My First Crack at Homebrew

[grimzella]

Hello everyone..

My first crack at making beer. I have read John J Palmers book, and it really inspired me to try my hand at homebrewing. This website also looks like its one of the best i have found so far. I will keep this short, as i know i will prob have more questions later. I wanted to keep my first batch as simple as possible. I am sure my hands will be full already with Sanitation, Directions, Temperature and so on. Brewers Best American Amber is the kit that i bought. I have read that directions in the box can vary. I guess my question is, Shall i just follow the directions in this kit? Anyone else have luck with these kit? Any hints, tips or other ideas for a beginners first batch would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading
Dave

 

[NineMilBill]

Grim -

I tell ya what. Just follow the instructions that came with it - because at the basic level, it's all good. You're going to goof some things up and learn things you should have done days and weeks after the brewing has been accomplished. At the end of the day and after the carbing method of your choice, you will have delicious beer regardless of what you do.

Remember, the only way to really F up your beer is to replace your yeast with ketchup.

 

[Calder]

Just follow the directions. The only advice I would give you is to:

1) Ferment at the right temperature for the yeast. Usually around low to mid 60s.

2) Leave the beer in the primary fermenter for 3 weeks (instructions will probably say 7 days - ignore that).

3) Get an hydrometer. Making a kit, you don't really need it to start with since the starting gravity will be about what the kit says, but you will need it to ensure the beer is finished.

 

[grimzella]

3) Get an hydrometer. Making a kit, you don't really need it to start with since the starting gravity will be about what the kit says, but you will need it to ensure the beer is finished.

Yes i do have one. Thanks for the info. i will be sure to update this thread when i taste my first batch. cant wait. i will also be sure to give it enough time to "flavor" up before i crack the first.

thanks again..

 

[gypsyhead]

And if it comes with dry yeast, don't just pitch the yeast right into the wort, properly re-hyrdrate in warm water first

 

[DHUKILL]

Patience is the most challenging part. I gave most of my first batch away (also an Amber kit) before I realized it was pretty good! Bottles harbor all kinds of goodies so make sure to clean and sanitize these really well. Enjoy the hobby. Don't be in any hurry to jump to all grain. There are plenty of good extract kits to hone your skills with!!

 

[kapbrew13]

Hello everyone..

My first crack at making beer. I have read John J Palmers book, and it really inspired me to try my hand at homebrewing. This website also looks like its one of the best i have found so far. I will keep this short, as i know i will prob have more questions later. I wanted to keep my first batch as simple as possible. I am sure my hands will be full already with Sanitation, Directions, Temperature and so on. Brewers Best American Amber is the kit that i bought. I have read that directions in the box can vary. I guess my question is, Shall i just follow the directions in this kit? Anyone else have luck with these kit? Any hints, tips or other ideas for a beginners first batch would be much appreciated.

Thanks for reading
Dave

Did this same exact kit for my batch. Its good and I think I still have 2 bottles. Aged about 1.5 yrs. Should I try it?

 

[kapbrew13]

Just follow the directions. The only advice I would give you is to:

1) Ferment at the right temperature for the yeast. Usually around low to mid 60s.

2) Leave the beer in the primary fermenter for 3 weeks (instructions will probably say 7 days - ignore that).

3) Get an hydrometer. Making a kit, you don't really need it to start with since the starting gravity will be about what the kit says, but you will need it to ensure the beer is finished.

Mid 60s OK
+1 for 3 weeks.

 

[bschoenb]

Ignore any directions that say to rack your beer after 7 days! +1 on 3 weeks (resist the urge to peak!) +1 on 65 degree ambient Temperature fermentation. Ignore any directions about pitching into the wort once below 80 degrees... make it Below 70!

Just what I learned that wasn't as clear or consistent in the many directions out there.

 

[grimzella]

wow, thanks again! good to see all these replies & its good to hear that i should get great beer even with a "kit" I will make sure wort is 70deg i can also keep the eyes out of it too. I will also re-hydrate the yeast. BTW my basement is dark, and it is at a constant 66 deg. Could i quickly cool the wort to my basement temp at 66deg or is that too cold to pitch?

