It is time.....

[ChshreCat]

Nah. It's all good. I didn't post it because I didn't want "Add some of this" and "Put in less of this". I wanted it to be all mine.

My OG came in lower. 1.048. I know what my mistakes were that caused it, so I'm fine with that.

 

[Edcculus]

Congrats on the first brew. Now if everyone put this much effort into their first, we wouldnt have any problems!

I applaud you for skipping the extract phase. Yea you learn the basics, but thats about it. I started brewing with a friend who had just stepped into all grain. To this day, I've still never done an extract kit. I feel like I got a better understanding since we basically learned the all grain brewing process together. I think it was better for me than someone telling me "put that syrup in water, boil it for a while, cool it, pitch yeast and BAM, you have beer...

 

[ChshreCat]

Yeah. To me, doing a kit was kind of like buying a TV dinner. Yeah, I'm cooking it, but am I really "cooking"?

 

[GreenwoodRover]

Again congrats to you.
I followed a slightly similar arc (although not as extended as yours) by joining here, reading Joy of (papizian), and How to (palmer), and doing some research prior to my first batch. I went with a kit extract with steeping grains (a brown ale too) but subbed the yeast and hops based on info I got here and where I thought my tastes woiuld be. My next batch was also a kit the 3 after were counter top PM since then I'm AG and I've now got 10 batches under my belt and that first brew is still in the top 3. I don't know if it's nostalgia or what.

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks for the good words.

I'll be PMing for a while. I'm an apartment dweller and don't have anywhere to do an AG. I'm fine with that. By the time I can do AG, I should have many, many PM batches under my belt... or hanging over it.

 

[ChshreCat]

Not to follow up my own post, but...

I have to add that when I racked last night, I was amazed at how compact the sediment at the bottom of my primary was. I was literally able to get all but a few ounces of my beer off without rousing any of the crap in the bottom.

I'm guessing that was from going 2 weeks in primary instead of just 1. If that was it, then I'm doing that EVERY time!

 

[Nurmey]

Not to follow up my own post, but...

I have to add that when I racked last night, I was amazed at how compact the sediment at the bottom of my primary was. I was literally able to get all but a few ounces of my beer off without rousing any of the crap in the bottom.

I'm guessing that was from going 2 weeks in primary instead of just 1. If that was it, then I'm doing that EVERY time!

You are correct! After you get a few beers in the pipeline, try 3 or 4 weeks in primary for even better results.

 

[ChshreCat]

24 hours after racking and I already have a nice little layer of goo on the bottom of my carboy.

 

[ChshreCat]

Downloaded Beer Smith today. I think I did this right...

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - BeerSmith Brewing Software, Recipes, Blog, Wiki and Discussion Forum
Recipe: BBD Brown Biscuit
Brewer: BBD Brewing
Style: American Brown Ale
TYPE: Partial Mash
Taste:

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 3.5 gal
Estimated OG: 1.053 SG
Estimated Color: 23.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 20.9 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 50.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.50 lb Amber Liquid Extract (12.5 SRM) Extract 76.47 %
1.00 lb Special B Malt (180.0 SRM) Grain 11.76 %
0.50 lb Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
0.50 lb Pale Malt (6 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
0.75 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (45 min) Hops 11.0 IBU
1.25 oz Fuggles [4.50 %] (15 min) Hops 9.9 IBU
1 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body
Total Grain Weight: 2.00 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 2.50 qt of water at 165.9 F 154.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 1.40 qt of water at 196.6 F 168.0 F

 

[ChshreCat]

One week to bottling. One month and I get to taste it!

How do you STAND the WAIT?!?!?!?

 

[Kelsch]

How do you STAND the WAIT?!?!?!?

That's why the pipelines get so long!

Congrats on your first. It's all obsession from here on out.

 

[ChshreCat]

Bottling Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Revvy]

Bottling Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God c'mon already, the suspense is killing me...*whines* you mean I gotta wait three more weeks for it to be carbed an bottle conditioned so you can drink it?




So what'd you do? You did rig up my bottling bucket dip tube so you can capture every ounce of beery goodness, didn't you?

You got your priming sugar measure correctly?
Got enough caps?
Sanitized everything, right?
Don't forget to take a grav reading so you can calculate you abv.

Get cracking 'CAT

 

[shecky]

Cat is hero-like. More than 800 posts before bottling his first brew. That's epic but still behind the Gnome.

 

[ChshreCat]

God c'mon already, the suspense is killing me...*whines* you mean I gotta wait three more weeks for it to be carbed an bottle conditioned so you can drink it?




So what'd you do? You did rig up my bottling bucket dip tube so you can capture every ounce of beery goodness, didn't you?

You got your priming sugar measure correctly?
Got enough caps?
Sanitized everything, right?
Don't forget to take a grav reading so you can calculate you abv.

Get cracking 'CAT

Hey, I went ahead and posted the recipe. You just on the edge of your seat to hear how it tastes?

Didn't set up your dip tube yet. What little bit I can't get out of the bucket by tipping, I'll just pour in a glass, quick chill in the freezer and taste.

Caps ready. Threw the last of my bottles in the tub with oxyclean last night and my daughter got up and rinsed and delabeled them this morning.

Got my suger and we're actually on our way to Target to pick up a digital scale. 3/4 cup per gallon, right?

