Just sampled my first batch....

[beersteiner2345]

3 days into fermentation I decided to take a gravity reading and a sample to see if there was any damage to the 12 hours or so of slightly warm fermentation (78 degrees).

Had it at around 62 since then.

Pulled the beer out with a sterile turkey baster. Put in cylinder.

My God, looks like beer! Smells like beer!!!!!! Actually, smells like damn good beer.

SG reading is 1.021 at this point. Was 1.051 to start. Shooting for 1.011, as this is an E.S.B.

Seem happy with this.

Should I taste it? YOU BETCHA!

My God. I have learned to make beer. Good beer. Holy frick!!!!!!!! :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

Been a beer snob for years. This beer tastes [EDIT: Like it will be...] as good as any E.S.B. I have had before. Plus I made it. So freaking happy right now... could cry... or type in unintelligible short prose. That works.

 

[cvstrat]

Raise both hands to the sky and yell "LOOK WHAT I HAVE CREATED!!"

Congrats and welcome to the obsession.

 

[steelcitybrew]

Haha congrats

 

[beersteiner2345]

BTW- Here's the recipe... was an extract with Specialty Grains and Hops.

Specialty Grains:
1 lb. 55L Crystal Malt
12 oz. CaraPils
8 oz. 20L Crystal Malt
6 oz. Honey Malt

Steeped for 45 minutes at 150.

Extract:
3.3 lbs Light
3.3 lbs Extra light

Hops:
2 oz. Fuggle hops - 60 min
East Kent Gelding hops- 15 min
Added Irish Moss here at 15 min too (1/4 tsp.)
EKG hops - 5 min.

Yeast- Dry, S-04

 

[beersteiner2345]

Raise both hands to the sky and yell "LOOK WHAT I HAVE CREATED!!"

Congrats and welcome to the obsession.

That's exactly how I feel right now.

Was working on a school paper (graduating with my MBA next week) and getting ready to go to bed... now methinks I will have a beer to celebrate. :rockin:

 

[brewit2it]

Welcome to the obsession. Not to be a wet blanket but you have proven how powerful the mind is. Only a "father" could convince himself his new creation of 3 day into fermentation warm yeast filled not even old enough to be called "green beer" beer tastes as good as any ESB he has ever had.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Are you saying I am biased? lol

This is a fair point. It actually isn't as good yet, but with some more carbonation from the bottling, this beer is on it's way there.

 

[hector]

I'm WONDERING !!!

How could it taste like a normal Beer after ONLY 3 days ?!!!

I made 3 Batches with Extract and I also used Safale-S04 dry ale yeast , BUT they never tasted like Beer even after 17 days in the Primary .

Although , I controlled the Fermentation Temp. carefully .

I've always been told that I should leave it in the Primary for 3-4 Weeks and even after this Period , I should NOT expect

any normal smelling and Taste , as it's still green .

Has anyone any convincing Explanation for me here ?!

Hector

 

[BrewForMe]

I just sampled my first batch before bottling, after 2 weeks fermenting (a weizen) it tastes like beer, real beer! So tasty I couldnt believe I made it. Now to wait the two weeks of bottle conditioning...oh the pain...

 

[Priemus]

Imagine how its gonna taste after you let it sit for another 2 weeks to clean up and mature a little, and a furhter 3 weeks in bottles to condition and carb up.

....hardest part about home brew is the waiting.

 

[beersteiner2345]

This is what I am discovering... lol

 

[kyle6286]

That's exactly how I feel right now.

Was working on a school paper (graduating with my MBA next week) and getting ready to go to bed... now methinks I will have a beer to celebrate. :rockin:

Congrats on your first batch. I just bottled my first batch, an Autumn Amber Ale, last Friday. I can't wait to try it. Also, congrats on completing your MBA. I'm finishing this year and I can't wait to be done forever! Then it's on to making a lot more beer.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Congrats on your first batch. I just bottled my first batch, an Autumn Amber Ale, last Friday. I can't wait to try it. Also, congrats on completing your MBA. I'm finishing this year and I can't wait to be done forever! Then it's on to making a lot more beer.

Congrats to you too! I used to think I was busy in undergrad school. At this point in life, I would love to go back to then and kick me in the huevos for thinking that. Working full time and graduate school full time, along with family and a full time student wife makes for interesting times. I am sure you can understand this though as a fellow MBA-er.

See, now we know how to create value to SELL our beer. lol

Just need to learn to make good beer first.

