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Posted: 11/24/2017 11:24:25 PM EDT
Got up early this morning and brewed my first beer , an all grain hefeweizen 70 percent wheat 30 percent barley malt . Final gravity 1.062. Using wlp300 and hoping fermentation starts soon!
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Posted: 11/25/2017 8:51:09 AM EDT
[#1]
Congrats! Welcome to fun world of homebrewing.
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Posted: 11/25/2017 12:24:31 PM EDT
[#2]
Had to make some blow off tubes last night out of 3 piece air locks and tubing. Both my car boys had so much activity. At least I know it's turning into beer, can't guarantee it will be good but it's definitely beer.
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Posted: 11/25/2017 12:38:01 PM EDT
[#3]
Nice chiller. How many feet is it? Looks like stainless in the pic.
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Posted: 11/25/2017 12:39:58 PM EDT
[#4]
It's 50 foot stainless serpent, I got it from northern brewer when they had their 20 percent off and free shipping sale a few days ago.
I was able to go from boiling to 75 degrees In about 30 min or so. Pretty happy with it, no way an ice bath was going to work. |
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Posted: 11/25/2017 5:00:48 PM EDT
[#5]
Well done! I have only been brewing 2 years and don't a wort chiller, or any Igloo things. My numbers are rookie numbers!
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Posted: 11/26/2017 1:48:13 AM EDT
[#6]
First batch and right into all grain
Talk about jumping in with both feet! Welcome to the hobby! |
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Posted: 11/26/2017 10:11:25 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
First batch and right into all grain Talk about jumping in with both feet! Welcome to the hobby! I'm just hoping this first beer is drinkable 
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Posted: 11/27/2017 12:25:27 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Thanks , I've been considering getting into it for years and finally took the plunge and love it , I'm very happy I decided to. I also have some advise to others that are on the edge , watch a lot of YouTube . I probably have watched 15 hours of brewing videos before I started and some of the tips come in handy , like blow tubes ! Would have had a huge mess in my closet without one ! I'm just hoping this first beer is drinkable Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
First batch and right into all grain Talk about jumping in with both feet! Welcome to the hobby! I'm just hoping this first beer is drinkable |
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Posted: 12/4/2017 10:19:58 AM EDT
[#9]
After 11 days I decided to check gravity and give it a taste , I did this at day 6 and it was sour and horrible. Today the sour taste is gone in all but the after taste and very slight at that but it's a little boozy , probably because OG was 1.062 and it finished around 1.008
I'm going to let it continue to sit for another week and a half before bottling and let them condition out for a few weeks , so far it tastes like beer , not as much banana flavor as I wanted but maybe they will show through better once its bottled and carbonated. Is it necessary to bottle from a bottling bucket or should I do it strait from the fermentation carboy ? |
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Posted: 12/4/2017 10:47:46 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Is it necessary to bottle from a bottling bucket or should I do it strait from the fermentation carboy ? If you're adding the priming sugar to the beer in bulk, make sure you stir it very well (without splashing) or the carb level may vary in the bottles.
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Posted: 12/4/2017 11:32:44 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Better to rack it into the bucket and leave as much of the trub behind as possible. Wouldn't be good trying to mix your priming sugar in the fermenter either. If you're adding the priming sugar to the beer in bulk, make sure you stir it very well (without splashing) or the carb level may vary in the bottles. |
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Posted: 12/4/2017 1:08:25 PM EDT
[#12]
I put my priming sugar in a pot with some water, boil it for several minutes and then let it cool. When cooled, I gently pour it into the bottling bucket and rack the beer into the priming water. It has always been well mixed using this method.
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Posted: 12/4/2017 1:41:41 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I put my priming sugar in a pot with some water, boil it for several minutes and then let it cool. When cooled, I gently pour it into the bottling bucket and rack the beer into the priming water. It has always been well mixed using this method. Also, a bottling bucket with a bottling wand is a worthwhile investment. Way easier than trying to bottle off a siphon/racking cane |
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Posted: 12/9/2017 7:28:37 PM EDT
[#14]
So it's done fermenting , I'm going to bottle a few but am going to be picking up a keg kit at a local place and convert my garage refrigerator into a kegorator.
