First time brewing, would love some tips!

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Stuck27

Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2021
Messages
15
Reaction score
3
Hey guys! First time trying my hand at brewing. Have had a couple solid marijane grows so what to expand on making my own product. This seems like a great hobby and a lot of different ways to brew which I love. I bought a kit and it came with a 5gal bucket and a 5g carboy. I bought a kit and it said to switch from bucket to carboy which I read on here was oldschool. I'm currently waiting for the temperature to reach 20-25°c to add the yeast. I'm adding vodka to the airdrop. I bought a Canadian style pilsner kit. It says to leave it for 2 weeks but I'm reading 3-4 weeks is more ideal. What are your opinions? Is there any other information you guys would need to give the best advice? Thanks a ton!
 
Last edited:
Use the 5 gallon carboy to make cider or mead. They don't need the headspace that a beer does because they lack the proteins that create the big head of krausen. Mead would be best because it takes more time and will tie up the carboy so you won't be tempted to secondary your beer.

Use water in the airlock, drink the vodka. The water will evaporate slower.

A Pilsener is typically a lager which takes a cooler fermentation than an ale. Look at what yeast came with your kit and follow the manufacturers instructions on what temperature to ferment at.
 
Hardest part is waiting...

For 5 gallons, you will not end up with 5 gallons.

Pils is a lager. The 3-4 weeks is figuring in lagering time.

Can a lager be ready in 2 weeks. Probably. Is it drinkable? Probably. Is it as good as a lager done in 3-4 weeks? No.
 
Great advice thank you! So I'll test my batch at 2 weeks and see where is? Is that how you tell if your beer is ready or not. I'm thinking with the carboy I'll make some wine for my girlfriend.
 
Hardest part is waiting...

For 5 gallons, you will not end up with 5 gallons.

Pils is a lager. The 3-4 weeks is figuring in lagering time.

Can a lager be ready in 2 weeks. Probably. Is it drinkable? Probably. Is it as good as a lager done in 3-4 weeks? No.
I'm 10000% comfortable with waiting. I'm a fan of waiting until things are done, no rush on my end. I'll go 3-4 weeks for sure
 
With a lager we want to get rid of the sulphur (fart, egg) aroma. This is typical of a lager. The longer lagering time removes sulphur. It's normally suggested, near the end of fermentation of a lager, to move the fermenter into a warmer location so the yeast are able to clean up the sulphur.
 
With a lager we want to get rid of the sulphur (fart, egg) aroma. This is typical of a lager. The longer lagering time removes sulphur. It's normally suggested, near the end of fermentation of a lager, to move the fermenter into a warmer location so the yeast are able to clean up the sulphur.
Awesome, I had no idea. So I could probably turn the heat up in the room at week 3-4ish for a bit. Nothing to crazy, I'd assume 25-28°c? Sorry for all the questions, I just find it so interesting!
 
No! Don't turn up the heat. Just move the fermenter to a warmer location (lagers are what? Normally, 48 to 52F, (8.5 C to 11.1 C)). Called "yeast cleaning up".

Simply, move to a warmer location for a few days near the end of fermentation. Then, crash at temps lover then 40 F (4.4 C)
 
Last edited:
No! Don't turn up the heat. Just move the fermenter to a warmer location (lagers are what? Normally, 48 to 52F, (8.5 C to 11.1 C)). Called "yeast cleaning up".

Simply, move to a warmer location for a few days near the end of fermentation. Then, crash at temps lover then 40 F (4.4 C)
Okay I didn't know this. I could easily get it into a room between 8-11°c . The instruction didn't say a temperature to keep it in. I was always under the impression of a warmer room.
 
I'm fermenting in a basement that is 10°c at the moment. It will be getting colder as the weeks progress. If it doesn't turn out I'll run it again with the winter coming, would be easily controlled
 
Step 1- Research
Step 2- Research even more
Step 3- Just do it. Don’t worry, you’ll make beer!
Step 4- Repeat!
 
