My First Brew!

[trefilov22]

Well I brewed my first brew a few weeks ago, and have been itching to try it. Well tonight was that night, and let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed!

I used the Mr. Beer Czech Pilsner extract kit that came with my Mr. Beer. Being it was my first batch, I went straight by the instructions, with one minor addition, 1 cup of Corn Sugar into the hot wort. I also batch primed using 1/2 cup of corn sugar and 2 cups of hot water (almost boiling).

I let it sit the requisite two weeks in the fermenter before bottling. I bottled 1 week and 2 days ago, and was so itching to try one, so I put in the fridge Saturday night, and popped it open today. It was actually better than I was expecting coming from my first batch.

For those new to the "hobby", some advice. You may be worrying that something isn't going right with your brew or whatever, but let me tell you, as long as you sanitize properly, you really have nothing to worry about. Your beer may take longer than inticipated to come to completion, but in the end, it is very well worth it! I am so excited with how this turned out I want to go ahead and upgrade to do 5g batches. Money right now is my biggest constraint as I can't afford the larger brewpot, burner, etc. Altho my stove had no problems boiling up in a hurry the wort for this, it may be able to handle a larger volume of water.

I'm currently fermenting Mr. Beer's Ole Mole Stout, and a Peanut Butter Stout recipe I found on here. Hopefully they turn out as well as this did!

Thanks to everyone on here with their insight and knowledge! I appreciate it!

 

[MikeHNF]

Congrats on the first batch!! I have been brewing all grain batches on the stove top. 2.5 gallon batches are easily doable on the stove top. I mash in the oven BIAB. Works like a charm. There are ways to get around buying expensive equipment.

 

[kewlceo]

Welcome to your new obsession, pal!

 

[shanecb]

Awesome news! Glad you're enjoying yourself and we hope you stick around and keep brewing!

 

[StLouBrew]

Nice post! I'm fairly new to this too. This site provides a wealth of information and support. To date (just over 6 months) my biggest challenge has been PATIENCE. Still working on that one .

 

[SeeAliceBrewery]

My first batch is in the Ferm now...posts like this really gets me motivated for opening my first bottle...but I am going to force myself for the 4 weeks in the primary....a week cold crash in the primary...then bottle for 3 weeks before placing in the fridge for 48 hours...then popping that first cap! I am brewing the Caribou Slobber....and 98 percent of the posts that I have read on it say patience....patience...patience!

 

[trefilov22]

Where abouts in the Lou are you? I was a cop up in St. Louis Co, 2nd Precinct area (North County) for a while before I moved out here.

Nice post! I'm fairly new to this too. This site provides a wealth of information and support. To date (just over 6 months) my biggest challenge has been PATIENCE. Still working on that one .

 

[GibbyGibson]

Great job on the first! The first batch is always one of the best ones you drink. Welcome to the obsession. Patience, sanitation, and good record keeping are paramount. You don't want to make the greatest beer ever known to mankind and not know how to recreate it. (Or on the flipside, the worst beer ever known to mankind and not know how to avoid it)