First Time Brewing This Weekend

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Omnidons-Brewing

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This weekend will be my first time brewing. I have an IPA recipe I created, all-grain.

What are the big things I need to be cognizant about as I brew? What should I be looking out for? What kind of notes should I be keeping?

Any other advice?


Thanks!
 
-Make sure you have all the gear you need ready to go! nothing worse than scrambling for equipment when time is of the essence.
-take notes of all your timings/temperatures/additions. All the things you may think back and wonder how you might be able to make this beer better, when you get around to tasting in 5-8 weeks from now. The more notes the better! with experience you'll learn to pickup on what is necessary to keep track of in YOUR brew house.
-have you read though John Palmer's "How To Brew"? amazing primer for anyone who starts brewing.

also - even if you mess up or miss something...you'll still make beer...just learn from any mistakes!

good luck brewing, and report back!
 
Always keep at least two of any measuring devices like hydrometers and thermometers on hand. Also, if something goes awry, don't panicked. Check HBT/Google first before doing anything. Chances are it already happened to other peeps too. Lastly, good luck and enjoy the journey!
 
I was chatting with a pro brewer last week and we both gave the same answer when asked what the two most important aspects of home brewing would be.

Sanitation and Fermentation Temperature Control

Of course there are dozens of details that you'll find necessary to know, plus you'll want to keep notes in your journal. Things like this matter of course, but if your beer is contaminated due to improper sanitation, not much else matters if you end up dumping it. A properly temp controlled fermentation vessel is very important to make good beer. Many off flavors can be attributed to improper fermentation temps spoiling an otherwise nice beer.
 
I know the mantra is RDWHHB...I would wait until AFTER the boil has finished before you start drinking. You want to stay focused on the process!
 
I know the mantra is RDWHHB...I would wait until AFTER the boil has finished before you start drinking. You want to stay focused on the process!

at least for your first few brew days ;)
 
I would definitely suggest creating a step-by-step checklist of everything you'll be doing, in sequence. It may take a little time to put together, but you can use it as a template for future brews and it will make sure you don't miss any times or additions.
 
What does RDWHHB stand for?

Relax Don't Worry, Have a Home Brew

FWIW (For What Its Worth) I have made numerous mistakes while sipping a few cold ones while brewing. Everything from omitting ingredients to the dreaded boil-over. Take it from a voice of experience, you want a clear head while brewing regardless of your experience level. Others will certainly disagree, and to each his own, but a clear head makes for a better brew day IMHO (In My Humble Opinion).
 
Relax Don't Worry, Have a Home Brew

FWIW (For What Its Worth) I have made numerous mistakes while sipping a few cold ones while brewing. Everything from omitting ingredients to the dreaded boil-over. Take it from a voice of experience, you want a clear head while brewing regardless of your experience level. Others will certainly disagree, and to each his own, but a clear head makes for a better brew day IMHO (In My Humble Opinion).

not a bad word of advice at all. i try to follow it most brew days, but it really comes down to what kind of beer i'm brewing.

Imperial Black IPA with large grain bill, lots of hop additions...i try to wait it out. A nice easy lawnmower blonde ale with a single hop edition at beginning of boil...let the brews flow!
 
+1 on the checklist. I also keep detailed notes in a Word document on my laptop, everything from the recipe, volumes, temperatures, random thoughts, what the dog is doing, etc. It helps keep me focused and I come up with solutions to problems easier if I have it written/typed down. Also when I brew the same beer down the road I can see exactly where I may have gone wrong or ways to improve it next time. Notes notes notes!!! Also, since this is your first time, try not to get frustrated or discouraged if something seems not quite perfect...I still consider myself a relatively "noob" brewer even though I'm 25+ batches in over 18 months. Keep HBT up and running for quick reference as well!!
 
My #1 advice, do a dry run of the process the day before. The most common mistake made by beginners is simply 'over thinking' everything. You're making beer, not performing a heart transplant. If you're going to overthink "anything" on purpose and with good intent, sanitation. Other than that, drink a few cold ones while you're doing it and have fun.
 
Don't drink too much while brewing beer. You might get sloppy and forget to sanitize stuff, and when you've got a buzz on, cleaning seems a daunting task while it should be easy when you're (sort of) sober.
 
my biggest problem with the first brews was impatience - if you hit most of your temps esp. fermentation temp it seems to go fine - if there are some slight issues then 4 weeks primary and a few weeks in the bottle seem to sort them out

also use blow off tubes - not air locks for first 2 weeks

the 3rd brew I did had a blow off tube like a car exhaust (S-04 at 20C or something room temp) the beer tasted of bananas and nail polish - but after a month or so was just fine - I ferment in a fridge at 17/18C now
 
Unfortunately due to circumstances out of my control (family related things) I didn't get to brew when I wanted, but will *fingers crossed* be brewing tomorrow.

I will be doing an IPA.

* Pale Malt, Caramel/Crystal Malt, Munich Malts.
* Chinook, Cascade, Nugget hops.
* West Coast IPA Yeast

Then, it will be dry hopped with Cascade.

5 gallon batch.
 
Yep. Don't be shy, let us hear about it. If anything went sideways, 10/10 here will tell you they did the same thing at one point. One of the greatest things about HBT, everyone wants to help. And every brew is a learning experience. Hope things went well!
 
Exactly. Well put seatazzz. I keep a brewers journal in a hand made and bound book that my buddy got me for christmas. I record everything from initial temperatures, water source, PH's, all the OG/FG info, what hops I used, etc., to what music I was listening to, and what my daughter did to help out. Some note are not even about brewing, just things that were going on around that time. If you borked your batch, (and I've borked a few myself), there is absolutely no shame in admitting it. I'm interested in hearing about it.

I'm here to perfect my craft, and if I can help you perfect yours (or even the other folks at HBT), isn't that what were all here for? Knowledge Transfer.

- Josh
 
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