I did it!

[gtpro]

Such a trivial thing to post about, but I just bottled my first beer yesterday! What a great feeling. So much wonderful amber liquid sitting in my closet neatly sealed and carbonating. Only came out to 44 12 oz bottles, little less than I expected but I couldn't be happier. Not expecting much from my first beer I only fermented for 11 days, but I think I like the results. . .

I used Muntons LME:
3.3lbs amber
3.3lbs hopped amber
1/2 oz hallertau hops @60
1/2 oz hallertau @15
Safale US-05 and white labs english ale yeast (dont ask)

a super basic brew for sure

After much debate I chilled a half full bottle, the remnants from bottling, and sampled it with two buddies. Warning them that this is not by any means the finished product, and to my pleasant surprise it tasted like beer, well. . .flat beer. Smelled like Hoegaarden, tasted slightly malty-sweet with just the right amount of bitter. I'm pumped that my first try came out without a hitch, especially since I was counting on some sort of catastrophic failure during the process. I'm hooked on brewing!

 

[android]

way to go man, it just gets better from here.

 

[Surly]

Congrats. And TY for posting this.

So often, those of us that have brewed for a bit forget what it is like to experience the wonder of the first couple of batches.

That said, run away from this hobby right now.......you will only want to brew more.

 

[PT Ray]

Not trivial at all. I get inspired to go brew when I hear stories like that.

A co worker just started brewing and got me motivated to crank up production for the holidays.

 

[UnderDogs]

Man I cannot wait to get my kit so I can start brewing. Stupid holidays! If xmas wasn't around the corner I'd be buying the kit myself but my wife wants to buy it for me....

Good things come to those who wait I guess. Excellent job though man, I can't wait to do the same.

 

[Dalarast]

I love bottling day now since its a full family affair with the wife and kids helping out. Its brings us all together for the thing dad loves almost as much as them... BEER!

The only thing I hate about bottling when I have nothing else in the lineup is that WAIT. That's why I try to always attempt to brew on a good enough cycle to always have a beer to drink, bottle, ferment, and of course BREW!

 

[thebamaking]

hey underdogs....you should go ahead and buy it yourself and try to keep it hidden so you can have 2 primaries and 2 secondaries come christmas

 

[ibbones]

Congrats on the first bottling. Now the hard part. You gotta wait before you can crack one open. Looooooong three weeks.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I did it!!............That sums up the cherry popping feeling perfectly!

We've all been there, and we understand you perfectly.

 

[Chudz]

Being that I only started brewing back in September, that feeling is still fresh in my mind. So a hearty congratulations to you.

 

[Hep]

I am a fairly new brewer as well and I still get that "I made this" feeling with every batch (4 batches in). I am also finding that I am purchasing, and enjoying, styles of beer which I never cared for before, now that I know what goes into them (and my wife allowed me a 'research' budget). Hell, even food tastes better to me now as I am starting to appreciate subtle notes from various spices, etc. Also my knowledge of biochemistry has expanded (my father is a biochemist and I suprise/impress him with some of my newly gained knowledge)

 

[atromic]

I am also finding that I am purchasing, and enjoying, styles of beer which I never cared for before, now that I know what goes into them

Haha, this is so true. I never really cared for hoppy beers, but my brain was rewired the instant I dropped that first oz of hops into batch #1. Now I can't get enough of IPAs.

It's also really cool being able to drink a beer and pick out some of the grains/hops that went into them based on what I've been using in my brews.

 

[FxdGrMind]

Congrats on your first brew!!! :rockin:

It's a tremendous feeling of accomplishment... with a tortuous wait for the finished product.... PURE TORTURE I tell ya!!!

But SO worth the wait! Now take it from anyone that has brewed their first and run out... BREW your next ASAP!!! Get a pipeline going as they go quicker than you can ever imagine!