Got my very first brew in the fermenter right now and it is bubbling away!  It is an amber type LME kit with one dose of hops and specialty grains. I decide to say fuckit and went straight to kegging. Got a corney and CO2 setup and will be getting another corny and filter setup before I get it out of the fermenter in about 2 weeks. Wish me luck!!

Redman

I wish you luck. Hope it is tasty!

Coincidentally, I too brewed my first batch over the weekend too...the Autumn Amber Ale extract kit from Midwest.

The first 24 hours it was bubbling like crazy...not so much anymore.  Was concerned about that, but after some online forum searching that doesn't seem abnormal.

Plan to just leave it be in the fermenter for 2 weeks as per instructions.  The waiting is the hardest part.  About all you can do is hope you did everything right as it's in the yeast's hands now.  If all goes well I'll be sharing this maiden batch with family and friends on our 4th of July cookout.  That'll be about three weeks in the bottle.  

Already ordered another kit to brew up as soon as my fermenter is freed up.

24 - 48 hours of vigorous fermentation is pretty normal for a standard ABV beer. Some of the stronger beers will show vigorous fermentation a while longer. It's nothing to be concerned about if the fermentation has slowed down after the first 24 - 48 hours.

I'm sure it will turn out well as long as you sanitized everything as you went along. 3 weeks is a perfect amount of time in the bottles. Make sure to chill the bottle 1 - 2 days prior to the cookout. They're better with a little time being cold to help the CO2 absorb into solution.

I got mine from here, about 4 years ago... Got new hops and yeast (same as original) and cooked her up. I fucked up and poured the hops right into the brew (no bag), but I plan to have another keg and a filter before two weeks are up. I am hopefully going to have 3 more kegs really soon. That way I can have 3 made up at any given time and a fourth to settle or filter from. Thinking of making my next kit, or at least a very few from now, a BIAB.  Anyone done the Brew In A Bag method? Thanks for the words of encouragement yall!! It is still bubbling away!

Redman

Got it in the keg yesterday after 20 days in the fermenter. Forgot to get an OG, but the FG was 1.018. Came out a LOT darker than I wanted, especially for something that is supposed to be a Killian's clone. LME was 4 years old, tho. Carbed a 1.5L with my carbonator, and have been tasting it off and on throughout the day. Giving the keg until tomorrow in the shop fridge to chill and will force carb it tomorrow. Hope it is better then. Any good ideas for what to brew next? I am already wanting to get another batch done up! This shit is addicting!


Redman

I got impatient and already started drinking my Amber ale...pretty good.

I currently have a cream ale in my fermenter, will probably bottle it up next weekend.  I sampled it after checking the gravity yesterday and it's way more flavorful than the Amber.  Can't wait to start tapping into that one.  Now I'm hankering for something darker.  Going to try a Porter next.

It probably got darker due to the LME being 4 years old. As LME ages, it does get darker. With DME, it stays fresher longer and doesn't darken like LME. The LHBS I work for sells a great Killian's kit, which was the first kit I started with and have made it a few times. Almost all of the kits we sell uses DME. We make the kits in house.

I have been drinking on it fairly steady for the last few days. Haven't gotten the serve pressure EXACTLY right, but it's getting there. It is so dark, you cannot see sunlight through it in a clear glass, but IMO, it is great! I have an Irish Red from Northern Brewers that is up next. I ordered a pin-lock by accident, but I have a freind with all pin-locks and one oddball ball-lock...He said he would swap and that gives me 2 ball lock kegs. I also bought a big-mouth bubbler (6.5gal) so now I have 3 fermenters to go with it.. I am really enjoying this hobby, so far! I may branch off into BIAB or all grain after a few more extracts.

Thanks for the help, all!

Redman