Again thanks,
Dave

 

[RM-MN]

wow, thanks again! good to see all these replies & its good to hear that i should get great beer even with a "kit" I will make sure wort is 70deg i can also keep the eyes out of it too. I will also re-hydrate the yeast. BTW my basement is dark, and it is at a constant 66 deg. Could i quickly cool the wort to my basement temp at 66deg or is that too cold to pitch?

Again thanks,
Dave

The coolest you should pitch yeast is determined by the variety of the yeast you use but with the dry yeast that is included with your kit I'm pretty sure that 66 won't be too cool. I've been pitching my dry yeast at about 60 to 65 and putting the fermenter in a room where the ambient temperature is between 61 and 65 and I like how my beer turn out. I leave it at that temp for about a week and then bring it into a warmer are for the next two weeks so the yeast cleans up and completes the ferment. After a week in the bottle at 72 my beers are carbonated and quite drinkable although the darker ones need more time to mature.

 

[bschoenb]

I always pitch dry yeast at 65 degrees; I ferment Notty at 60; and US05 at 62/63 During the bulk of heavy fermentation. I then let it ramp up when about 80% done (bubble every minute is my reference) to about 70 to let it completely ferment out and clean up. Idea is colder and slow fermentation at the beginning and during the buld of fermentation to keep esters down (my preference) as well as Fuesels

 

[Jayhem]

I started out with Brewer's Best kits as well. They never make a bad beer if you follow the directions but you will make better beer if you:

1. Leave in fermenter for 3 weeks

2. Aerate your wort before pitching yeast! Brewer's Best Kits DO NOT tell you this! I know because my first beer wasn't that great and I blame it on lack of wort aeration prior to pitching yeast. Once your wort is cool (70 degrees) it's ok to aerate it and essential for yeast to grow! I just pour the wort into the fermenter, careful not to pour the trub in and then using the stiring paddle I beat the crap out of it to aerate, should make a nice foamy head if done right! THEN pitch yeast and stir well! A tip to help aerate since you will be adding water to top up your fermenter.... If you use 1 gal bottled water, just pour in some of the water, put cap on bottle, shake hard, pour in more water, put cap on bottle, shake up hard, repeat, repeat...this helps a lot!

 

[unionrdr]

I chill the wort in the BK in an ice bath down to 64 or so now. Pour the chilled wort & top off water through a fine mesh strainer on top of my plastic FV's. It aerates well,& then stir roughly for 5 minutes straight to mix & aerate further. Then pitch re-hydrated yeast to cut lag time.
Ferment till a stable FG is reached,however long that takes. Then give it another 3-7 days to settle out clear or slightly misty. It will also clean up off flavors during this time.

 

[hwilshusen]

That BB American Amber was my first non Mr beer brew also (just bottled yesterday). I pitched the yeast dry with the wort at 63*. Got airlock activity within 24 hr. I'll be cracking a bottle of it about the time you bottle yours. Good luck.

 

[grimzella]

man i can't wait. From all the reading i have done, along with all these replies. I feel confident my beer will be good. I found another good reading.. it was on clearance at the local book shop. The Illustrated Guide to Brewing Beer. by Matthew Schaefer. Great book for beginners like me. and it was only $4.95.

 

[bschoenb]

2. Aerate your wort before pitching yeast! Brewer's Best Kits DO NOT tell you this! I know because my first beer wasn't that great and I blame it on lack of wort aeration prior to pitching yeast. Once your wort is cool (70 degrees) it's ok to aerate it and essential for yeast to grow! I just pour the wort into the fermenter, careful not to pour the trub in and then using the stiring paddle I beat the crap out of it to aerate, should make a nice foamy head if done right! THEN pitch yeast and stir well! A tip to help aerate since you will be adding water to top up your fermenter.... If you use 1 gal bottled water, just pour in some of the water, put cap on bottle, shake hard, pour in more water, put cap on bottle, shake up hard, repeat, repeat...this helps a lot![/QUOTE]


Before I got an 02 tank and a stone (yeah...Im old and tired)... I would shake/splash the bucket with the lid on it on the ground on one of it's edges for about 15 minutes. (Hence the old and tired....:rockin: )

 

[grimzella]

well its done. i brewed my first batch yesterday, following members tip here in this thread, and following palmers book, and a little of the instructions that came with my extract kit. it has been roughly 16hrs since i pitched the yeast (re-hydrated) I am getting airlock activity. about 22 bubbles or burps every minute. since i am a noob, is this normal activity? i did mess up one thing.. not sure if it will make a big difference.. i pitched the yeast BEFORE i shook the wort. What effect will this have on the taste of the beer (as it seems the yeast is active now with the airlock activity) I have read many books.. and some say to pitch Before shaking and some say to pitch after shaking. Does shaking "damage" the yeast? im afraid i made a mistake by pitching yeast before shaking fermentor. i shook it for 5 min with yeast added.

