Hello all, Robert (aka drofen) here. I've been lurking around for a couple weeks just reading and I've learned a ton already. Mostly I'm just amazed that I've produced anything drinkable based on what I've been reading. I only have 5 batches under my belt, but somehow I've managed to do so while committing the following cardinal sins:
a.) I used bleach as a sterilizing agent.
b.) I have only pitched yeast straight from the White Labs vial, sans starter.
c.) I have done all my boils on the kitchen stove. The electric stove.
d.) I haven't had a boil-over or a bottle bomb. Yet.
e.) I ferment on my kitchen counter. And my wife is still speaking to me.
I've even managed to learn a few lessons on my own, like:
a.) Bringing the top-off water for the brew pot to a boil in another pot while the specialty grains steep cuts down on brew time.
b.) Setting the brew pot in the sink and circulating cool water around it works marginally well as a poor man's wort chiller.
c.) Chilling top-off water for the primary fermenter in the fridge for several hours before starting brewing also helps bring the wort into pitchable temp range more quickly.
As I've been pretty happy with my results, and each batch tastes different than the one before (better even!), I'm excited to have finally found such a great knowledge repository. I'm hoping the quality of my beer continues to grow as I learn.
A few fast facts about me.
a.) I prefer ales to lagers (at this point).
b.) I am an RN-BSN and I work in a huge hospital on a cardio-thoracic ICU--heart & lung transplants, open heart surgeries and the like.
c.) I'm a family man--wife, 3 kids, and 2 Scottish Terriers, Maggie & Wallace.
Eh, that's probably enough about me. Looking forward to getting to know a few of y'all.
Slainte,
Robert
a.) I used bleach as a sterilizing agent.
b.) I have only pitched yeast straight from the White Labs vial, sans starter.
c.) I have done all my boils on the kitchen stove. The electric stove.
d.) I haven't had a boil-over or a bottle bomb. Yet.
e.) I ferment on my kitchen counter. And my wife is still speaking to me.
I've even managed to learn a few lessons on my own, like:
a.) Bringing the top-off water for the brew pot to a boil in another pot while the specialty grains steep cuts down on brew time.
b.) Setting the brew pot in the sink and circulating cool water around it works marginally well as a poor man's wort chiller.
c.) Chilling top-off water for the primary fermenter in the fridge for several hours before starting brewing also helps bring the wort into pitchable temp range more quickly.
As I've been pretty happy with my results, and each batch tastes different than the one before (better even!), I'm excited to have finally found such a great knowledge repository. I'm hoping the quality of my beer continues to grow as I learn.
A few fast facts about me.
a.) I prefer ales to lagers (at this point).
b.) I am an RN-BSN and I work in a huge hospital on a cardio-thoracic ICU--heart & lung transplants, open heart surgeries and the like.
c.) I'm a family man--wife, 3 kids, and 2 Scottish Terriers, Maggie & Wallace.
Eh, that's probably enough about me. Looking forward to getting to know a few of y'all.
Slainte,
Robert
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
