My first 5 gal. batch is brewed!

[Thumper]

Well I just finished my first 5 gal. batch. I have one 2 gal. batch sitting in a Mr. Beer. This was a whole new experience for me!

I brewed an Irish Red Ale from a Midwest HBS kit. The recipe is as follows.

SG 1.042-1.046
OG 1.010-1.012
IBUs = 35

6 lbs golden lme
1 oz. Cascade @ 60 minutes
1 oz. Fuggle @ 2 minutes.
Muttons dry ale yeast (rehydrated)

I did a partial boil of 4 gallons. My brew pot would have handled all 5 gallons, but I was worried about cooling the wort down. It took me 45 minutes to cool in the bathtub. I will have more ice on hand next time. I could only get it down to 85 degrees. I added it to the fermenter and needed 1.25 gal. of top off water. That brought the temp. down to 77 degrees. I pitched the yeast and it is setting in the basement. I was not expecting as much trub from the wort. The amount surprised me. I used a 5 gallon paint filter over the fermenter which is a 6.5 gallon ale pail. Everything went smoothly. I hit the SG of 1.042 right on the nose! Of course with a kit I expected to be real close. Thanks to all who post here I was prepared well. It took me about 4 hours including clean up. Not a bad afternoon. Now I play the waiting game.

Cheers,

Stan

 

[Revvy]

Yay!!! Now...

 

[Bluelinebrewer]

I'm in the same boat with ya. Brewed my first on Monday. This waiting crap sucks!!

 

[Thumper]

Thanks Revvy,
I am drinking a micro brew right now waiting for some of mine own to be done, but heck I need bottles anyway!

I did have one other minor issue that I forgot to post. I planned on using a blow off tube like yours ( seen on other posts), but I didn't have big enough tubing to fit the inside tube of the airlock. I was able to force some 5/16" tubing through the grommet n the lid of the fermenter. It is a nice tight fit and the tubing is not kinked or crushed going though it. I have the other end of the tubing in a jar of sanitizer. Does anyone see a problem with that set up for now? I will get the right size tubing tomorrow and make it right.

Thanks.

 

[Revvy]

Thanks Revvy,
I am drinking a micro brew right now waiting for some of mine own to be done, but heck I need bottles anyway!

I did have one other minor issue that I forgot to post. I planned on using a blow off tube like yours ( seen on other posts), but I didn't have big enough tubing to fit the inside tube of the airlock. I was able to force some 5/16" tubing through the grommet n the lid of the fermenter. It is a nice tight fit and the tubing is not kinked or crushed going though it. I have the other end of the tubing in a jar of sanitizer. Does anyone see a problem with that set up for now? I will get the right size tubing tomorrow and make it right.

Thanks.

Nope, whatever works...a lot of people just shove a tube in...

 

[Thumper]

Thanks again Revvy. It sure is nice to have such knowledgeable people on this forum. Also this has to be the quickest forum I have ever been on for quick responses.

Stan

 

[reim0027]

My first homebrew was from a Midwest recipe kit. Now, you just have to wait 6 weeks to see how it turned out. You must be so excited. :rockin:

Oh, yeah, +1 to Revvy.

 

[BrewinJack]

you mean im not the only person who uses vynil hose??? I AM NOT LONGER ALONE

Cheers

 

[cuinrearview]

If you've trolled here long enough, you know that you MUST be ready to brew another batch within days of emptying that primary. RIGHT!!.......RIGHT!!

Congrats on the first batch, you'll never forget it.

 

[nystevecf]

Congrats man!
Just rememeber that was the easy part, the hard part is waiting to drink it.

And +1 to cuinrearview you dont want to ever have the feeling of having to wait for a brew to carb up. Start another batch and soon!

 

[FxdGrMind]

Congrats!!!!
Now you are in the same boat as the rest of us new brewers..... Twidling our thumbs and freaking out about how cool it is to have beer fermenting in our own home!!!
Next challenge is to keep our hands off as REVVY says.. I'm going to have to buy another Primary bucket and a Heff kit tomorrow or I'm going to go NUTS watching my first brew come into shape.

I did check the gravity today and tasted it... NICE!!! and only 3 days in! WOOOOT!

So what is your next brew going to be??

 

[artyusmc]

Congrats!!!!
Now you are in the same boat as the rest of us new brewers..... Twidling our thumbs and freaking out about how cool it is to have beer fermenting in our own home!!!
Next challenge is to keep our hands off as REVVY says.. I'm going to have to buy another Primary bucket and a Heff kit tomorrow or I'm going to go NUTS watching my first brew come into shape.

I did check the gravity today and tasted it... NICE!!! and only 3 days in! WOOOOT!

So what is your next brew going to be??

+1 stay away

 

[ChickenSoop]

I bottled my first kit today - no boiling inolved. Pretty simple. All looks good, but the kit is weak on taste. No more kits for me.

This weekend I am doing an extract boil and making Cream Ale - 5 gallons.
After the boil. I will toss it outside on the deck for a while to crash it down. It's -30C here so cooling will be fast. Should be interesting.

 

[FxdGrMind]

-30 C... OMG!!! I had snow on the deck 20 inches of it but only 36 deg F and mine cooled in 27 min. You may have to protect yours from FREEZE DRYING!!!!

 

[Thumper]

If you've trolled here long enough, you know that you MUST be ready to brew another batch within days of emptying that primary. RIGHT!!.......RIGHT!!

Congrats on the first batch, you'll never forget it.

Thanks everbody!

Yes I have the shopping list for the next batch started. I am going to try an American wheat. I thought maybe I had found another fermenter @ work. It is an left over 7 gallon pickle bucket that was left behind by a catering service, but after reading on here I think I pass on the pickle taste!

Cheers,
Stan

 

[ChickenSoop]

-30 C... OMG!!! I had snow on the deck 20 inches of it but only 36 deg F and mine cooled in 27 min. You may have to protect yours from FREEZE DRYING!!!!

I predict about 10 minutes should do it. Otherwise I'll have the worlds largest beersicle.