Hello everyone! 
My wonderful wife gave me some money for my birthday to put toward the equipment for home brewing. I just had to promise her that by the time she had our new baby and that I will be able to brew her some lagers.
Its something Ive always wanted to do! It turns out that home brewing is in my blood. My parents back used to brew beer and some wine back in the 60s. Since we are living out in the boonies in NW Kansas the closest brew shop is in east Denver, about 3 hours away. It is a place called The Brew Hut, so far anyway I really like the guys there.
I bought a couple of Brewers Best Kits. German Altbier Style is what I brewed for my first batch, I hope to be able to bottle it tomorrow. I also picked up a Amber Cerveza Style that I will probably brew up next week. Ive never really like the heavily bitter beer that Ive tasted at micro brew pubs in the past, Im sure though that soon my tastes will expand.
For my first batch we had a couple of really hot days at the beginning, and my primary fermentation temps got up into the mid to upper 70s. I dont think that will hurt my brew.
The fermentation really took off fast and furious and on the 3rd day there were no more bubbles coming up the air lock and the head had all collapsed. The SG had dropped from 1.060 on brew day to 1.016 on the 3rd day. Which is weird because the recipe sheet says the Starting Gravity should be 1.044 1.048. I am sure I was taking the reading correctly. I went ahead and siphoned it to the secondary fermentor after that 3rd day. 10 days later in the secondary the SG is still at 1.016.
I look forward chatting more with you all as I learn to brew different types of beer and even making some wine and mead.
Ray
My wonderful wife gave me some money for my birthday to put toward the equipment for home brewing. I just had to promise her that by the time she had our new baby and that I will be able to brew her some lagers.
Its something Ive always wanted to do! It turns out that home brewing is in my blood. My parents back used to brew beer and some wine back in the 60s. Since we are living out in the boonies in NW Kansas the closest brew shop is in east Denver, about 3 hours away. It is a place called The Brew Hut, so far anyway I really like the guys there.
I bought a couple of Brewers Best Kits. German Altbier Style is what I brewed for my first batch, I hope to be able to bottle it tomorrow. I also picked up a Amber Cerveza Style that I will probably brew up next week. Ive never really like the heavily bitter beer that Ive tasted at micro brew pubs in the past, Im sure though that soon my tastes will expand.
For my first batch we had a couple of really hot days at the beginning, and my primary fermentation temps got up into the mid to upper 70s. I dont think that will hurt my brew.
The fermentation really took off fast and furious and on the 3rd day there were no more bubbles coming up the air lock and the head had all collapsed. The SG had dropped from 1.060 on brew day to 1.016 on the 3rd day. Which is weird because the recipe sheet says the Starting Gravity should be 1.044 1.048. I am sure I was taking the reading correctly. I went ahead and siphoned it to the secondary fermentor after that 3rd day. 10 days later in the secondary the SG is still at 1.016.
I look forward chatting more with you all as I learn to brew different types of beer and even making some wine and mead.
Ray
