Potential - None

[Yoyo]

:unsure: Oh Dear!

So there I was, at the local Hardware/Brewing supplies store, standing in line waiting to pay the bill for a tool I needed to fix something or other that I didn't know I owned, looking over the home brewing supplies when the urge took me, I brought a kit for the first time. I spoke with the resident expert who gave me a very comprehensive run down of the process. So with this new found advice and the thought that I will have to work next Saturday on OT to pay for it (this didnt worry me cause I knew that I would have an Ale waiting when I finished) I arrived home, CLEANED everything i could find near, in or around the kitchen as instructed, wife was impressed anyway. Sent the kids off with a donation (another Saturday on OT) told the wife that it looked like the local craft shop was open (her Saturday on OT) and off I went brewing.

So I used the white powdery stuff that I was told to clean the barrel thingy, hot water, mix it up, swish it round, run it through the tap and then around where I would be working. Drain for 15 minutes the move onto the next step, how simple!

Then add all the contents, (Gold Rush Pale Ale, 1 Kg of Australian Lager No. 40 Brewcraft converter, 4 litres of boiling water and 19 litres of cold tankwater, Yeast mixed in a small amount of hot water) mix and get lots of air in there, so I used a mixing spoon and really got it frothing, get the tempreture right sit back and wait to impress all the mates in 4 weeks time. Surely this can't be all that is involved, why hadn't I done this before!

So, all this is done, the SG was 1042 and the temp was 28 to 30 degrees when I put the barrel in the cupboard, covered in a blanket due to the cold snap we are having, until Wednesday when I was told to measure the SG again.

Chuffed with the ease and the next two hours of quiet I settled down to the cricket and decided to check out the net to see if there was anything I could gleen from the pages.

WELL - all these new terms, Racking, Primary, Krausen, Right tempreture, changing from one drum to another... I am starting wonder what I have done......

So I am now seeking advice if I have down the right thing when I mixed this first batch or have I forgotten something, I didn't use sugar, the resident expert told me that the converter would be enough. And if anyone can point me to a webpage to understand all these new terms?

I dont think that the tool will be needed to fix the thingy today anyway, I am to busy checking for the bubbles to start! (Is this the same as waiting for a jug to boil?)

Thks

 

[Murray]

What you did sounds fine, just as long as the water you mixed the yeast in wasn't too hot. How hot was it? I would strongly recommend an absolute maximum of 40C for rehydrating yeast. The converter you used is in place of (and a far sight better than) sugar.

Don't be put off by all the seemingly complicated things people seem to be doing. The best way to learn how to brew is to keep it simple and go at your own pace. Do a batch or two with the instructions you have. Once you have what you are doing down pat, it will be easy to expand your knowledge and techniques. You will have been brewing better beer than you can buy by that stage as well.

A very good website to learn about these techniques is Grumpy's Brewhaus http://www.grumpys.com.au/[url]. G...orum and this one for beginner's information.

 

[jayse]

yoyo
welcome to craft brewing.you will find yourself now spending half your life researching brewing.

its funny i was at a lecture by chuck hahn and this guy in the crowd asked why can we make better sauces and chutney at home than the commercial factories and yet we can't make better beer at home than the commercial brewers.?
i could'nt resist yelling out you haven't tried real craft brewed home brew.

anyway you can make much much much better beer at home.

hope to see you on the forums in the future.


cheers jayse

 

[johnno]

Yoyo,
Welcome to homebrewing.
Just keep experimenting and read anything you can find on the subject.
I'm new at this as well.
Beer is so much tastier when you brew your own. :chug:

 

[PostModern]

Yoyo, my only concern with the process you listed there is "yeast mixed in small amount of hot water". Like Murray said, 40C MAX for rehydrating yeast. Anything more than that and you may have killed your yeast. If you did use hot hot water, and you don't see the airlock bubbling within a day, go back to your brew shop and grab another yeast. Just pitch it straight into the fermenter (It's OK to take the top off, just hold your breath while it's open )

You should see bubbles within 12-24 hours, depending on a few things - yeast count, temperature of the beer, gravity, etc.

Anyway, welcome to your new life and many Saturdays of OT to pay for all the paraphenalia.

 

[Yoyo]

Thks Guys, that info was great.

The hot water was straight from the hot water tap and left to sit for about 5 minutes before adding the yeast.

I am also pleased to report the birth of my first bubble at 0412 Hrs this morning. The Temp is stable at 24 to 26 deg according to the sticky temp gauge thingy on the side and the bubbles are coming at about 1 per second.

I visited the Grumpy's site as suggested and consider myself now to be an armchair expert on the lingo of "racking", I was able to rattle off all sorts of technial info to try and impress the family last night.

Wife annoyed, kids unsure, but believe in profit sharing from my OT.

