1st brew in the fermenter

[Bald Head Brewery]

Here is what I've put into my 1st brew,

Pale Ale Can. (Can't remember brand)
600g LME
200g Dextrose
200g Lactose
150g Crystal Grain
Amarillo Hop
Safale US-05 Yeast

All purchased from country brewer

 

[bevan]

Good start! Be careful it’s a slippery slope home brewing!

 

[Grott]

Looks good, ferment for 14days and all will be good. Try to keep temperature 18 to 20 degrees if you can.
Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Gloveski]

And the journey begins , enjoy

 

[Ben Hardman]

Just put down my first brew in a decade.

Mangroves jack lager, coopers brew enhancer 2 and some hallertau steeping hops for when done.

Want to get my process right for getting fancier.

Now the waiting for airlock to start bubbling!

 

[Ben Hardman]

We have bubbles and a temp of 18 degrees. Apparently good for this yeast.

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Looks good, ferment for 14days and all will be good. Try to keep temperature 18 to 20 degrees if you can.
Let us know how it turns out.

Thanks Grott. I got freezer blocks all ready to go. Fermenter is in a esky sitting in water, well add ice as needed to get the temp down. Sitting at a lovely 18 atm.

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Oh no. Went out and bought another brew, i have to fill both kegs seeing as the wife purchased the kegging system for me.

 

[Grott]

Thanks Grott. I got freezer blocks all ready to go. Fermenter is in a esky sitting in water, well add ice as needed to get the temp down. Sitting at a lovely 18 atm.

Make sure you sanitise up the tap spout before filling your kegs since the fermenter is sitting in water. Next time put the fermenter in a garbage bag then in the water, no worries then.

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Make sure you sanitise up the tap spout before filling your kegs since the fermenter is sitting in water. Next time put the fermenter in a garbage bag then in the water, no worries then.

Will do. Thanks for that

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Now we wait. Using one of my esky's with a rotation of ice bricks to keep temp down. One in smaller fermenter is my 1st brew and been at a constant 17° for 4 days now. Other one only went in today.

 

[Ben Hardman]

Where abouts are you bald head? I am in Sydney and most times just sticking it in a corner keeps temp around 18 degrees which is fine for most kits.

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Where abouts are you bald head? I am in Sydney and most times just sticking it in a corner keeps temp around 18 degrees which is fine for most kits.

Up near Newy mate. I have them in my shed, aka bar room.

 

[Ben Hardman]

ahhh fair enough then, looks like a good little set up their for all 4 seasons!

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Here is what I've put into my 1st brew,

Pale Ale Can. (Can't remember brand)
600g LME
200g Dextrose
200g Lactose
150g Crystal Grain
Amarillo Hop
Safale US-05 Yeast

All purchased from country brewer

Not sold on the flavor of this effort. It is s starting point though

 

[laxation]

what didnt you like about it?

if you've been able to manage all of that in your first brew, i'd recommend doing an all extract brew next time.
3kg of LME
250g crystal
boil half the LME with 15g amarillo. After it's boiled for 45min, add another 25g. After another 10 min (55min total), add another 25g. After another 5 min (60min) add another 25g, then turn off the boil and cool.
Once it's cool, put it in your fermenter as if it was a can - add extra water and the rest of the LME

my head exploded when i tasted the difference between a coopers can beer, and a full extract - considering you use the same equipment and it really doesn't take much more time

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Hard to put an exact finger on what it is i don't exactly like about it. Still drinkable just not 100% sold on the flavor. Will try different hops next time and may give all extract brew a crack

 

[clickeral]

Not sold on the flavor of this effort. It is s starting point though

I wouldnt have added lactose myself

 

[Grott]

I wouldnt have added lactose myself

Not a criticism as such but agree with clickeral and wouldn’t use the lactose (non fermentable) and I wouldnt use dextrose, the 200gms would be better as extra LME.
I personally believe dextrose gives a “tang” taste/feel to the beer, bit hard to explain.

 

[Bald Head Brewery]

Not a criticism as such but agree with clickeral and wouldn’t use the lactose (non fermentable) and I wouldnt use dextrose, the 200gms would be better as extra LME.
I personally believe dextrose gives a “tang” taste/feel to the beer, bit hard to explain.

Noted on all. Yes tang explained it perfectly, still drinkable. If the beer in second kegs turns out fine it will then become my VB (visitors beer).