Hello from Deep East Texas

[lonestartiger]

Hey Y'all

decided I should probably go ahead and join and start posting since I know I'm bound to need some help along the way, and I'm sure sooner rather than later

My wife and I brewed our first batch a week ago. We used the AHS American Brown extract kit. The brewing couldn't have gone better!

Then we pitched the yeast. The next day I had to try to figure out how to rig a blowoff tube while my wife cleaned the ceiling in the closet. We managed to contain everything, replaced the plug and airlock, and let it ferment the rest of the week.

Saturday I racked to the secondary, for a couple reasons. First, I forgot to strain/filter the wort when going from the boil pot to the fermenter, and even after the volcanic eruption there was still a lot of solids in the beer. Second, I wanted to see how we were progressing and if anything had been ruined by the blow out.

Glad to say, we are safely in the secondary, still fermenting, and the bit that I pulled for a specific gravity reading tasted alright.

We really enjoyed the process (notice I haven't bottled yet, everyone says bottling is terrible) and can't wait to get started on batch #2.

I look forward to chatting with y'all


-Mike

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hey, Hey!

I am from Texas, also! I am in north Texas. I haven't started my brew yet - as I am still learning a few things before I start my own. I bought a kit - using a Bock malt, so I am interested - as it being my first, how it will turn out! I am more concerned about my temperatures being so hot here. I do not have a cooling unit and do not know if I am going to need one for the first brew, or if I can keep it cool enough to ferment... What are you using and your thoughts since you just finished the process. It's not everyday you see a basement in Texas...

Good Luck to you on your first Brew! I look forward to subbing in and checking out your product!


Peace, Love & Beer.

 

[lonestartiger]

Hey, Hey!

I am from Texas, also! I am in north Texas. I haven't started my brew yet - as I am still learning a few things before I start my own. I bought a kit - using a Bock malt, so I am interested - as it being my first, how it will turn out! I am more concerned about my temperatures being so hot here. I do not have a cooling unit and do not know if I am going to need one for the first brew, or if I can keep it cool enough to ferment... What are you using and your thoughts since you just finished the process. It's not everyday you see a basement in Texas...

Good Luck to you on your first Brew! I look forward to subbing in and checking out your product!


Peace, Love & Beer.

I'm using a utility closet

It stays between 72 and 75 in there, maybe a little warm, but should be ok. Best part is that it doesn't fluctuate much at all, and stays dark. I spoke to a few guys here that brew and none of them worry with it too much, just keep it in a dark place in the coolest place you can.

Because of our heat, I plan to brew more during the winter when temps in my house stay in the 65-70 range, and plan to make this same brown ale recipe again to see if the different fermenting temps cause different flavors

One thing I have found, after talking with a lot of people about it, and working through my first batch, is I worried WAY more than I should have. This can be a really easy hobby, and chances are you're going to end up with at least a decent beer.

 

[FuriousGeorge228]

Texas heat was my concern too. I think I can stay under 75.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

That needs to be my next think to do... I have such a small old house and every room is occupied... Oiy! We haven't even hit peak temps and my car temp or outside is reading 100 degrees as I am sitting here writing this... Humm... Maybe a mini fridge... I just don't know how a 5 gal glass bottle is gonna bit in there...

I have some scoping out to do...

 

[Pappers_]

I assume you folks don't have a basement or cellar, right?

If my basement is too warm, I put my carboys in a big plastic tub filled with water. Then I swap frozen 1/2 gallon juice jugs filled with ice in the tub, once in the morning and once at night. I keep a floating thermometer in the water so I can keep track of any really big temperature swings. For most of my ales, I aim for 60 F.

Other people use a rig called a swamp cooler - it uses a fan and evaporates water off a t-shirt wrapped around your carboy/bucket. It doesn't work well in high humidity, I understand.

Good luck!

 

[WesleyS]

Hello fellow Texan,

Congratulations on your first brew. The temps in the summer here can be a pain, but with my ales I don't worry too much about it. Of course I never let it get warm in my house mainly never above 70. Only problem comes with lagers, but I use a small refrigerator with an external thermostat for lagering which limits me to one 5 gallon batch of lager at a time. I previously used a chest freezer, but when it was empty at one point I made an exception and let my wife keep food in there and I never got it back.
Anyways, keep up the brewing, it only gets better.

 

[ASassyBeerChick83]

Hello fellow Texan,

Congratulations on your first brew. The temps in the summer here can be a pain, but with my ales I don't worry too much about it. Of course I never let it get warm in my house mainly never above 70. Only problem comes with lagers, but I use a small refrigerator with an external thermostat for lagering which limits me to one 5 gallon batch of lager at a time. I previously used a chest freezer, but when it was empty at one point I made an exception and let my wife keep food in there and I never got it back.
Anyways, keep up the brewing, it only gets better.

Whew! My house is an old house and running the AC like that means running us into debt.. LoL!! It's been cooler but it's rained here
In Dallas... However... It's now hot & muggy Anywho... I think I have a good plan... Wet T-Shirts, Fans & Water & Ice Summer months are hard.. Kind of worried.. I don't have space at my house for another refrigerator... Too much work would be in order to add another hole through two separating walls, etc.

I just want to brew!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.

 

[uhcougar]

You still brewing in Diboll? I go to Zavalla quite often, via Diboll. Shoot me a PM if you ever need anything like fresh yeast and I can bring you some!

 

[Cyclman]

Keg bucket with frozen bottles is easy and low maintenance- your beer will improve markedly if you at least get the first few days in the sixties. Welcome to the hobby and the group.