 

[PIGMAN]

You didn't damage anything, the yeast are fermenting away. Try to keep the fermenter in the low 60s if you can, because the internal temp will be higher due to heat given off by fermentation. Like the other posters said, let it sit in primary for three weeks, take your readings and bottle away. In terms of patience, it's not a bad thing to taste the beer early, it's just bad to expect it to be fully conditioned.

 

[grimzella]

You didn't damage anything, the yeast are fermenting away. Try to keep the fermenter in the low 60s if you can, because the internal temp will be higher due to heat given off by fermentation. Like the other posters said, let it sit in primary for three weeks, take your readings and bottle away. In terms of patience, it's not a bad thing to taste the beer early, it's just bad to expect it to be fully conditioned.

Thanks, i was scared there for a little bit. i feel better now. BTW.. the "fermometer" on the bucket reads about 64deg. in my basement (inside a small closet with no light).

 

[Jayhem]

Thanks, i was scared there for a little bit. i feel better now. BTW.. the "fermometer" on the bucket reads about 64deg. in my basement (inside a small closet with no light).

That sounds like an ideal temp. The core temp may be 66 degrees F since those stick on thermometers read a bit cooler than the beer due to their contact with outside air.

Now comes the hard part...the waiting!

 

[meschaefer]

I found another good reading.. it was on clearance at the local book shop. The Illustrated Guide to Brewing Beer. by Matthew Schaefer. Great book for beginners like me. and it was only $4.95.

Glad you enjoyed the book, although a little dismayed that you found a clearance copy. The book you have should have been destroyed as there were printing errors in it. The "fixed" edition wasn't shipped until the very end of February. I haven't seen the copy with the errors, but my understanding is it had something to do with page layout. If you have any questions, please feel free to PM me.

Matt Schaefer

 

[grimzella]

thank you Matt

i didnt really notice anything outta whack, then again this was my first brew. Pictures are great to follow along with. I still think its a fantastic read for beginners. No disappointments here. I will let you know if i have any questions, but so far it's helped more than it hurt.

BTW, any more books in the future?

Dave.

 

[grimzella]

Well its been a week (6 days to be exact) fermentation is now slow, 1 bubble every 2 minutes or so. Just 1 question, 3 weeks or 4? what do you all think? i can wait. just want some input. 3 or 4 ? is there much benefit waiting that extra week? (1 month in primary)

Dave

 

[RM-MN]

I'd leave an amber for 3 weeks and a stout for 4 but I'd also want a hydrometer sample to be sure it was done.

 

[grimzella]

ya, i do have one.. so at 3 weeks i will update this post with a hydrometer reading.. prob 3 or 4 day span to make sure its steady. thx

 

[gcdowd]

Waiting is the hardest part. I usually take a grav reading at 2.5 weeks, then one at 3 weeks. If it's the same, I'll bottle. If not, I'll give it 3 more days and take another reading until it is unchanged. Good luck!

 

[grimzella]

Its getting very close. It has now been 17 days in primary. For the last 3 days.. this is the reading, unchanged. How much longer should i wait to bottle? getting itchy.

 

[Revvy]

Welcome to the obsession.

Homebrewdad recently wrote a fantastic blog that I think is invaluable to every new brewer. It covers a lot of great tips and things that we talk about here, and answers most every new brewer question that we tend to get. All in one place. Check it out.

Common Sense for Homebrewers - Some Basics Everyone Should Know.

I encourage you to check it out.

 

[Revvy]

Oh and by the way, homebrew IS like crack.

 

[jmprdood]

^^^^Amen Revvy!

 

[grimzella]

thank you for the link. good read. think i may leave it for 3 weeks. i also have a red ale fermenting right now. Since i will have my first 50 bottles of beer here soon (month) i may leave the red ale in the primary for 4 weeks. Thanks again for the replies!! cant wait to crack that first beer after 3 or 4 weeks.