 

[ChshreCat]

Cat is hero-like. More than 800 posts before bottling his first brew. That's epic but still behind the Gnome.

That's only if you count the 799 posts rattling tinfoil hats in the Debate forum.

 

[Revvy]

Got my suger and we're actually on our way to Target to pick up a digital scale. 3/4 cup per gallon, right?

I hope you're kidding. It's about 5 ounces/5 gallons...

I got my scale for 19.99 at target, so don't pay more.

 

[shecky]

Yeah, yeah, go with 3/4 cup per gallon. Then place a webcam right next to the bottles so we can all see the ensuing fireworks.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Ya got me pulled into this thread! Congrats on the inaugural brew. Now get cracking on the next one. Trust me and what others have said; the more you have in the piepline, the easier it is to wait patiently!

 

[ChshreCat]

Yes, I was kidding. Hence the

We might splurge a little bit on the scale. SWMBO is diabetic and there's one that calculates your carbs automatically that we were looking at.

Actually, I got to thinking. Maybe I'll take the last bit that won't fill a whole bottle and put it in a clean plastic pop bottle. Then I can feel when it's tight, pop it in the fridge and get an early taste of it carbed but young. I can still taste my hydrometer sample.

 

[springer]

One week to bottling. One month and I get to taste it!

How do you STAND the WAIT?!?!?!?

Congrats on the inaugural brew.


We keep ourselves busy by brewing more beer. Always have one on the way. I have 15 gallons in primary as we speak did my porter yesterday and had 10 gallons of Biermunchers Oktoberfast going since Sunday. Thinking Edworts Haus ale this weekend.

 

[shecky]

Then I can feel when it's tight, pop it in the fridge and get an early taste of it carbed but young.

I've been spending too much time with Gnome. That made me giggle in that junior-high, pre-pubescent kind of way.

 

[Saccharomyces]

Actually, I got to thinking. Maybe I'll take the last bit that won't fill a whole bottle and put it in a clean plastic pop bottle. Then I can feel when it's tight, pop it in the fridge and get an early taste of it carbed but young. I can still taste my hydrometer sample.

Yes, this is what I do. I cap it and leave it on the counter so I know when the others have carbed. After awhile you can chill it and drink it to see what oxidized beer tastes like, all that headspace leaves it very stale. "Know your off flavors", it's the next Letterman segment...

 

[ChshreCat]

Thanks for all the good words everyone.

Ya know what's really odd... this thread has over 1200 views! LOL

 

[Revvy]

Ya know what's really odd... this thread has over 1200 views! LOL

That's 'cause we're all beer geeks here...We all are "Riding that fine line between cool and dorky."

So you should be done by now...right???


Didja think to take picures? Hook up a webcam???

Didja Didja???

 

[ChshreCat]

That's 'cause we're all beer geeks here...We all are "Riding that fine line between cool and dorky."

So you should be done by now...right???


Didja think to take picures? Hook up a webcam???

Didja Didja???

Just sanitized all my bottles, hoses and whatnot and am waiting for the sugar water to cool a little more before racking into my bucket.

Not sure if I'll have time to take pictures because we need to get done in time to make dinner. SWMBO is giving me the look already.

 

[Revvy]

Not sure if I'll have time to take pictures because we need to get done in time to make dinner. SWMBO is giving me the look already.

Two words...Pizza Night!

 

[farmbrewernw]

I don't know why I ignored this thread so long, anyway congrats I'm very excited for you. There is nothing like your first home brew, the waiting is the hardest part. Make sure you have some good beer on hand to drink to fill the need to drink your beer green. Also make sure you get on making another batch cause the first one is going to go fast.

 

[ChshreCat]

GAAAAH!

Everything had gone so well on my first brew, but of course it doesn't happen that way.

Priming sugar in the bucket. Siphon my beer onto it. Gently mix it. Everything was perfect.

Set the bottling bucket on the counter above the dishwasher (still the best, simplest idea ever) and everything seemed fine. Then the spigot starts leaking! Like, out of no where! Nobody even touched it! Beer just suddenly starts coming out between the seal and the wall of the bucket!

About 2-3 drops per second.

I wiggled it around, tried twisting it a little, but nothing slowed the leak down. I had one moment of stoooooopid when I considered plunging my arm down into the beer to tighten it on the other side but hanging out here and reading thousands of posts won out over that impulse.

So, it became a race against the leak. My daughter/assistant filled as quick as she could and I capped as they came off. I lost a bottle or two to it but that's about it.

EVERYTHING IS STICKY!!!!

time to go clean the kitchen and start dinner so I can RDW and HAMB. Then again... my apfelwein is 2.5 weeks in the bottle...

 

[Revvy]

GAAAAH!

Everything had gone so well on my first brew, but of course it doesn't happen that way.

Priming sugar in the bucket. Siphon my beer onto it. Gently mix it. Everything was perfect.

Set the bottling bucket on the counter above the dishwasher (still the best, simplest idea ever) and everything seemed fine. Then the spigot starts leaking! Like, out of no where! Nobody even touched it! Beer just suddenly starts coming out between the seal and the wall of the bucket!

About 2-3 drops per second.

Well....you know....you could have sanitized you arm and hand and gone inside the bottling bucket and tightend the nut on the spigot as well...I've done that.

A spray bottle of sanitizer is great for that.

but oh, well, live and learn for next time!