Sounds as if you are good. Perhaps, based on the yeast, no sulfur?

Other way is to let is lager for longer than 3-4 weeks for the yeast to clean up the sulfur.
is there a way to tell if it is cleaned up of sulfur? will the smell let me know? I'm down to wait longer if needed, like I said zero rush on this
 
Step 1- Research
Step 2- Research even more
Step 3- Just do it. Don’t worry, you’ll make beer!
Step 4- Repeat!
I jumped into it a little early without as much research. I've spent the last 2 hours reading and more to come! Excited to have started
 
Smell it. Smells of farts/eggs? It so, it's not done.

Growing up in Pittsburgh, PA, we'd to to West View Park. This was an amusement park. There were fountains of "egg water". At the time I didn't know this was sulfur.
I live by a Mill and smell sulfur a lot. Definitely a unique smell. I'll keep a close eye on that
 
Starting with a pils...ballsy. I brewed 2 or 3 years before I touched a pils/lager. I won't get into instruction because there are hundreds of pages on it already, but let it ferment, then ramp up the temp in a warmer place, then cold crash for 3 weeks or so.
 
Starting with a pils...ballsy. I brewed 2 or 3 years before I touched a pils/lager. I won't get into instruction because there are hundreds of pages on it already, but let it ferment, then ramp up the temp in a warmer place, then cold crash for 3 weeks or so.
I went into a brewing shop here in town. He asked me what kind of beer I enjoyed and then suggested a setup. I didn't do proper research before buying, always wanted to and impulsed bought. I'm guessing I'll do an ale next bath
 
I went into a brewing shop here in town. He asked me what kind of beer I enjoyed and then suggested a setup. I didn't do proper research before buying, always wanted to and impulsed bought. I'm guessing I'll do an ale next bath

Unless something is seriously amiss you should get eminently drinkable beer.

Enjoy the new hobby!
 
Hey guys! First time trying my hand at brewing. Have had a couple solid marijane grows so what to expand on making my own product. This seems like a great hobby and a lot of different ways to brew which I love. I bought a kit and it came with a 5gal bucket and a 5g carboy. I bought a kit and it said to switch from bucket to carboy which I read on here was oldschool. I'm currently waiting for the temperature to reach 20-25°c to add the yeast. I'm adding vodka to the airdrop. I bought a Canadian style pilsner kit. It says to leave it for 2 weeks but I'm reading 3-4 weeks is more ideal. What are your opinions? Is there any other information you guys would need to give the best advice? Thanks a ton!
Ah yes, two of my favorite hobbies! Growing and brewing. And there is nothing like enjoying something you made. Not too mention the money saved!

We all start on kits and you will make beer. But drink the Vodka since it evaporates. I just used tap water to the airlock. If you really worry about infection use a starsan solution. Not sure how many gallons of wort you put in the bucket but if there is little head space you'll want to use a blow off instead of the airlock. I always just used the blow off. Now I pressure ferment so use a spunding valve.

But my best advice is to read How to Brew by Palmer. An older addition is free online or buy the book. I've been through mine a few times.
 
Just an update!! Firstly thank you all SOOO much on the great information. I loved reading every comment and reading links provided. I tested my beer at 2 weeks and it hit in range but the smell was a little strong. I let it rest for another 2 weeks (3 weeks 5 days) and it smells great. Did a taste test and I absolutely love the taste. Couldn't be happier! You all rock.. will be bottling tomorrow. For 5 gal bucket I would use 200-250gs of corn sugar, am I correct?
 
I'm curious. Did you use a hydrometer? Most if not all those beer kits come with an ale yeast. Even if it does say lager.

My go to site for creating recipes, sugar priming calculators etc is brewersfriend. Its free.

For 5gals you want 137g for 2.5 volumes of co2
 
Last edited:
Back
Top