My first homebrew...

[davidr2340]

Well,
with a ton of help from Mark (Cigar Smokin Chef), I finally brewed my first batch of beer this morning!!! Wow, I thought it was suppose to be a fun hobby... I was running around like a chicken with his head cut off! The ingredient kit started out as a American Light Ale, but I made a few "modifications" to it... we'll see how that turns out!!!

Couple of pics...

Now the fun part... SIT AND WAIT for it!!!
After all the "fun" I had brewing... I decided to fire up a WOAM after I was done!!! Thanks Tim for that!!! :thumbs:
I'll keep you guys posted on the finished product!!!

 

[tasman]

I don't know it looks a little dangerous! Let us know how it tastes?

 

[Mr Peat]

I've seen that same sight a million times already. Just remember when you make modifications to a kit, you are traveling in unknown grounds and especially if its your first kit with no experience with the many grains and extracts on the market. Good luck tho.

But if you ever get the bug up your ass to use Peated Smoked Malt grains, I'm the man to talk too. Even if the home brewing community thinks I'm insane for doing what I do, I'm still damn good at it while the rest just flounder. :laugh:

 

[davidr2340]

Thanks guys... I should be ok!!!
Loren, using peated smoked malt grains sounds like it would damn fine beer IMO!!! :thumbs:

 

[Mr Peat]

Thanks guys... I should be ok!!!
Loren, using peated smoked malt grains sounds like it would damn fine beer IMO!!! :thumbs:

Not if you don't know what you are doing. It can easily make a beer as easily as it can destroy it. But I've experimented with up to 1lb of peated smoked malt grains for a 4 gallon batch and as little as 1 cup so I know from experience what works and doesn't.

 

[AVB]

And this isn't in the beer forum because.......???

 

[BobbyRitz]

Good luck David! I thought you were deep frying a turkey for a second there! :laugh:

Be sure to keep us in the loop!

Rob

 

[PetersCreek]

Way cool...I've been wanting to try my hand at that...and another use for my turkey fryer, to boot!

 

[jfields]

Looks like fun :thumbs: , good idea to prepare it outside. Let us know how it turns out. Thanks for sharing David.

 

[Gonz]

Looks like someone didn't watch the boil-over, or had a little surprise when they added the hops!

 

[Mr Peat]

Looks like someone didn't watch the boil-over, or had a little surprise when they added the hops!

Actually the boil over will happen whether the hops are put in at the specific time or not. I tested this out and it has nothing to do with the hops, but the extract kit. I don't know why it does, but the hops isn't part of the problem from my experiments. I can't speak for All grain, but I can for extract and partial grain.

 

[xRanger]

I will not try it, until I see you drink it....30 minutes later, if you are not blind, I will try it!!

 

[Shooter]

I will not try it, until I see you drink it....30 minutes later, if you are not blind, I will try it!!

There wouldn't be enough fourshots in there to make ya blind. You would have to drink about 15 gallons of it to get enough fourshots to make ya blind.

 

[smellysell]

So how long until you get to sample?

 

[Mr Peat]

So how long until you get to sample?

Normally you transfer the first batch over after 1 week of fermentation so a week generally. Then you transfer it over to a Secondary phase for up to 2 weeks. But each home brewer is different but this is how I do it. So it allows you to take a gravity reading after setting it up in the fermenter. Then another one for the Secondary and a third for bottling and or kegging.

 

[SMSUCigarguy]

Thanks guys... I should be ok!!!
Loren, using peated smoked malt grains sounds like it would damn fine beer IMO!!! :thumbs:

It is damn fine beer!

 

[davidr2340]

Looks like someone didn't watch the boil-over, or had a little surprise when they added the hops!

Yeah, I turned my back for a sec... All over!!! Only once though!!!

 

[Infinity]

Nice pics Bootlegger! :laugh:

Brian

 

[Gonz]

Looks like someone didn't watch the boil-over, or had a little surprise when they added the hops!

Actually the boil over will happen whether the hops are put in at the specific time or not. I tested this out and it has nothing to do with the hops, but the extract kit. I don't know why it does, but the hops isn't part of the problem from my experiments. I can't speak for All grain, but I can for extract and partial grain.

That's what I was saying. Regardless of timing, if you don't remove the pot from the heat and stir vigorously while adding the hops you're asking for a boil over. You should remove the pot from the heat because you don't want the hops to scald when it comes into contact with the bottom of the pot.

 

[NullSmurf]

As I recall, my first batch would not have been good enough for toilet bowl cleaner. I chalk it up to bad sterilization. I only did a few other batches - I just don't drink often enough. My last batch was a Fat Tire recipe. My son had one of that batch nearly 2 years later that he said was just as good as it was fresh.