My first beer!

[Adolphus79]

Ok... first, thanks everyone that helped me figure out the equipment I needed to move on from wine to beer.

Today, all my gear arrived via UPS, and the only thing missing is a tank of propane (got a turkey fryer setup for my kettle). I also picked up a Cream Stout extract kit from Midwest as part of my order. I'm going to pick up a tank of propane on Saturday, and plan to have my very first 'brew session' on Sunday. I am quite excited, as is SWMBO. I picked this kit because it is her favorite style, and her b-day is right around the corner (I also like stouts, although porter is my personal fav).

Has anyone else made this kit? How does it compare to style? How does it compare to Sam Adam's Cream Stout? Any last minute advice that I haven't already learned by being on these forums the last 6 months? Are you brewing this weekend?

 

[Adolphus79]

Yay!

My first beer is in the fermenter, and apparently going well so far.

The only problem I has with the entire brew session was one slight boilover right as I added the hops because the propane was turned all the way to bring it to a boil, and I got excited about the hops and forgot to turn it down once the boil started. Once I turned the propane down, everything went perfectly from there on.

Midwest Cream Stout Extract Kit - instructions called for an OG of 1.044-1.048. Adding one extra pound of dextrose (slight ABV bump) I wound up with an OG of 1.056, so I think I'm on track for a successful first brew...