Preparing for first Brew Day

[Hartski]

Okay, soI'm preparing for my first Brew day Saturday, and I want to double check to make sure I have everything I need.

Here's what i have:

Brew kit with Ale pail, bottling bucket, and the accessories
32 Quart turkey fryer (not sure if I'll use propane or the stove yet)
Igloo cooler for ice bath
vodka for air lock
Beer for me to drink while brewing

I'm purchasing the Brewer's Best porter extract kit and a long spoon tonight.

Any suggestions would be helpful

 

[MasterWan]

looks like your all set. Just be sure to sanitize sanitize sanitize! Get that liquid starsan stuff. go ahead and get a big bottle, cause when you start brewing you will probably be doing it a lot!

Good luck!

 

[Hartski]

Yeah, the Ale Pail came with sanitizer, but I'm guessing it won't last long.

 

[boomermjc]

Go easy on the beer drinking too! I sober brewed, and saved the beer for after, my first time.

 

[Skaggz]

If you're going to be doing a full 5 gallon boil, I'd use the propane. Most people's kitchen stoves cannot produce enough BTUs to bring and keep 5 gallons at a boil.

Also, don't leave the lid on the pot during the boil.

 

[Hartski]

Thanks for the tip, Skaggz!

 

[slantedbolt]

Good luck Hartski. I did my first brew almost 2 weeks ago and am looking forward to bottling soon and starting my next batch!

 

[Hartski]

Now allI have to do is drink a bunch of Sam Adams so I have enough bottles ready by the time I need to bottle.


If I wanted to add flavors like vanilla or chocolate, would I add it at the boil, or during fermentation?

 

[ChandlerBang]

Yeah, the Ale Pail came with sanitizer, but I'm guessing it won't last long.

Make sure that is sanitzer, not just cleanser.

 

[Hartski]

Make sure that is sanitzer, not just cleanser.

I'll double check when i get home.

 

[Hartski]

Okay, so it is no rinse cleanser. Guess I have to go get some sanitizer.

Went and got the ingredient kit last night. Was surprised to find dry malts in there as well as canned. First batch is gonna be more complicated than I thought......

 

[dfc]

Now allI have to do is drink a bunch of Sam Adams so I have enough bottles ready by the time I need to bottle.


If I wanted to add flavors like vanilla or chocolate, would I add it at the boil, or during fermentation?

Depends on what ingredients you use and personal preference. Some people add vanilla beans or cocoa beans to secondary. If I use cocoa powder I usually add it with 15 minutes left in the boil.

 

[Hartski]

Okay, I wasn't planning on doing a secondary, but I'll totally go with cocoa powder for batch #2. Want to do a chocolate bock.

 

[Justibone]

Did I see a mention of a hydrometer? You'll want that for *certain*.

As for the complicated kit, just follow the instructions for everything except the fermentation timeline... let your hydrometer tell you when the beer is done and ready to bottle.

 

[Hartski]

Yeah, got the hydrometer with the equipment kit.

 

[dfc]

Okay, I wasn't planning on doing a secondary, but I'll totally go with cocoa powder for batch #2. Want to do a chocolate bock.

8 OZ. for a 5 gal batch is a good middle ground. I'd work with that first and then adjust accordingly on the next batch you make.

 

[edie]

i would suggest getting a couple of batches done "as is" first. get your procedures down before you start adding to the kit, that's just me.

my only other suggestion would be to make sure you get everything laid out that you're going to be using and keep the kit instructions handy.

DON'T PANIC during the process, the mistakes we made on our first brew didn't harm the beer. the batches just keep better and better! next thing you now you'll be building a kegarator!

enjoy and welcome to the obesession!

 

[RRxGrasshopper]

Remember to remove from heat when you add youe extract to avoid boil over!!!

 

[ChandlerBang]

Okay, so it is no rinse cleanser. Guess I have to go get some sanitizer.

Went and got the ingredient kit last night. Was surprised to find dry malts in there as well as canned. First batch is gonna be more complicated than I thought......

On that note...... does anyone know what would happen if I happened to read that as sanitizer? Cuz' I did with the first batch and didn't realize it until a couple days later. I went ahead and racked to secondary after a week and it looks pretty tasty.

 

[Hartski]

More last minute questions:

When I'm cooking, I tend to stir constantly. During the boil, how often should I stir it?

And when racking to fermenter, should I pour smooth, or let it splash and aerate?

 

[Justibone]

Stir a little less often than constantly. Watch for boilovers. If you use Fermcap-S, you could theoretically leave the boil unattended (not the safest thing in the world to do).

