Newbie Here!! - First Brew - Bock Beer

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Beerchick, above all, RDWHAHB! It's easy, as a beginner, to get swamped with details. In reality, it's hard to screw up too badly. Like sex, it's always good, even if it could be better!

A journey of a thousand kegs begins with a single brew. Someone said that, I'm sure. Anyway, each brew will be a new adventure, don't feel like you have to get everything right the first time.

No worries!
 
frazier said:
Beerchick, above all, RDWHAHB! It's easy, as a beginner, to get swamped with details. In reality, it's hard to screw up too badly. Like sex, it's always good, even if it could be better!

A journey of a thousand kegs begins with a single brew. Someone said that, I'm sure. Anyway, each brew will be a new adventure, don't feel like you have to get everything right the first time.

No worries!
Click to expand...

:mug: That's really good advice.... you probably have more info going into this first batch than a lot of us did, so go for it. It's gonna be good. :mug:
 
It may be too late but I use a digital meat thermometer for brewing. The one I use is wireless so I can wander away and get a warning beep before I hit steep temperature. Then I can monitor while I cool too
 
I just noticed that you have the same Munton's beer kit that I used for my first brew, about 3 years ago. I used the yeast that came with the kit, and it worked out fine (it was some kind of ale yeast, so this kit doesn't make a true bock, but it was good anyway). Reviewing my brewing notes, here's what I did:

Brought 3 gallons Ozarka spring water to 170ºF in a 5 gallon pot (took a while to heat that on an electric stove), then removed from the heat, stirred in the can of extract and 2 lb. of Briess "Amber" DME (dry malt extract). Returned to heat and brought to a boil (stirring) for a few minutes. Covered the pot and moved it to the sink to cool with ice water - took about 45 minutes to cool down to 90º F. Dumped that into my bucket (did not try to filter out anything) with a little less than 2 gallons of spring water which I had previously boiled and then chilled in the refrigerator to bring the volume to 5 1/2 gallons. Stirred very thoroughly to mix (it is amazingly hard to get wort and water to really mix completely so that your gravity reading will be accurate). Took my OG (original gravity) with my hydrometer = 1.041, but I may not have mixed it up well enough, so I don't really know how accurate that was. Stirred a few minutes more to aerate then pitched the yeast which I had rehydrated per directions. Put on lid and airlock (take care not to push the grommet through the lid and into your beer). Filled airlock with vodka instead of water (added sanitization insurance). Fermented 6 days at 66-68º F (this was in January). I should have left it longer. Saw activity within 8 hours - vigorous by day 2 and 3, declined by day 4, done by day 5. Racked to seconday (5 gallon glass carboy) for a couple of weeks. Took FG (final gravity) readings 2 days apart to be sure they were the same and the beer was finished - FG was 1.013 @ 68ºF.
 
Hey! Hey! Hey! :)

Well, in my rat killin' today... I went by my local awesome brew shop!! :) The hubby & I bought a thermometer at the grocery store - ideally used for cooking thinking that it would work.. The thermometer did not read below 90 degrees.. And I know I need a temp. for my water below 100...



image-3616570678.jpg

Glass thermometer... It will float and it's glass, so
I know it could break if tapped...

Also.. Made sure it had the correct reading... :)


View attachment 64767


The only things I have left to get... A bucket for my water to keep my brew cool & a long plastic spoon!! I am gettin' there... Slowly but surely! ;)



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!

PS - I have no idea why there is a pic of my thermometer... Ha... Weird. I think... On my phone it shows a pic on my post.. Disregard. Ha. LOL!
 

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ASassyBeerChick83 said:
Glass thermometer... It will float and it's glass, so
I know it could break if tapped...

Also.. Made sure it had the correct reading... :)
Click to expand...

Just be sure to set it gently into the wort - been many stories here about people just dropping them in and they dive to the bottom, hit the bottom of the pot and break.


ASassyBeerChick83 said:
The only things I have left to get... A bucket for my water to keep my brew cool & a long plastic spoon!! I am gettin' there... Slowly but surely! ;)
Click to expand...

Just be sure the spoon you use in your boiling wort won't melt. I use one of these (nylon):

http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1865
 
DeafSmith said:
Just be sure to set it gently into the wort - been many stories here about people just dropping them in and they dive to the bottom, hit the bottom of the pot and break.




Just be sure the spoon you use in your boiling wort won't melt. I use one of these (nylon):

http://www.homebrewhq.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=1865
Click to expand...