Needless to say I am off to the shop this morning to purchase a second drum and at least half a metre of 12mm non toxic food grade tube. I have my first drum on the floor at this stage, would there be any problems lifting it onto a table so i can 'drop' my mix?

I'm happy , wife now very annoyed :angry: , kids want more money! h34r:

I will keep everyone posted on the progress

Thks again

 

[joecast]

yoyo, welcome to homebrewing.

sounds like everything is going fine. like the others have said, once you get that first taste, you'll be ready to start your next batch. and with lots more ideas and knowledge! good luck
joe

 

[Trev]

YoYo,

Mate, I'm impressed!

First bubble at 0412Hrs - how the heck did you know. We have one chap on here (Hey Doc - how's the 'Blacks doin') who has his fermenters wired up for sound and vision and monitors them in real time via the web from work. Me, I've turned half the garage into a brewery and am trying to design a decent temp control system for the fermenters

I somehow think you've got the bug but never mind as you're going to well and truely enjoy it.

Search back through the archives here, visit the weblinks given above but most important of all is don't ever be afraid to ask.

Best of luck with it, and just remember when you're at work on OT, just how good that first beer is going to taste when you get home.


Trev

 

[Linz]

Yoyo,

Just one thing on lifting..do it slowly at first. As you lift the fermenter the pressure will be placed on the base of the drum and, if you lift too quick, you might suck some of the air lock water back into the fermenter.This MIGHT be a source of infection.

(Monk ..don't say a thing about airlocks and open fermentation..you'll scare the guy away!!)

 

[Jazman]

Welcome yoyo to this most addictive hobby that can lead you to obsetion ,drink more beer ,spend heaps of money on equipment and more work for the same bloody beer


me missus thinks im mad but i want to make beer from scratch and i once started out like you and soon you dont want drink the cub ect stuff just the import and micro brewerys beer

 

[big d]

and here i am going in on ot just to make brew gear.one day i may think of the company and not beer.in my dreams.
enjoy the brewing adventure yoyo its gonna be a good one.

 

[Batz]

welcome from me too,
maybe the old and best looking brewer here !
That' ll get'em going !
:blink: h34r: :lol:

 

[Trough Lolly]

YoYo,

Welcome to homebrewing mate...

Sounds like you've got a good brew goin. Just be real slow and careful when you lift the fermenter, as Linz says, you don't want to suck the airlock water into the fermenter :blink:

Make sure that you relocate the fermenter and give it at least 24 hours to settle down the protein trub and spent yeast before you do any secondary racking or bulk priming...

Hang in there and the effort will reward you.

Dumb question time - did you buy some bottles with the kit? If you're gonna use bottles, do another Saturday OT and get a bench mounted bottle capper - it makes life so much easier than the hand capper - well, at least it does until you do your first keg!!

Cheers,

TL

 

[Yoyo]

Thank you one and all for the warm welcome.

I have only just returned home after a work trip out west NSW for a few days.

The news of the first brew continues.

Wife now warming to new hobby, specially when I told her I wont need to go to the pub Friday afternoons - much. Kids still expecting their profit share from OT - Soon to be disappointed!

The bubbles have slowed down to about 1 every 3 seconds and the temp has been constant between 24 and 26 degrees for the whole time, it looks like the froth has nearly all disappeared, I will move the drum into the Kitchen tonight onto the frame I made ready to rack on Saturday(bless my wife for recording the info every 6 hours during the day in my absense)

Was talking to workmates while I was away and was staggered when I mentioned home brew how many new friends I made in a short period of time! :unsure: I also had a good conversation to one chap who has been brewing spirits for about 3 years, now that has merit and may be investigated at a later stage MORE OT.

Hi Trough Lolly - Yeah I did buy my bottles with the kit ($1.50 each!, any cheaper ones about?) I found a 2nd hand capper at a pawn shop while I was away and invested $15.00, figure it was the way to go. I may enlist the kids in the production line and teach them all about working for a living rather than relying on my OT in the future.

Hey Trev - 0412hrs on the first bubble, guess I need a life, actually I needed to go for a early morning "walk" and decided I better check out the batch to make sure it was tucked in and OK, just like my kids!

I will keep everyone up to date on Saturday on the 'big move'.

Anyway, time to unpack the car, sit down and check in with family and plan next move.

Catch u all later

Paul

 

[deebee]

That's it mate. It's the slippery slope for you. No turning back now. You're hooked.

And my god, a sympathetic and helpful wife - there's no hope for you.

 

[Gough]

Jeez Yoyo, I thought my wife was 'sympathetic and helpful' as Deebee put it but checking your fermenter every 6hours, writing down the results (must've made fascinating reading ), and all while you were away!! Surely worth some sort of medal. Be generous with your OT...

Shawn.