Pour rough, splash as much as is non-messy. Pour through a strainer if you want, to catch the hops. Aeration pre-fermentation = good thing.

 

[Hartski]

Awesome. Now if I only knew whether or not the no rinse cleanser that came in my brewing kit is a sanitizer...............

 

[Justibone]

If it says "cleanser" it is not a sanitizer.

Be safe, buy star-san.

 

[Hartski]

If it says "cleanser" it is not a sanitizer.

Be safe, buy star-san.

Totally would if it was sold around here. And i don't think ordering online will get it here by tomorrow morning......I'll just have to buy the iodine crap.....

 

[Justibone]

You can use bleach. There should be a thread around somewhere.

Bleach is NOT a no-rinse, though.

 

[Hartski]

You can use bleach. There should be a thread around somewhere.

Bleach is NOT a no-rinse, though.

brewstore was out of sanitizer, but the guy said hydrogen peroxide works and it's no-rinse. Is this a viable option?

 

[edie]

we always use the "iodine crap" and rather enjoy it. works for us.

 

[Hartski]

we always use the "iodine crap" and rather enjoy it. works for us.

yeah, i was just hoping for the no-rinse. Didn't want to get too complicated for the first brew. and not real sure how to use the iodine stuff. Like how much rinsing after, ect.

 

[Hartski]

Okay, so last post on the subject: I re-read the directions and it said to clean and sanitize with the no-rinse cleanser. I'm going with that. If I screw up this batch, another will be in it's place soon enough! Already thinking of getting a carboy or better bottle so I can have 2 batches fermenting at once.

 

[mikeysab]

If it says no rinse cleanser, then it should be fine. If you want to be totally certain, you could use bleach. If you fill your fermenter to 2 1/2 gallons and mix in one teaspoon of bleach, that'll be fine. then throw everything else you need to sanitize in there for a half hour. Just remember to rinse everything until you don't smell bleach anymore.

I don't remember if you said you were using a hopped, or unhopped extract. If you're using unhopped, , you need to watch for boilovers with hop additions also. For LME additions, turn off heat, and make sure it's mixed in very well to avoid scorching.

Don't forget to have fun. This is a very fun hobby. Sometimes it doesn't seem like it when you have a ton of equipment to get ready for a brew day, and 6 hours of work to look forward to, but once you start, you'll see that it is fun, and exciting. I'm brewing tomorrow, Chocolate Cherry Stout, and I'm very excited. I can't wait to get that water going, measure out hops and grains, set up the brewery. Damn, I wish I could get started right now. Just don't get too flustered. Remember that people have been brewing since long before there were thermometers, or sanitizers, so most mistakes you could possibly make, have been made before, and the beer still got drank. Remember, YOURE MAKING BEER..... how does that sound?

 

[Hartski]

there's 2 types of hopps in this kit, along with 2 bags of grain that needs to steep, and 2 cans of the light malt extract. It's an intermediate difficulty kit. Could have gone with an easier kit, but dangit, I want a porter!

 

[statseeker]

It wont be that difficult. I did my first brew all grain and it wasnt as complicated as I presumed it would be, although I learned more about brewing in that session than I have about anything. 1. You cant over sanitize. 2. Dont be anal about things, do it and try to relax, go with the flow. 3. Do as much preparation before you brew as possible. Prep before brewing will save time and headaches later.

 

[sportscrazed2]

Clean everything as soon as possible after using. it will be a lot harder after letting it sit around for awhile. usually a good hosing down is more than enough. also if possible have everything ready the night before it will make your life a lot simpler. The hardest part honestly is to keep the ice for the ice bath from melting before it's time to use it since i never have room in the freezer. if you can brew with a friend and send them to the store with about half hour left in the boil you are golden.

 

[Hartski]

okay, the firts brew is under way! was too upset that the Hawks lost yesterday to brew. Never cook angry. It won't turn out.

 

[Hartski]

so when i was siphoning, I tried to spit it on the floor, but some went into the fermenter bucket. Pretty sure that'll ruin the batch. Gonna buy an auto siphon for the next batch.

 

[mikeysab]

Did you sanitize the mouth first?

 

[Hartski]

Did you sanitize the mouth first?

well, I was drinking beer...does that count?

 

[Justibone]

Remember, pitching the yeast gives them a *huge* headstart. Microbes like yeast and bacteria actually kill each other, so there is a possibility that your beer will be fine. Never say never!

 

[Hartski]

Hope it'll be okay! How will I know if it's not?

 

[Hartski]

And I'm pretty sure quite a bit of the trub got siphoned into the fermentor. I'll have to lookinto a way to filter next time. Would a coffee filter be too much?