My equipment has just arrived!

[stratslinger]

Just got a text from my wife that FedEx just dropped off 4 large boxes on the porch. Can't wait to get home now and check out all my new toys!

Now to schedule the first brew day... The next two weekend, for various reasons, are probably no good. So I'm tentatively hoping to hold the innagural brew day on the 23rd. We'll see if anything else gets in the way.

 

[JasonInBTR]

Congrats! Get to brewing. What did ya buy?

Let us know if you have any questions.

 

[azfalcon]

Way to go...your going to have a blast and make some great beer.

 

[stratslinger]

Thanks guys... First off, I'm not quite a brewing virgin, so I'm already well versed in the fun of brewing and the even-more-fun of drinking your product. I've beeen brewing with a buddy since spring of 2010, and I've got a few extract brews and maybe 10 AG brews under my belt. That said, I was really the brewer's assistant, so being in charge will definitely be an adjustment!

I picked up the deluxe kit from NB - mostly because it had two secondary's right out of the box, and also because I'd like the option to bottle if I so choose. My buddy's also handing down to me a couple glass carboys - 5 & 6 gallons - so I don' thave to use the bucket as a primary if I don't want to. I also got their basic kegging starter kit and a 5lb CO2 cylinder - should work out well to begin with (I should have a keg of steam beer in another couple weeks from our last big batch, while the Oktoberfest kit my in-laws gave me at Christmas lagers. I've already got the fridge in the pipeline, just will need to eventually get a manifold, lots more tubing, and a few faucets - but I think I can sit on those for another month or two anyway.

Prior to my first brew day, I plan to plumb in a basement utility sink (will make chilling and cleaning a ton easier than it'd be otherwise, and keep SWMBO happy at the same time) and get the current fridge into the basement (new one coming very soon for upstairs, also see "keep SWMBO happy"). So that's the next two weekends in a nutshell.

 

[JasonInBTR]

Oh how I missing having a basement.....

 

[Stoutman82]

Congrads and good luck!

 

[hotbrew]

Congrats. Now you just need to make sure to have time to brew. As a general rule, don't go to birthday parties, funerals, weddings, baptisms, etc... they take away too much time from brewing.

 

[mikelikesit2000]

Just got a text from my wife that FedEx just dropped off 4 large boxes on the porch.

A good wife would have it all sanitized, set-up, and 6 gallons of water waiting for you.

 

[stratslinger]

So, I almost got to christen my new toys yesterday... Almost.

I had figured I'd take yesterday to plumb in a utility sink in the basement, and make a stab at my first brew day next weekend or the weekend after. But sometime Saturday, SWMBO suggested brewing once the plumbing got done. So of course, being the dutiful husband, I made an effort to obey. I was up a little early yesterday, got the Easy Clean from my kit all mixed up, cleaned the carboy, then got all my other gear soaking, even boiled another gallon and a half of water for yeast rehydration and any necessary top-off (I've got a 30qt pot, so top-off should be minimal).

And then I started the plumbing...

Got the drain all done in 30-40 minutes, no muss, no fuss. I was very pleasantly surprised. Then I got all my copper cut to size, laid out the fittings, and started sweating pipes at 1PM. I had a grand total of 8 joints to sweat. Yet somehow, that took 4 hours! Call it a learning experience...

So, my next attempt will be this coming Sunday. I've got work to do on Saturday and on Monday - so long as the Saturday stuff goes smoothly, I should have all day Sunday with no commitments aside from watching the Patriots play-off game.