My First Homebrew!

[MrSpiffy]

Hi! I'm MrSpiffy, and I like beer!

Okay, so we're not at a meeting for homebrewers. But... I just decided to take the plunge into the land of homebrewing! I tend to enjoy darker, heavier beers the most. But I also like lighter, fruity/citrusy beers on a hot day. I'm not a fan of bitter beers, though. So, I tend to stray toward porters, stouts, and scotch ales. But I'm game for trying just about any beer out there, aside from IPAs. (Even then, a sip won't kill me.)

So, I figured my first post would be about my first experience brewing up a batch of beer. I got my kit from a local shop here in Madison, and it's called "Badger Dark Ale". Here's what we have:

• 6 lbs – Dark malt extract
• 4 oz – Chocolate malt steeping grains
• 1 oz – Tettnang hops
• 1 oz – Willamette hops
• 1 pack dry or liquid yeast

I did all of this yesterday. Overall, the brewing part went pretty well. (Aside from me sanitizing the dang funnel about 6 times from dropping it...) I tried to be pretty careful about contamination. A few photos of the brewing process:

Bottles, ready to go!

Prepped for brewing:

Ingredients:

Starting from cold water, I steeped the chocolate malt grains at 170°F for 5 minutes. Removed them. Then added the malt extract and 3/4oz of Tettnang hop pellets. You can see my temperature-monitoring setup. Isn't it awesome?

After 40 minutes of boiling the extract, I added about 1/2 oz of Willamette hops. Boiled for 8 minutes. Added another 1/2oz of Willamette hops. Boiled for another 2 minutes. Then chilled the pot in a sink of ice water, and added it to cold water in my 6.5 gallon carboy and topped it up to 5.25 gallons.

As you may notice, I took time to mark out in 1/2-gallon increments the volume in my carboy. Otherwise, I had no clue how much was in there. (The upper gallon or so I marked in 1/4-gallon increments.) Also, notice the guard dog. Hands off my beer!

Then, time to pitch the yeast. I used a smack pack of Wyeast's London Ale, as given to me by the shop.

Then plugged it, and added the fermentation lock. Wrapped it up to keep it dark, and put it in the basement. She's bubblin' away today!

Hopefully it turns out to be tasty! Only time will tell. I'll try to keep this thread updated with when I transfer to secondary, and then bottling. Not to mention tasting.

I'm happy to join the homebrewing crowd. Hopefully it'll be a fun ride.

 

[moorerm04]

I am sure it will turn out awesome man! Also don't be surprised if you find yourself getting into IPA's here after you brew more.... Before I started brewing I would turn my nose up at most any hoppy beer.... Now I am just as big a hop head as most everyone on the site!

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Looks like you had a blast! Your beer will be great- I guarantee it! and I like the guard dog......

Also don't be surprised if you find yourself getting into IPA's here after you brew more.... Before I started brewing I would turn my nose up at most any hoppy beer.... Now I am just as big a hop head as most everyone on the site!

Maybe, maybe not. After 15 years of homebrewing I am still not a hophead.


OP, I see you are from WI. As a new homebrewer, please take the time to read this thread and then contact your local State Senator and Representative and urge their support for the homebrew bill. And welcome to the forum!

 

[Darwin18]

Excellent pictures and great contribution on your first post. It looks like you picked a good kit to start with. A darker beer will tend to cover flaws better than a lighter one.

 

[jmprdood]

Always glad to to see new guys post pictures of their brews! Looks great and welcome to the board and hobby.

Cheers!

 

[SkippyWilliams]

awesome. Nice setup.

 

[turketron]

I just bottled my first batch of the exact same brew, the Badger Dark Ale from Wine & Hop. I'll be opening the first one about a week from now, so I'm really excited to see how it turns out. I picked up my next kit today, their Grey Moon Porter, which I'll be brewing tomorrow.

Also, I'll second what Bernie Brewer said regarding the homebrew bill.

 

[Atonk]

Also, I'll second what Bernie Brewer said regarding the homebrew bill.[/QUOTE]

+++++++1 !

