One thing you'd tell a NEWB

[coy]

Yep in antisipation for brewing my first batch..
I was curious to see; What would be that ONE thing you'd tell a newb just getting started?

good, bad or indifferent what is that one thing you think everyone should know.

 

[IrregularPulse]

My best advice.....

Relax and just give it a shot.

Then read up and absorb. Remember, 9 times out of 10, you'll have beer.

 

[smitty2324]

I'd hope the odds are better than 90%.

 

[osagedr]

1. Sanitation is critical. Keep your equipment clean and sanitized.

1. Fermentation temperature is more important than most people realize when they start.

1. Make a starter if you are using liquid yeast.

1. "Hydrometer" is not spelled A-I-R-L-O-C-K

1. Give your beer time. Time in the primary, time in the secondary (if you use one), and especially time in the bottle to carb up (as Revvy tells us--three weeks at 70 at a MINIMUM). Then more time to hit its peak after it's carbed up.

That's the one thing I would tell a noob.

 

[b33risGOOD]

I would say, dont get high on your own supply, oops wait that is for seling cocaine (scarface) lol

 

[PhelanKA7]

It's really not that difficult. Have courage, confidence, and reading comprehension. You can't go wrong.

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

Mainly just relax and have fun making beer.
You may make mistakes, but it will still be beer when you're done.

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

always keep reading and learning.

And don't be uber paranoid about infections like tons of people on this site are. Practice good cleaning/sanitizing practices and you're fine.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Plus one to the fermentation temps improving your beer ten fold. But at first, just do it. Don't worry about so many things at first. Take care of little thing as you go. Live, Learn and brew.

 

[pkeeler]

Watch the pot when it is coming up to boil after you've added the extract. Be super ready to reduce heat and stir.

 

[wyzazz]

RDWHAHB or RDWHACB

 

[Bacchus]

Brewing beer is not as complicated as the internet would have you believe. Facts and people's opinions sometimes get confused, one for the other. Follow basic santitation rules, basic temp control rules, relax and be patient. You'll be drinking a fine beer created in your own kitchen in no time at all.

 

[iron_city_ap]

The Karate kid didn't bust out the crane kick on day 1. Be patient. Be patient and mehodical when you are going through every step in the process. Be patient before drinking the beer after you bottle it (its super hard at first because you are soo excited). Take your time. You'll do great.

 

[eanmcnulty]

If sanitizing with StarSan, don't worry about the bubbles. It becomes yeast food. Do not rinse StarSan off. If you do, you have just negated the sanitizer.

 

[jjones17]

If you are making from scratch (IE not from kits) whether it be extract or AG, try a good simple recipe first. I might catch flak for this, but I tried to be all 'creative' and junk, and I ended up tossing (cringe) a few batches. Not that I did not learn, I certainly did. However, I feel that had I first done a few tried and true recipes, I might have been able to understand concepts like "base malts vs specialty malts", and the all important concept of "moderation". I think one of my first batches was 6 pounds of LME, 4 pounds of DME, a pound each of molasses, brown sugar, and honey. I boiled it for 15 minutes and added 2 ounces of Northern Brewer Hops. I ended up with beerish flavoured pop syrup. It still tasted like regurgitated slurpee after 3 months on the bottle.

 

[osagedr]

If sanitizing with StarSan, don't worry about the bubbles. It becomes yeast food. Do not rinse StarSan off. If you do, you have just negated the sanitizer.

Are you saying sanitizing and rinsing is the same as not sanitizing at all? I'm not sure I buy that.

 

[Lodovico]

If you can wash dishes and follow a recipe, you can brew awesome beer. Cleaning and sanitizing well will almost ensure that you brew a decent beer.

 

[eanmcnulty]

Are you saying sanitizing and rinsing is the same as not sanitizing at all? I'm not sure I buy that.

The owner/spokesperson for StarSan was interviewed by James Spenser on Basic Brewing Radio Podcast, and those were pretty much his words. Listen to it. I sanitize my carboy and hold it upside down to drain it. You will have a lot of bubbles in it, so I cover it with foil for 5-10 minutes, and let the bubbles subside. Then, I pour the rest out out. Anything that is left in there goes into the beer. I'm on my 13th batch, and I have not had an off-flavor of any kind. When I heard the bubbles were a non-issue, I just decided to relax, don't worry...