The guy at the HBHQTR said that same thing about the glass thermometor. I am going to try to be as careful as possible. I know things happen... but when it comes to glass.. I wanna be on the safe side...;)


Awh! I just went by the the HBHQTR today! It's becoming one of my most favorite stores! ;) Naturally. I will definitely have to make a trip back if I cannot find one before my brew this weekend... ;)


Thanks for the help!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!:mug:
 
Look what his girl bought for our library!? I know you read it online - trust me, I was... But now I have my first Beer Brewing Book - and this I one I am add to the library!! :)



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I am already on ch. 2 and have been highlighting & writing my own notes ;)



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!
 
That's a good book. The online addition is good too, but the print edition is newer and updated. When ya get through that, I highly recommend Brewing Classic Styles by Jamil Z and John Palmer. :rockin:

EDIT: holy cr@p, sorry for all the deletes. I posted, my wifi glitches in the thunderstorm and when it came back, it'd posted my message 40000 times. :drunk:
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
That's a good book.
Click to expand...

I want to read so much of it... I am about to head to the gym to burn some major calories and read it while running on that elliptical --- :ban:
Eh, it's my summer reading project. And it seems interesting... Considering I am in love with beer and so incredibly interested...


Woot! Well, it's off to the gym!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
I think Wyeast makes a California Lager yeast that might work well for this application. I haven't used it myself, but supposedly it brings out lager characteristics at warmer fermentation temps. Just a thought.
 
travlinScott said:
I think Wyeast makes a California Lager yeast that might work well for this application. I haven't used it myself, but supposedly it brings out lager characteristics at warmer fermentation temps. Just a thought.
Click to expand...



Hi! :D

Thanks for the help! :eek:nestar: I have posted about this topic of temps for a week now.... Texas is one hot place! It's not too bad here -- yet -- but definitely have the potential to be! :eek: My Munton's Bock Beer Kit ;) comes with a lager yeast packet already. I have been told it's too hot here in Texas & I have been told that because it is a lager and using an ale yeast, that I should be fine with my swamp cooler. I plan on using ice and water bottles - frozen - to keep the temps down in my swamp cooler. ;) At least it's for 2 weeks and I can somehow keep the house temps low enough to keep the swamp cooler temps down. ;)


Sunday Funday!
Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
CHRISTMAS IN JUNE!!!! :mug:

My sweet hubby has listened to me gripe about the temperature of TEXAS being so hot right now and how I was so worried about fermenting this Bock Brew Kit... Well, he SURPRISED me!! :ban: I got my Christmas in June!! ;) We bought a fridge earlier this afternoon that is going to allow to my BEER BREWING experiences begin!! Yay!! :D The fridge is already hooked up and cold and ready to begin. I am checking the temperature currently so that I can get a good accurate reading of my temps. in my fridge. I have shelving units so that I can store my bottled beer after I have bottled.

I am including some pics!! :rockin:

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Front View of Fridge

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Inside view of fridge - both top freezer and inside cooler.

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Bottom Inside Fridge - I am thinking I might be able to fit 3 carboys in here. What do you guys think?! :confused:

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Temperature Control on Fridge.

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Inside fridge door storage.

Okay, guys! You have seen my NEW set-up! I think this is going to be such a better set-up than the original plan with the swamp cooler, wet t-shirts and fans.
As we begin the brew, I will be adding pictures and hopefully this works! Whoot!! This is one Happy Girl!! :D


Have a Great SUNDAY FUNDAY!
(Looks like my fun is just beginning!) ;)

Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
Great news, Sassy. You'll like the whole experience a lot more with that fridge than you would having to change out frozen water bottles for several days. Be sure the shelves are strong enough to support the weight, especially if you are going to ferment more than one beer at a time in there (5 gallons of beer weighs about 42 lbs, + the weight of the container). I've seen some photos where people build a wooden platform at the bottom of the fridge to get a good strong and level support - you may need to do the same. Are you planning to ferment that bock kit with an ale yeast or lager?
 
DeafSmith said:
Great news, Sassy. You'll like the whole experience a lot more with that fridge than you would having to change out frozen water bottles for several days. Be sure the shelves are strong enough to support the weight, especially if you are going to ferment more than one beer at a time in there (5 gallons of beer weighs about 42 lbs, + the weight of the container). I've seen some photos where people build a wooden platform at the bottom of the fridge to get a good strong and level support - you may need to do the same. Are you planning to ferment that bock kit with an ale yeast or lager?
Click to expand...