 

[brewingbryan]

Congrats on your first brew! I also did a darker style - stout - for my first batch. I'm sure it'll be great, especially with the attention you paid to detail. Welcome to the club!

 

[MrSpiffy]

I am sure it will turn out awesome man! Also don't be surprised if you find yourself getting into IPA's here after you brew more.... Before I started brewing I would turn my nose up at most any hoppy beer.... Now I am just as big a hop head as most everyone on the site!

While I seriously doubt it, I won't say it can't happen. I actually just had my first IPA tonight, and I really didn't care for it. But, then again, I never used to like beer at all, let alone red wine. So, my palate has changed considerably over the last half of a decade. I suppose it may grow to enjoy hops, eventually.

Bernie, thanks for the heads-up! I've e-mailed my senator and representatives about LRB 3101!

Turketron, I'm interested to know how your BDA turns out. It sounded like just my kind of beer! Malty, mild hops. I tend to lean toward porters, stouts, scotch ales, etc. I hope this batch turns out tasty. I can't wait to try it! (But I have to..... )

Oh, and I forgot to mention, OG for my brew was 1.039 (standardized for temperature of ~65°F).

 

[brewingbryan]

In all fairness, I also didnt care for IPAs when I first started enjoying beer, but I can't yet enough now. Definitely an aquired taste. I love hoppy beers now.

 

[BrewerinBR]

When I started brewing I was a lager man... would never touch an ale, let alone an IPA. A little more than a year later I rarely make or buy or drink lagers. I have a 6.5 gallon fermentor dedicated to Centennial IPA, did a batch today. 75 IBUs ... yes indeed I have become a hop head. It was the first pale ale I did with fresh leaf hops that did the trick. Opened the bag and smelled them and was in love..... now there is always an IPA in my house. You just may come to love hops..... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm hops

EDIT --- Oh and welcome to Home Brew Talk and the passion of home brewing. Your first brew dy looked like a great success... congrats!

 

[MrSpiffy]

I've actually had a second type of IPA tonight, called Hopslam. It was better than the first one I had from Dark Horse. It actually reminded me of another beer that was somewhat hoppy/citrusy, called New Glarus Moon Man, which I don't mind too much. Unfortunately, you guys might not be aware of these, since I know that at least New Glarus beers are only distributed in Wisconsin due to demand/capacity. But I still can't say I'd drink an IPA by choice. I'm still a sweet, malty beer type. For now...

Also, I have to say, I've received quite the reception, for only joining today! Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Just racked over into secondary. Not too difficult, although I had a little "mishap" when starting the siphon and lost maybe a cup or so on the floor. (It slipped..!) Any advice on how to make siphoning a bit easier? I can get it started, but it's stopping flow while I move to the carboy that got me.

Anyway, it doesn't smell too bad. Kinda like a porter/stout type beer. (It's called Badger Dark Ale, so you don't have to go back to the OP.) Although, it smelled a little more hoppy than I was expecting. Is the aroma during fermentation/bottling usually more hoppy than the finished flavor? Or should I expect a final flavor/aroma similar to what I smelled tonight?

 

[DoctorMemory]

Not sure about darker beers, but my first batch was a pilsner and it's tasted totally different each time I've tried it. I tasted it during bottling, after a week, and now after two weeks. I'd guess the hoppiness is going to mellow as it conditions.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Bottling day arrived! I sanitized 50 bottles (which happened to be the perfect number!). Siphoned the beer to the bottling bucket. And away I went!

Bottles:

Beer! Nice and dark. Yum!

FG reading (1.010, right as expected):

First bottle ever capped! I feel tears welling up just thinking about it.

First six-pack!

All done:

And now I wait... I did try some of the beer, and it wasn't bad. But it seemed a bit light. Smelled pretty sweet and malty. I'm hoping the flavor and texture will come out a bit more once it's conditioned and carbonated.

 

[davekippen]

Love reading about first brews, as mine was only about a month or two ago! Great pics too. I cant believe how good my first beer actually is. So cool.

