New guy here...

[Tfox]

Got my first kit the other day (Christmas present...woohoo!) after months of lurking on these forums. I am planning to brew my first ever batch next week using Munton's Nut Brown Ale extract. Here's to hoping that it turns out okay and I wish everyone a happy new year!

 

[Haputanlas]

Awesome, and welcome!

Just make sure to ask any and all questions so that your first brew comes out properly.

 

[dvdanny]

I also suggest you read all of Revvy's stickies and blogs. As they will help quell any fears a new brewer might develop and help reduce the amount of "is this going to be ok?" threads.

 

[dlester]

What up new guy. You can get some of the best reading by googling John Palmer how to brew. He put his book online to read for free.

Good luck,

 

[iron_city_ap]

Welcome to the addiction. Start off simple. Brew a couple easy batches, then progress as much as you can/ can afford. You won't regret it one bit.

 

[dlester]

I agree with Iron, keep it simple, and it brought up a common point at being new. Brew sweet, brown and dark beers first. You can't taste the flaws. Don't attempt the light beers until you have some experience. You can taste flaws much easier with light beers.

Cheers and happy new years!

 

[Tfox]

Thanks for the support and welcome! In addition to the Munton's, I will be using my LHBS-recommended Safale S-04 dry yeast and Crosby and Baker Briess Pilsen Light DME. Going simple is my motto on this one, as I will be going straight from fermenter to bottle. Thanks for the point to John Palmer. Reading it now while waiting for midnight to roll around so I can crack open an Ayinger Celebrator Double-bock!

 

[Haputanlas]

Thanks for the support and welcome! In addition to the Munton's, I will be using my LHBS-recommended Safale S-04 dry yeast and Crosby and Baker Briess Pilsen Light DME. Going simple is my motto on this one, as I will be going straight from fermenter to bottle. Thanks for the point to John Palmer. Reading it now while waiting for midnight to roll around so I can crack open an Ayinger Celebrator Double-bock!

Don't let that book overwhelm you though. It is very technical and can make you question a lot of things you are doing.

If you start feeling overloaded, just brew it and relax.

 

[Tfox]

Well, took the plunge last night! My nut brown ale is in the fermentor and showing signs of fermentation. I'm so excited! Made a rookie mistake and aerated it BEFORE taking the OG reading, so it was nearly impossible to read the number with all the foam from shaking the wort. Oh well. I won't make that mistake again! Need to get a wine thief and a tube for getting better readings.

 

[iron_city_ap]

That's a simple mistake. Things like that and you noting to get a wine thief are part of the reason why its good to start off simple. Even if you can handle something more advanced, its better to start off easy and work your way up. You can develop your own personal process and make better beer in the long term that way, without buying/doing a bunch of stuff you may end up not needing.

Glad to hear its going great so far. Just be patient. That's the hardest part, especially with the early batches. The longer you wait and the slower you go, the happier you'll be with your results.

 

[rustym]

Greetings from another noob who just brewed his first batch!

Good luck!

 

[Tfox]

Day #3 of fermentation has passed. Bubbles are down now to about every 25-30 seconds. I'm so excited! I feel like an expectant father! To quote Tom Petty: The waiting is the hardest part! However, I am heeding the given advice, and will take it slow.

 

[RM-MN]

It will make the waiting easier if you buy another fermenter and start reading about different styles of beer you would like to brew. In another week or so, brew your next batch so you have something else to watch while your first sits in its fermenter and lets the yeast do the rest of its job.

 

[Tfox]

Successful bottling last night. 24 flip-top 16oz. and 24 12 oz. (6-gallon batch). Tasted it so I could see what unfermented and green beer tastes like. As suggested elsewhere on these boards, I am going to let them sit for a week in the bottle, crack one, and compare that taste to one at week #2, and then compare that to week #3.