 

[kyle6286]

Congrats to you too! I used to think I was busy in undergrad school. At this point in life, I would love to go back to then and kick me in the huevos for thinking that. Working full time and graduate school full time, along with family and a full time student wife makes for interesting times. I am sure you can understand this though as a fellow MBA-er.

See, now we know how to create value to SELL our beer. lol

Just need to learn to make good beer first.

Lol I feel your pain. I'm working full-time but only going to school part-time. Just got married, no kids, but we have a couple pets. And yea, I'd give anything to go back to undergrad. Ah, the good old times! Anyways, good luck on your beer. Hope it turns out great. I'm making a Belgian Witbier next. It's supposed to resemble Blue Moon so I'll try my luck.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Nice! Lemme know how it works out for you. Good luck with wrapping school up too. Hope you don't get the "senioritis" as bad as I have.

 

[Becks]

That's exactly how I feel right now.

Was working on a school paper (graduating with my MBA next week) and getting ready to go to bed... now methinks I will have a beer to celebrate. :rockin:

Congrats on your beer from a fellow overworked MBA student!

 

[beersteiner2345]

Congrats on your beer from a fellow overworked MBA student!

Thanks! Glad beer won't be ready for a couple weeks though. Just finished my capstone paper (phew). :rockin: But still have one other paper and two finals to go. Must. Stay. Motivated> Running. Out. Of. Steam.


Do you go to the Citadel? (Saw Charleston)

 

[Becks]

Do you go to the Citadel? (Saw Charleston)

I do indeed.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Nice! My Father-in-law is C.O. '73. Delta Company I believe...

Went there last season for a football game against App St. (Brother in law went to App, Mother in law to Furman). Southern Conference is big in our family. lol

 

[Becks]

Nice! My Father-in-law is C.O. '73. Delta Company I believe...

Went there last season for a football game against App St. (Brother in law went to App, Mother in law to Furman). Southern Conference is big in our family. lol

Interesting, we were sitting at the same football game. Small world eh?

 

[beersteiner2345]

Indeed it is. That was a different ball game (literally) than the UF games I am used to in The Swamp. Still had an absolute blast though. The traditions at The Citadel truly are impressive.

 

[kyle6286]

Thanks! Glad beer won't be ready for a couple weeks though. Just finished my capstone paper (phew). :rockin: But still have one other paper and two finals to go. Must. Stay. Motivated> Running. Out. Of. Steam.

Do you go to the Citadel? (Saw Charleston)

Lol at Capstone. I'm taking that as my last MBA course. Now that you're graduating, I expect you to drink all 50+ of those beers you made.

 

[beersteiner2345]

Will not be an issue. At all. LOL

 

[Zixxer10R]

3 days into fermentation I decided to take a gravity reading and a sample to see if there was any damage to the 12 hours or so of slightly warm fermentation (78 degrees).

Had it at around 62 since then.

Pulled the beer out with a sterile turkey baster. Put in cylinder.

My God, looks like beer! Smells like beer!!!!!! Actually, smells like damn good beer.

SG reading is 1.021 at this point. Was 1.051 to start. Shooting for 1.011, as this is an E.S.B.

Seem happy with this.

Should I taste it? YOU BETCHA!

My God. I have learned to make beer. Good beer. Holy frick!!!!!!!! :rockin::rockin::rockin::rockin:

Been a beer snob for years. This beer tastes [EDIT: Like it will be...] as good as any E.S.B. I have had before. Plus I made it. So freaking happy right now... could cry... or type in unintelligible short prose. That works.

Have you tried Real Ale's Phoenix ESB? It's superb if you want a great yardstick...

 

[beersteiner2345]

I have not. Not sure I can get it here (Florida) though. I might be able to find it when we move to Phoenix next month though!

 

[Zixxer10R]

I have not. Not sure I can get it here (Florida) though. I might be able to find it when we move to Phoenix next month though!

It's actually a Texas brewery but they ship anywhere Ben E Keith delivers. The Phoenix has more to do with the mystical bird on the bottle label than it does with Arizona.

 

[hector]

No one here to answer my Question yet ?!

Hector

 

[beersteiner2345]

No one here to answer my Question yet ?!

Hector

Dude, I didn't bottle the whole thing. Just took a sip from the sample I was taking a gravity reading for.

Smelled like beer. Tasted like green flat beer. I did have too hot a fermentation in the beginning, maybe that's why? Not sure why mine smells like beer and yours doesn't... anyone?

I am still gonna let it go the whole time before bottling though ...

 

[unionrdr]

You'rs may have gotten past initial fermentation faster. Just needs time to finish fermenting out & clean up.

 

[hector]