First taste!

[jaredriesel]

Hey guys and gals,

So, I'll be the first to admit that I am an impatient person when it comes to stuff like this (wrong hobby, I know), but I brewed my first batch last week and HAD to try it. Fermentation finished within 4 days, and I bottled it shortly after. It's been bottled for about 5 days and I couldnt help but try one. I brewed with the Brewer's Best IPA kit. To my surprise, it was carbonated and actually tasted quite good! I can only imagine it will get better with time.

My next beer (which I'm still deciding on) I will use a secondary and keep them bottled longer before indulging, but I had to give it a try since it was my first.

I'm happy! It's crazy how addicting this hobby can be....

 

[thenatibrewer]

you have just begun a on great and wonderful adventure. remember patients pay off but who am i to say it did the same thing you did. enjoy the hobby and remember beer is proof that God exists and wants us to be happy!!

 

[Pumbaa]

Fermentation finished within 4 days, and I bottled it shortly after.

OK not to be a safety Nazi BUT hwo shortly after? I just wouldnt want to see you lose beer via bottle bombs . . . and I didnt look at where you were from so if your from Milwaukee I dont want to get a 911 call that ya got glass all stuck in your arse .

Keep those babys in some beer cases or the fridge just to make sure

 

[jaredriesel]

hahah I appreciate your concern. I think I gave it a day or so after the airlock stopped bubbling before I bottled. Again, I know it was rushed, but I was a bit anxious. I am brewing in Delaware. Temperature upstairs in the house (where the beer is) is in the high 60s. No bottle bombs or evidence of over-carbonation. I opened a couple to share with some friends tonight. All agreed that the beer tasted good and carbonation was adequate. Can't wait to try them once they age a bit more. I promise I will let them sit for now : )

Can't wait to brew my next batch.

 

[Ize]

Can't wait to try them once they age a bit more. I promise I will let them sit for now : )

Can't wait to brew my next batch.

LMAO! Makes me think Job should have been the Patron of Brewers. He apparently was all about patience.

Congrats on the brew!

Ize

 

[Radarbrew]

"I'm not drinkin it, I'm just siphoning to the secondary". I know i said that somewhere in my first couple attempts...

Congrats on the beer!

 

[jaredriesel]

I was afraid I'd get yelled at for my impatience. Glad to know I'm somewhat normal haha.

 

[the_bird]

All in due time, grasshopper.

Here's the key to having patience - two keys, actually.

1. Start planning your next batch. Think about what you want to make, do a lot of reading, buy some of the recommended books, search around this forum - planning the next batch helps take your mind off the one you're got conditioning.

2. Go to a GOOD beer store and buy some stuff that you've never had, different styles, different micros, some imported stuff - so that you have lots of interesting beer in the fridge.

The third thing, you'll learn over time - beer that has aged properly (one week in primary, two in secondary, three in bottles) is MUCH better than green beer that's only two weeks old.

 

[Fiery Sword]

the ONLY way to be able to wait until the beer is at it's peak? BREW A LOT. For the first 3-4 weeks, take bird's advice and stock up on "research" beers (make sure SWMBO knows this is research, not simply drinking on Tuesday night....very important). If you load up on enough bottles and kegs and constantly refill them you should have a good stock of homebrew to enjoy at all times. IMHO, this takes 3-4 kegs, and about a dozen cases of bottles (liters, of course). :rockin:

 

[ayrton]

Wow, 5 days from brew day to bottle? That's gotta be a record.

In the future, you'd do well to give that stuff some time in secondary fermentation (a misnomer, as secondary is meant for clarification, really). I cannot stress enough to you how much you beer will improve with age. Nobody ever believes us when we say that, until they save a few for a few months and then try it. It really is like night and day. One week in primary, two in secondary, three in the bottle. If you can give it even more time, you'll be glad you did.

That, and after 5 days, even if the airlock isn't bubbling, the yeast are still very much in suspension. If you toss some corn sugar in there and bottle, you do have the potential of homebrew hand grenades. Be careful.

As was said above, keep brewing so that you don't always feel tempted to try it. Get yourself a good stash of homebrew so you have a buffer to keep you from trying stuff that's green.

 

[jaredriesel]

Thanks for the pointers guys. I did actually go pick up a handful of beers I've never had (Rogue Chocolate Stout, Dogfish Midas Touch, few others) to keep me busy. And I'm pretty sure I've decided on an Irish Red for my next batch. Of course, my local store is only open Thurs-Sat. so I've been waiting.

I have full intentions of using the 1-2-3 rule as a guideline for future batches. And as good as my IPA tasted yesterday, I will let them be for at least a couple more weeks.

 

[Mutine Bullfrog]

...beer is proof that God exists and wants us to be happy!!

I love that quote

 

[Geordiepete]

I'm not the patient type ethier, I taste my wort! :rockin:

 

[jaredriesel]

I'm not the patient type ethier, I taste my wort! :rockin:

Haha I was very tempted.

 

[freyguy]

Make sure to stop by Homegrown for a meal sometime. Their beer selection is great and their "Mystery Beer" is normally really good and only $3.50 a pint. It used to be $2.50 until recently. It was just Sierra Nevada Stout last week. It was dang good too!!

If you ever want to catch up for a brew session some time, drop me a pm. I'll probably be doing an amarillo pale ale either this Sunday or the next one.

 

[jaredriesel]

The real deal at Homegrown is the half-priced lunch if you sit @ the bar. $3-4 for a sandwich there is a steal. Also going after 9pm most weeknights is awesome for $2 drafts. Any draft beer (Dogfish, Guiness, Blue Moon, etc) $2. I spent way too much time there last week haha.

Not sure if I'll be free the next couple weekends but we should definitely be in touch.