I must admit, I like everything about this post EXCEPT the beer name. Im a Spartan and we HATE stinky Badgers. Although I dont hate them enough to stop me from trying one of your beers hehe!

 

[MrSpiffy]

Heh, yeah, I know there's the rivalry there. But it sure wouldn't stop me from trying the "enemy's" brew, either! Beer mends all things.

Glad your first brew went well! I can't wait to try mine. Well... actually, I don't have a choice. Gotta wait...

I already have my second batch into secondary, too. Making a vanilla caramel cream ale. That sounds really good, too.

Yay, beer!

 

[davekippen]

Heh, yeah, I know there's the rivalry there. But it sure wouldn't stop me from trying the "enemy's" brew, either!:

I will send you some Green beer this fall heh heh heh

 

[gladius270]

Go Green Go White! (Sorry that just had to be said)

Great post. I'm gonna hang tight til fall to try doing a stout I think.

 

[davekippen]

Go Green Go White! (Sorry that just had to be said).

Beer and a Spartans victory tonight. Not sure if there is anything better.:rockin:

 

[MrSpiffy]

Hey, stop crashing my thread! Besides, I like white, but red is better than green!

Stout is probably a better fall/winter drink, I suppose. I'll drink it any month. But a lighter, maybe citrusy beer is definitely nice in the warmer months. If you start it in spring, it'll be good and ready by fall for you.

 

[MrSpiffy]

Well, I tasted my first homebrew last night. I can't say I'm impressed... For some reason, the flavor seemed really light. I can taste a faint malty flavor, and just a touch of hops. But I was expecting something with a bit more flavor and body than this. I'm not sure if it's a result of an error, or if this beer is just meant to brew up that way. Either way, it's drinkable, since you can't taste all that much. At least it has the alcohol going for it.

Any thoughts on what happened here..? Was it me? Or is it the recipe? Perhaps the chocolate malt wasn't crushed well enough..?

 

[Zalf]

Well, I tasted my first homebrew last night. I can't say I'm impressed... For some reason, the flavor seemed really light. I can taste a faint malty flavor, and just a touch of hops. But I was expecting something with a bit more flavor and body than this. I'm not sure if it's a result of an error, or if this beer is just meant to brew up that way. Either way, it's drinkable, since you can't taste all that much. At least it has the alcohol going for it.

Any thoughts on what happened here..? Was it me? Or is it the recipe? Perhaps the chocolate malt wasn't crushed well enough..?

Kind of sounds like you are describing a flat beer. Are you sure it has finished carbing up?

 

[MrSpiffy]

It's possible it hasn't fully carbonates, I suppose. It's been in my basement around 65°F. Perhaps I should move it upstairs to warm it a bit?

 

[Zalf]

What kind of carb mouthfeel and head are you getting?(minds out of the gutter). If you cant pour and drink it and say that it is fully carbed then it probably isn't. There is some science to it but being properly carbed is largely personal preference.

 

[MrSpiffy]

It's a light carbonation, with a thin head (maybe 1/4" high, tops, even when "glug, glugging" the beer into the glass). Mouthfeel is light, like water, and pretty clean, not creamy at all.

My OG sample actually seemed fairly similar. Light flavor, body, and mouthfeel.

 

[Zalf]

It's a light carbonation, with a thin head (maybe 1/4" high, tops, even when "glug, glugging" the beer into the glass). Mouthfeel is light, like water, and pretty clean, not creamy at all.

My OG sample actually seemed fairly similar. Light flavor, body, and mouthfeel.

Yeah, to me that sounds like a beer that needs more time carbonate. Others might have some other opinions.

 

[MrSpiffy]

If that's the case, I'll be really happy!

 

[By-Tor]

Just racked over into secondary. Not too difficult, although I had a little "mishap" when starting the siphon and lost maybe a cup or so on the floor. (It slipped..!) Any advice on how to make siphoning a bit easier?

Autosiphon is a Godsend