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Are you saying sanitizing and rinsing is the same as not sanitizing at all? I'm not sure I buy that.

The water you rinse with has more potential to introduce bacteria than the Starsan. That's why you boil water before using for priming or a starter.

I know we all drink water from the tap... but personally, I would not likely bottle it from the tap, let it set at room temp for three months then drink it.

I agree it is best not to rinse Starsan.

 

[osagedr]

I'm on my 13th batch, and I have not had an off-flavor of any kind.

Sometimes I rinse sometimes I don't. So far, so good after about 20-25 batches. Just wondering what the likelihood is that a batch will get infected from whatever bacteria is in clean water. Lots of people would make a Brewhouse or Festa Brew kit from spring, filtered or even plain tap water without boiling.

I guess in the end we all find a level of sanitation that suits us and stick with it. But I don't think it's true that rinsing Starsan with clean water = not sanitizing.

 

[artbrewer]

I made 2 kit beers, then went to AG, it was easy to do after reading the "how to's" posted on this website. The kit beers tasted stale, or "OFF" leaving me disappointed. My first AG was a simple Cream Ale. It came out so nice, I was SOLD. That was nearly 2 years ago and usually a 5 gal batch each week.

 

[Cookiebaggs]

Sometimes I rinse sometimes I don't. So far, so good after about 20-25 batches. Just wondering what the likelihood is that a batch will get infected from whatever bacteria is in clean water. Lots of people would make a Brewhouse or Festa Brew kit from spring, filtered or even plain tap water without boiling.

I guess in the end we all find a level of sanitation that suits us and stick with it. But I don't think it's true that rinsing Starsan with clean water = not sanitizing.

I've been brewing beer since 1993 and use bleach and water for sanitation. I rinse all my carboys, tubing, racking cane, air locks, bottling wand, etc. with tap water before using it.

I've never had an infected batch.

RDWHAHB....

 

[buzzkill]

Don't get drunk while you brew. do that while you clean up.

 

[IceFisherChris]

Can I say two things???

1.) Don't rush anything. Beer takes awhile to make. Expect a month at the minimum!
2.) Just relax, stop thinking you ruined your beer. 95% of the time, the ending product is really good or drinkable at the least.

 

[eanmcnulty]

I've been brewing beer since 1993 and use bleach and water for sanitation. I rinse all my carboys, tubing, racking cane, air locks, bottling wand, etc. with tap water before using it.

I've never had an infected batch.

RDWHAHB....

That's a long time to be brewing. I used bleach the first couple of batches too. Once I heard about StarSan I didn't look back. Just dip (or even use it in a spray bottle with distilled water - lasts a month or so) and let sit a minute or two. I use it for everything. I find it is less work than having to rinse everything. Brewing does take a while, so I like to shave off work where ever I can. It does cost more than bleach, so if that is an issue, use bleach. I cannot speak for idophor. I have never used it. I think it too is a no rinse situation.
Rinsing with tap water does not mean you WILL get an infection or off-flavor, just that there is potential to introduce what ever is in the water to the beer. Using StarSan and not rinsing lowers that potential.
Since you have never had an infection in 16 years (A long time!) and I have never had an infection in only one year (12 batches) might mean that no matter what we use the potential is very low.

 

[jturie]

My advice would be: K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stud). Save the dry-hopped, triple-fermented cherry Russian Barleywine contest entry for a future batch. Couple cans of extract, yeast, and hops will do it. My only exception would be to use liquid yeast instead of the russian roulette pack under the lid.

Oh yeah, use Star San, stick some in a spray bottle, and spray like crazy.

 

[chef90]

always keep reading and learning.

And don't be uber paranoid about infections like tons of people on this site are. Practice good cleaning/sanitizing practices and you're fine.

Who said infection! where!. What!

 

[Swooded]

It shouldn't be stressful. Ever.

 

[ToddO]

Dont take any hydro readings for at least two weeks+. If fermenting in buckets resist the urge to peek. If you want to see whats going on get a carboy or bb.

 

[ipso]

Yep in antisipation for brewing my first batch..
I was curious to see; What would be that ONE thing you'd tell a newb just getting started?

good, bad or indifferent what is that one thing you think everyone should know.

How can you have 55 posts and never have brewed a batch? What are you just a marketing knob, pushing your signature links? Please explain.