Hummmm.... The brew kit came with the package of yeast on top of the can under the lid... It's just a silver square package that contains yeast... I went to HBHQ last week... Talked to a guy who works there... Asked him some questions about the kit when everyone was telling me to watch the temps because it's so hot here... He said that the kit I have is not a true bock... Because it was a lager bock.. Does that mean that the yeast is lager?



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
Does that mean that the yeast is lager?



Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!
Click to expand...

No, a true Bock beer would use lager yeast. Those Munton's kit's come with Munton's ale yeast, thus not being a 'true' bock.
With that fridge, you could easily use a lager yeast, and ferment at lager temps. But..... since it's your first batch, go with a quality, clean ale yeast like the us-05 I mentioned earlier. It won't be a true bock, but if you keep temps in the low 60s during fermentation, you'll end up with something very similar, not to mention a lot better than if you used the Munton's yeast that came with it.
 
What NB77 said. I'd keep things simple for your first brew - with a lager you'd have to worry about a diacetyl rest, and at least 6 or 8 weeks of lagering after the fermentation. One thing you need to find out is can you turn the temperature on the fridge up into the 60's range? If not, you'll need an external temp. controller.
 
DeafSmith said:
What NB77 said. I'd keep things simple for your first brew - with a lager you'd have to worry about a diacetyl rest, and at least 6 or 8 weeks of lagering after the fermentation. One thing you need to find out is can you turn the temperature on the fridge up into the 60's range? If not, you'll need an external temp. controller.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Lagers aren't hard, they just require more time and att'n to detail. Mainly, they take more time, which isn't conducive to a new brewer being able to RDWHAHB. I've made many pseudo lagers, meaning a lager recipe, but using a clean ale yeast and fermenting at the low end of that yeast's temp range (for us-05, fermenting at 58-59 degrees will make a very clean ale). It doesn't make a lager, but it makes a very nice beer. To be honest, I like the way a bock tastes with lager yeast, the slightly fruity esters play really nicely off of the malt flavors.
 
DeafSmith said:
What NB77 said. I'd keep things simple for your first brew - with a lager you'd have to worry about a diacetyl rest, and at least 6 or 8 weeks of lagering after the fermentation. One thing you need to find out is can you turn the temperature on the fridge up into the 60's range? If not, you'll need an external temp. controller.
Click to expand...

Ohhh.... Okay... So, right now... My temps - on the lowest setting is 45 to 50 degrees... I will raise the temps since its a lager... I can turntable temps up on my fridge. :)

Yay!! The hubby is excited!! We are just about there!! ;)


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers!
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
I will raise the temps since its a lager...
Click to expand...

What yeast did you choose? The pack that came with it? Or did you go with something else? Whichever yeast you choose, you should look up the temp range (same will say on the package), and ferment in that range. Generally speaking, the lower in the temp range you ferment, the cleaner the beer.
 
I'm still confused as to whether you have ale yeast or lager yeast.... Show us a picture of the yeast that came with your kit.
 
Stauffbier said:
I'm still confused as to whether you have ale yeast or lager yeast.... Show us a picture of the yeast that came with your kit.
Click to expand...

Well, after some research... It comes with an ale yeast... Let's hear it!! :)


Peace. Love. & Bear.
Cheers!
 
I have an ale yeast ---- the guy at the HBHQ says that it's not a true bock... But it's got the ale yeast.. That's why we can brew the bock kit here in Texas... It's not true... ;) But that's okay... It's the first brew... After this one, it's only gonna get better.. ;)

Here's to a Good Day!! ;)

Peace. Love. & Beer!
Cheers! :)
 
Yo!! :)

I am working with this fridge that I bought yesterday. The hubs & I placed a thermometer inside the fridge section & this morning... It's reading a whoppin' 44 degrees... No good. :( It's a bit cold.. Anyone have any idea what I can do? We turned the freezer section down - thinking maybe because it's newer - that it might have a line running a line from the freezer to the fridge.... Maybe that's why the fridge is so much colder.. :confused: We thought about just leaving it open a bit -- but then the compressor would be running more & longer... Oh, what to do... :confused:

Anyone that can offer some help, that'd be great!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
Yo!! :)

I am working with this fridge that I bought yesterday. The hubs & I placed a thermometer inside the fridge section & this morning... It's reading a whoppin' 44 degrees... No good. :( It's a bit cold.. Anyone have any idea what I can do? We turned the freezer section down - thinking maybe because it's newer - that it might have a line running a line from the freezer to the fridge.... Maybe that's why the fridge is so much colder.. :confused: We thought about just leaving it open a bit -- but then the compressor would be running more & longer... Oh, what to do... :confused:

Anyone that can offer some help, that'd be great!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
Click to expand...

To use a fridge as a ferm chamber, you'll need a temperature controller. Search around here on HBT, there's tons of ideas and it's pretty simple. You'd plug the fridge into the controller, and the controller into the wall. Put the temp probe from the controller into, or onto the fermented and set the controller to the desired temp.
 
NordeastBrewer77 said:
To use a fridge as a ferm chamber, you'll need a temperature controller. Search around here on HBT, there's tons of ideas and it's pretty simple. You'd plug the fridge into the controller, and the controller into the wall. Put the temp probe from the controller into, or onto the fermented and set the controller to the desired temp.
Click to expand...

Yes, sir & we are picking one up during the rat killin' ;) I cannot wait to get this started!! Yay!! :D
Heading to HBHQ this afternoon!!
 
I use one of these with each of my two chest freezers:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/johnson-controls-a419-digital-temp-controller.html

It works great. They are available a little cheaper elsewhere, but some of them don't come wired up - you'll have to attach your own cord and temp. probe. The Northern Brewer unit is ready to go out of the box. On my chest freezers, I run the wire for the sensor through the drain hole - I'm not sure how people route it for refrigerators. I'd be really reluctant to drill a hole in the fridge - too much chance of hitting a cooling coil. Maybe some others who use these with refrigerators will tell how they do it.
I tie a gel-pack to my carboy with a bungee cord and slip the temp. probe in between the gel-pack and the carboy. Or you could just tape the probe to the side of the carboy with some insulation over the probe.

The analog version is cheaper, but doesn't control the temperature as tightly:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/johnson-refrigerator-thermostat.html

I don't have any experience with the analog version. I think Ranco also makes a temp. controller.
 
Afternoon! :rockin:

Got a couple of pictures to share! Looks like this is it! I am on my home stretch as the hubby & I are brewing tonight!! :rockin: (Finally!) :D

I gotta couple of things to chat about before I get going on this brew. :) Got me some new things today.

Here is a pic of my RO water system & the filter before replacing it. The hubby & I decided to buy it last summer because the water here in Dallas is just blah! We changed the filter today and was quickly reminded me why we purchased the RO Filter System in the first place. :cross: So, we have the RO Water System up and running. :) Waiting for it to fill - as it only holds 2 gallons at a time. ;)

4.jpg 5.jpg




Now, the hubby agreed that we needed a temperature control gauge like I mentioned earlier. We have now hooked it up to the fridge and we are just waiting for the RO system and the sanitizing to begin! :D The fridge is ready to go!!

1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg

The temp. gauge cost 70$ and I am proud of the purchase. I think this will help me into the world of brewing faster than I thought! ;) The hubby worked the RO water filter and hooked up the temp. gauge. We can already tell the they gauge is already at work as temps. begin to rise in the beginning of what will be our fermenter. ;)

I think we are good to go!! Yay!! This is going to be an enjoyable night accompanied with hard work, good jams and a nice brew!! :)


See you peeps later!!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
ASassyBeerChick83 said:
Looks like this is it! I am on my home stretch as the hubby & I are brewing tonight!! :rockin: (Finally!) :D

Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
Click to expand...

Awesome! I was wondering when you were gonna get around to doing it. I have to applaud you though, most of us just jump in without learning the important things. You've learned two very crucial pieces of making great beer, temp control and patience. Many of us, myself included, had to mess up a beer before learning those things. I'm a couple years in, and I'm still working on the patience part of it myself.... luckily, knowing about yeast health, proper temps and having a kegging set-up, I seldom have to wait longer than I want to for a beer.

Fun little story about how easy it is to make great beer. I'm mostly an all grain brewer, but I get one extract kit a month from an awesome xmas gift I received. The last kit I brewed was Midwest's Honey Weizen, a pretty straight forward Hefe, all wheat LME with a pinch of carapils for steeping. Easy recipe, steep, boil, hop, I added all the LME at flameout. Fermented with a Bavarian Wheat blend starting at 62 and ramping up to 68 at high krausen. Bottled on 6/7, primed with wheat DME, and I cracked the first one last night..... amazing. I'm drinking one as I type this, and keep thinking to myself that this simple little extract kit made a brew that easily rivals some of my more intensive all grain recipes. Moral; if your process is solid (and it sounds like yours will be), it's very simple to make world class beer at home.

