Starting to brew, hopefully start batch in 2 weeks

[ssiimmoonn]

Just gathering supplies and trying to read up as much as I can. Got a kit with all basics just need pot and stir spoon. What would be a good brew to start with and any tips/ tricks for brewing in a small NYC apartment kitchen would be appreciated . Thanks

 

[Oldbrew75]

I just brewed my first batch as well! I followed the American Pale Ale Recipe in John Palmers book How To Brew. He kind of walks you through it step by step, and it's a all extract recipe.

You should be fine in a small apartment, the only problem I ran into was cooling the wort down, it takes a long time in the bathtub!

 

[dover157]

IMO when doing an extract batch the simplest way I have found to cool down the wort is to use cold water from the fridge, or ice if you trust your supply for topping off.

 

[Oldbrew75]

That's a good idea Dover your pre boiled top off water cold in the fridge in a closed sanitized container! I'll have to remember that trick.

 

[Revvy]

hese discussions have good info

This one went one for quite awhile; https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/apartment-brewing-possible-138658/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/anyone-else-brewing-out-apartment-my-story-115106/

There's some good resources in those.

 

[Just1pepsi]

get some bags of ice, and some empty 1gal jugs.
I use cold tap water and put it in the freezer before I start the flame under my pot.
I use ice to cool the wort down to 100def F, then add the chilled water to the wort, gets it down to a nice 60deg F.
Determine where 5gal is on your primary vessel beforehand, and top off to wherever you mark it.

**EDIT**

I meant to say, I use an ice bath to cool the wort, not put ice in the wort.

 

[kh54s10]

I haven't put ice into the wort, but start saving ice from my ice maker a week ahead. I also have icepacks from yeast shipments and bottles I use in my swamp cooler. I get my 2.5 gallons of wort cooled in the kitchen sink in about 1/2 hour. I'm going to build an immersion cooler before my next batch in a week or two. I also have my carboy marked to top off with cooled water.

Read the directions before you start, understand them, read them again while brewing. Watch your temperatures and you will do ok.
Most of all - HAVE FUN -

 

[KevinW]

Make or buy a simple copper IC (immersion chiller) and get a faucet/hose adapter to run the feed line from your faucet to the chiller and the drain line into a bucket to use later for clean-up. I have seen them pretty cheap out there and if you add up the cost of ice if you buy it, an IC will definitely pay for itself in a few batches.

Depending on your tap water temp you should be able to cool the wort down in about 20-30 minutes.

Just an idea!