my first brew

[zstewart123]

Hey guys and gals,
I have been lurking about for a few weeks now learning from others mistakes and just started my first home brew yesterday. It is an American Lager. I made a large starter with the yeast and oddly enough it worked great!! If any of you know me you know that I have tried to make several kinds of breads with yeast and I can never get it to rise, so I was leary of my first yeast experience. So anyways, I was boiling the wort under my patio cover when a big leaf fell in! I quickly removed it and am praying everything will be ok. When I poured the wort into the primary to cool with my immersion cooler i noticed that there were 3-4 Lovebugs in it. I don't know if y'all know what these critters are but they are everywhere down here in La. I removed those as well. Now I have to pray even harder that everything turns out well. Today I took a quick peek into the fermenter and saw one hell of a Krausen!! I am thrilled. The little yeasts are doing their jobs, I just hope that its the yeast I put in and not Mother Nature. I will keep y'all informed of the progress. Thanks for all of the advice so far.

Zak

 

[McKBrew]

The bugs probably didn't hurt anything. Good Luck and Happy Brewing.

 

[Nurmey]

Good news! You have a name for your brew.
Louisiana Love Bug Lager

 

[zstewart123]

I like it!

 

[grichar2]

Consider it added flavor. As much as it's nice to have a perfectly sterile area to brew, a few bugs shouldn't do you too much wrong.

 

[Smurfe]

An update on this post. I tasted Zac's first brew the other day. FANTASTIC, particularly for a first effort. I am not a beer brewer but am a pretty decent winemaker. I am definitely getting into beer though after tasting his Lager. Just wanted to throw a post here congratulating his fine first effort.

 

[Joker]

Extra protein.

 

[cvav8or]

Dude congratulations on your first brew. I'm stoked for you. My first brew is in the primary fermenter as we speak and I plan on taking a reading tomorrow and moving it to the secondary if it's ready. Hope it turns out as good as yours.

cvav8or

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

Yeah really. Who wants a vegetarian beer anyway? :cross: