

I love that sweet alchohol smell from the airlock. I frequently go over and get a whiff of it when I come home from work in the evenings.

I am weird I guess.

I don't think anyone around here would call you weird for that :cross:

Go buy more fermenters and brew some more!!!

 

[mmb]

I love that sweet alchohol smell from the airlock. I frequently go over and get a whiff of it when I come home from work in the evenings.

I am weird I guess.

My son has seen me do this so many times that he wants to be picked up to smell them.

 

[tumbleweed14]

Funny, my six year old asked me last night to pick him up to smell the airlock. Because it is the first thing I do when I get home. (After giving SWMBO a kiss of course)

 

[jpuf]

I'm an airlock sniffer from way back. CONGRATS!!

 

[BadKarma]

I'm gonna mention something nobody else has suggested..........


Get More Bottles or Kegs!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a pain to get ready to bottle and not have anything to put the precious stuff in.


try this....have a spray bottle of cool water handy to smack down the boilover with.

 

[tumbleweed14]

I'm gonna mention something nobody else has suggested..........


Get More Bottles or Kegs!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a pain to get ready to bottle and not have anything to put the precious stuff in.


try this....have a spray bottle of cool water handy to smack down the boilover with.

I work at a bar and have collected and cleaned about 80 bottles that used to hold Fat Tire, Laughing Lab, and Sam Adams. Just need to get some caps before bottling. And thanks for the idea about the spray bottle.

 

[BadKarma]

Can't remember where I got the spray bottle thing.

 

[BearsWickedBrew]

Really- Brew Another one!!!

I brewed my first batch...i've got maybe 24 of the 48 bottles left (and I opened my mouth and told people Id give them some). They go quick! I wanted to look for a recipe that sounds good..but I havent had the time. So i may just pick up another kit to get something..anything..in my primary.

 

[tumbleweed14]

After one week, smells malty... help a nOOb relax and tell me its OK.

 

[tumbleweed14]

OK, took gravity reading, 1.010, OG was 1.050. Tasted.....not bad!! Slight honey aroma but no honey taste, could be a little more bitter though. Will test gravity again tonight, may be bottling on Sunday, also starting new batch on Saturday.

 

[tumbleweed14]

Beer is bottled, will chill one bottle this weekend and taste test.
One batch down, many, many more to go.....

 

[MgMt_Home_Brew]

Enjoy!

 

[tumbleweed14]

MMMmmmm.... Beer, nice taste with a bit of honey aroma. Very slight sour/bitter ending. Will surly get better with age. Now to check on that Irish red in the fermenter....