My First Brew !

[uneekwahn]

ok, so my first home brew.

coopers canadian blonde kit, brewer's enhancer #2 and ~400gm of tasmanian leatherwood honey.

was in primary for two weeks as there wasn't a lot of fermenting that I could tell, no bubbles in the airlock and the SG went from 1042 to 1016/1014 so not too potent.

bottled for two weeks (well, 1 week and 5 days - I was impatient and bored so I thought I'd give it a whirl)

definately think the honey is quite strong in it and will check it again in a week.

theres also a taste/feeling in the mouth that I can't quite describe. I've heard of people calling things "green" but I don't know if I'd describe it that way.

my next brew (during the coming week I'll put it down) will probably be a pale ale type kit, not too sure, but as I scored a second fermenter, I'll do primary for a week, rack it, bulk prime (did it in bottles this time) and possible cold condition it and see how it goes

thanks for all the advice/help on here guys, really appreciated.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

my next brew I'll do primary for a week, rack it, bulk prime

Second brew and going the secondary and bulk priming routes? Way to step up man :super:

One thing though...secondary for Ales (although subject to some light argument) is not really needed...but it can't hurt B)

Well done dude, you've started on the path to true insanity now h34r:

PZ.

 

[Brewtus]

Congrats Unique one!

Your first brew will be a uneekwahn you will always remember. I have my tenth in the fermenter now and am drinkg as we speak no. 6. All are different but rewarding. Best to keep records (see database thread) so you can replicate the good ones and learn from the dodgey ones.

I have not racked yet as it lifts the risk of infection and I am unsure/ yet to be convinced if it is worth the benefits and just too damn lazy to bother with all the effort . My local HBS owner said not to bother and he has a vested interest the other way.

Any good luck with brew two.

(Jeeze I should proof read my stuff better...)

 

[peas_and_corn]

congrats on the first brew! it's good to see that you're planning on trying new methods already; I'm still doing it now!

Sounds like it is a little green; I normally leave my brews in bottles for a month before drinking them- but it is hard to leave them when you're starting! I'm sure if you leave it for another couple of weeks it'll get better

 

[uneekwahn]

Second brew and going the secondary and bulk priming routes? Way to step up man :super:

thought i'd just jump in the deep end

 

[uneekwahn]

I have not racked yet as it lifts the risk of infection and I am unsure/ yet to be convinced if it is worth the benefits and just too damn lazy to bother with all the effort . My local HBS owner said not to bother and he has a vested interest the other way.

yeah, I think i'll give it at least one try, and if I don't have to fertilise the lawn with it, I'll keep racking

thanks!

 

[peas_and_corn]

that happens to people when they join the board- at first they are following te video that came with their kit, then suddenly they are trying to find a way of getting an extra 5% efficiency out of thier mash (well, at least that's my story )

 

[uneekwahn]

Sounds like it is a little green; I normally leave my brews in bottles for a month before drinking them- but it is hard to leave them when you're starting! I'm sure if you leave it for another couple of weeks it'll get better

yeah, I've been drinking all day and just thought I'd try one, so i'll now leave these for another week, try again, and then if they're still a little strange, try again a week later

 

[Brewtus]

I had to taste my first brew after two weeks and one second just to see I had not cocked up spectacularly. It was a 'past the used by date' Toohey New I got with the kit (off a mate) and was very green. After another two weeks it was fine. It never reached good as 1/ it was straight cheap kit and BE2 and it didn't live past 6 weeks - all gone, too bad, next batch.

 

[uneekwahn]

well, it looks like I may have spoken too soon!

I only cracked one open last night, it was bubbly, it tasted nice and I enjoyed it (baring in mind I had been drinking since 1 in the afternoon!)

I put two in the fridge earlier today so I could sample them again (I'm very impatient) and the first one had little carbonation in it whatsoever.

I poured it, with no bubbles whatsoever and gave it a taste. It didn't taste as good as the one last night, and tasted similar to my samples when taking gravity readings prior to bottling. It went down the sink.

I cracked open the second one and was greeting with a similar experience, although I am drinking this one, but only because I've got nothing better to do

Priming was done with carbonation drops, two per 740ml PET bottle and they were left for 13 days (again, patient is probably a virtue) in a shower, on the tiles.

I've now put them in boxes and put them out in the shed in the hopes that some warmth will assist in the process.

 

[matti]

how do you catch an Unique rabbit?
Uhneekuponit,,,,,
Leave the beer at the suitable fermenting temps at two weeks. around 18-22 degrees perfect.
Then if possible lower the temp to around 14-16 degrees as long as you can handle at 6 weeks it's good at 12 weeks its as good as it gets then it will probably deteriorate unless you made on 6% +
Welcome to the mayhem....
matti