So tonight, RDW and HACB (Commercial Brew) while you're whipping up that bock. With everything you've learned, it's going to be a very nice beer. :mug:
 
:mug: LET THE BEER BREWING GAMES BEGIN!! :D


It's FINALLY time!! The time has finally come!! I am so excited!! We are BREWING!!


Enjoying a nice beer while whippin' up some of my own!! ;)


Posting Pics Later!



Peace. Love. & Beer.
:mug: Cheers! :mug:
 
Hey! Hey! Hey!!

I know you guys have been waiting around to see if I would get back up & post what happened during my FIRST BREW! I think I should just get a :mug: CHEERS :mug: just for completing my FIRST!! :D A BIG thanks to the hubby for all of his support! Yay!

Well, let's get this started. I know you guys have been twiddling your thumbs since yesterday! Ha! :cross:

We began & we finished & we learned a lot!

We kicked off the night :mug: CHEERS :mug: to a Sierra Nevada!

IMG_7731.jpg


First - I am starting with the sanitation. Lots & Lots of Pics!!

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I used the IODPHOR for the sanitizing agent and cleaned all of my utensils and brewing kit. I also used a couple of pieces of foil to place the sanitized items onto to keep them sanitized. :D

IMG_7727.jpg


These are the ingredients that came in my kit. I did not add anything to the kit - this time. ;) I am sure one of these days - other yummy items will be added to make our beer just that much better!! ;)

I started by warming the malt - just to make it a little easier to come out of the can - just used a sauce pan & some water - brought it to a warm temp. & figured that it would help the release.

IMG_7732.jpg


I made the Wort & heated it to a rolling boil - I only boiled it for about 15 minutes - which were stated in the directions from the brew kit... Next time - I plan on boiling for a little longer than 15 to 20 minutes. ;)

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We filled both sides of the sink with levels of water & ice to create a cold water bath.

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..... to be Continued!
 
The Continuation..... :D

:fro:We poured the beer mixture a couple of times from the ferment bucket back to the brew pot - just to give it a little bit air to help the fermentation begin. ;)

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We later siphoned our brew from our fermentation bucket to our glass carboy.

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And then placed it in our really cool fermentation chambers!! :D ;) :cool:

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.... I couldn't wait & wanted to show you guys what it's looking like!! So, after its first day of fermentation - We give you this!
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At the end of the night.... We had another brew - not a home brew - quite yet... But we did find that enjoying a cold brew with our Cassius Clay was pretty successful!!

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We are so PUMPED!!

That's all for now - guys!


Peace. Love. & Beer.
Cheers! :mug:
 
Congratulations! It looks like that beer is off to a good start. I do see one potential problem, if that is a 5 gallon carboy, you are going to get kraeusen (the foamy stuff on top of the beer) up into your airlock. If it blocks the airlock, it will blow the cap off and spew beer out. Those beginner kits have a large bucket which is meant to serve two purposes. It is a fermenting bucket and is large enough to allow room for the kraeusen. Then the beer is transferred to the glass carboy for secondary, allowing you to clean the bucket and use it for a bottling bucket. I would suggest rigging up a blow off on that carboy. I ferment in 6 gallon Better Bottles and always start with a blow off arrangement. The way I do it is I take the bottom part of a 3-piece airlock and cut off the tip so as to remove the little tabs at the bottom so I just have one big hole all the way through the stem. Then I put that bottom part into my stopper or carboy cap and don't use the other two pieces. I slip a piece of tubing over the top part of the stem and put the other end of the tubing into a jug of Star San sanitizer (keep the jug down on the floor, not up high, to avoid the possibility of starting a siphon from the jug into the carboy in case of suck-back due to temperature changes). This way, it doesn't clog up and any blow off goes harmlessly into the jug. If you don't understand my description, you can search the forum - there are numerous pictures of these set ups.

EDIT: Since you have a carboy cap, you may be able to rig up a blow off tube just by removing the airlock entirely and sticking the end of the tubing into the carboy cap, with the other end of the tubing into a jug of sanitizer.

Since you already have the beer in the carboy, you probably don't need to bother with a secondary - just leave it in the carboy for a couple of weeks (ignore the directions if they say only leave it a few days or a week).

Regarding the boiling - you don't need to boil those kits any longer than you did - they are pre-hopped. Only need to boil for a hour if you are adding hops during the boil.
 

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