First taste of my homebrew

[mlyday]

I just couldn't wait any longer. I brewer a red ale brewers best kit the last week of june, ferement 12 days in primary a week in secondary with gelatin and it has been 2.5 weeks in the bottles. I dropped one in the fridge at lunch and just couldnt help my self last night.

It was really good, better than I thought I could make. I was carbed fairly well, I think another week would help it, but if thats all it carbed I would be happy. I was real carefull pouring it, as I didnt want to stir up any of the sediment. I poured really slow so I didnt get much of a head on it. The next one Ill pour a bit faster and see what I get. It cleared really well I used Irish moss and gelatin. The color was a nice amber, nice aroma, and a clean red beer taste, no off flavors at all ( for my first I was really surprized).

I poured the beer, took a picture (which I wll post later), then took my first sip. The family asked how it was and I think I was too exited to taste it, so I had to take another sip. It was really good.

I let my wife try it next. Shes not a beer drinker, if she does have a beer its a mic ultra and thats maybe once or twice a year. She smelled it and says "well it smell like beer", takes a cautious sip, then says " its actually pretty good, then takes a few more swigs. She has supportive of this hobby and actually bought me the kit when I asked for it, but I think she was leary of how it would turn out.

The conversation quickly turned to what was next as I dont think this one is going to last long. I think we decided on a vinilla cream ale.

I have some edworts ready to be bottled next weekend also.

Life is good...

 

[GeauxBrew]

And the addiction begins...

Congrats on the old "Hey, this stuff is actually pretty good!"

 

[mlyday]

I didnt expect her to like it just because it was a red beer, so it was a double compliment.

 

[Hoosier]

Congrats! Welcome to the addiction...

 

[Walker]

The conversation quickly turned to what was next as I dont think this one is going to last long.

My first batch (long ago) didn't even last two days after it carbed up.

 

[mlyday]

Yeah Im thinking its a good idea I didnt load the fridge up with them yet. I only put a few in.

 

[azscoob]

I didnt expect her to like it just because it was a red beer, so it was a double compliment.

A key lesson here, you cannot judge a beer by its color.

 

[mlyday]

I may turn her around yet. She had a taste of the "Great Lakes Brewing - Edmund Fitzgerald" i was drinking last week and said that was pretty good too. I highly recomend that beer.

 

[DrZaius]

That is great. I still a couple of weeks before I can crack a bottle.

 

[guitarsophist]

You are lucky. My first batch was an amber ale made from a kit that come with the equipment. It had only one little bag of hops to add at the beginning. The weather turned cooler right after I made it, so I had a stuck fermentation for a while. It turned into ale that is starting to be just ok after four weeks in bottles. My second batch, however, a Sierra Nevada-style pale ale made with ingredients I got at my LHBS, is quite nice after only two weeks in bottles. I actually like it better than Sierra Nevada. Better ingredients and better brewing process make a better brew. If the second one had turned out like the first, I might have given up. As it is, I have a Belgian Pale Ale and a Saison in fermenters now.

Congratulations on a good first attempt!

John

 

[mlyday]

I had worries all throughout the process. I couldnt get a boil going on our electric stove, the airlock took way to long to start bubbling, I didnt like that I couldnt see in the bucket. It didnt taste good as I was bottling it. But in the end it was great. When they say relax and have a homebrew, listen to them.

 

[mlyday]

Here is a pic of the brew with the back lighting it looks alot lighter than it is.

 

[Teufelhunden]

I don't worry about the sediment in my beers, i think it adds a little flavor! You will probably drink them all in a week or so, but if you can leave a bottle in the fridge for three weeks it will get rid of the chill haze and with the moss and gelatin you will have a crystal clear beer. oh and congrats!:rockin:

 

[mlyday]

Its crystal clear right now and is fully carbed up now.

Ive been testing it daily.

Which mean Im going to need to brew again soon.

 

[azscoob]

Its crystal clear right now and is fully carbed up now.

Ive been testing it daily.

Which mean Im going to need to brew again soon.

if you are drinking it now, it will be long gone before your next batch is ready.

 

[mlyday]

Thats ok. I still need to buy some beer, so I can get more empty bottles. Plus I have an apflewein ready to be bottled.

Im thinking about brewing a german altbier this weekend.

 

[tvtoms]

That looks great in the pic, congrats!

I also like to buy a six pack here and there to:
1) let my own condition longer,
2) save the bottles.

 

[mlyday]

I have about 50 bottles being used for this batch, about another 50 for the apfelwein that is about to be bottled. I figure another 50 or so and I should be good. I plan on buying a kegging system in the next year, so the need for bottles is temporary. Ill still bottle some, but probably not nearly as much.

 

[brrman]

I mainly keg, but I still keep 150 bottles in the house. Congrats on the first brew!

 

[mlyday]

Yeah I figure it will allow me too brew more and "age" a few from each batch a little longer.