As far as kegging goes what should I carbonate it at? I plan on drinking it the next day or so after it goes in the keg on Thursday due to my brother being here for the weekend and needing beer for the occasion. |
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Posted: 12/9/2017 7:45:33 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So it's done fermenting , I'm going to bottle a few but am going to be picking up a keg kit at a local place and convert my garage refrigerator into a kegorator. As far as kegging goes what should I carbonate it at? I plan on drinking it the next day or so after it goes in the keg on Thursday due to my brother being here for the weekend and needing beer for the occasion. Forgot to add, you going to prime each bottle? If not, you're going to have to figure out how much of the beer you're going to bottle then calculate the priming sugar that need added to that portion. |
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Posted: 12/10/2017 12:44:44 AM EDT
[#16]
for kegging I usually set my regulator at 20-30 psi (depending on the style of beer and how carbed i want it) for 2 days and then vent the keg and knock it back to ~10 psi for serving.
Your ideal serving pressure may differ based on serving line ID and length |
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Posted: 12/16/2017 11:35:07 PM EDT
[#17]
Just tasted my first brew , tasted great ! As good or better than most Hefeweizen I've ever bought !
Batch number 2 coming up ! |
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Posted: 12/18/2017 10:54:05 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just tasted my first brew , tasted great ! As good or better than most Hefeweizen I've ever bought ! Batch number 2 coming up ! 
I'm planning a brew after the new years, its going to be my IPA i have made before. What are you planning on making? |
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Posted: 12/19/2017 9:41:57 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm planning a brew after the new years, its going to be my IPA i have made before. What are you planning on making?
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Posted: 12/20/2017 10:30:53 PM EDT
[#20]
Just finished my 3rd batch , another hefeweizen as the last one turned out great , just a little strong .
Things I learned , When boiling , turn down the heat to a rolling boil vs full on the whole time , my first batch boiled off so much I ended up with 6.5 gallons , second batch I turned it down and hit my 10 gallon mark right on the head ! I'll update this as time goes on and this beginner learns new things . Maybe I'll go through my original post and start posting my mistakes and successes for other beginners. Currently 18 gallons fermenting  Attached File |
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Posted: 12/21/2017 12:23:38 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just finished my 3rd batch , another hefeweizen as the last one turned out great , just a little strong . Things I learned , When boiling , turn down the heat to a rolling boil vs full on the whole time , my first batch boiled off so much I ended up with 6.5 gallons , second batch I turned it down and hit my 10 gallon mark right on the head ! I'll update this as time goes on and this beginner learns new things . Maybe I'll go through my original post and start posting my mistakes and successes for other beginners. Currently 18 gallons fermenting https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/275279/3BCC9C6A-F9EE-4B18-9A1E-FD62C003A946-396610.JPG So, you have to find a balance that gives you the boil off rate for your OG, doesn't darken your wort and still gives you a good hot and cold break. |
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Posted: 1/3/2018 1:24:52 PM EDT
[#22]
Just bought 2 more kegs and a fermentation controller for a chest freezer ,
Tested the Hefeweizen and the Kolsch that are in primary and both tasted great both also done fermenting , the Hefeweizen was better that the first batch ! I’m going to keep the Hefeweizen in primary for another week while I’m at work and I moved the kolsch into a lagering fridge so it can chill out and clear up for the next 1-2 months 
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Posted: 1/8/2018 12:54:16 AM EDT
[#23]
Hot damn OP you really dove into this, didnt you
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Posted: 1/8/2018 2:45:45 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Hot damn OP you really dove into this, didnt you
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Posted: 1/8/2018 2:50:59 AM EDT
[#25]
This next Sunday I’ll be brewing a Belgian dubbel ,
I took notes while listening to the beersmith podcast # 160 and came up with a recipe i think falls in line. Here’s the recipe , I’ll let you know how it turnes out. The plan is to make this without a starter and then to pitch a triple on the yeast cake , I’ll then wash the triple yeast cake and make a quad with it.  Attached File |
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Posted: 1/9/2018 12:14:13 PM EDT
[#26]
I wanted to be able to distinguish between my different beers , so .......
Ordered a test batch of 50 of these caps from grogtag , I think they turned out pretty good.  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 1/9/2018 1:39:50 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I wanted to be able to distinguish between my different beers , so ....... Ordered a test batch of 50 of these caps from grogtag , I think they turned out pretty good. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/275279/2D8ABC7C-BD55-4B0A-933D-F36EA074A664-415473.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/275279/3A11C9B8-240B-4566-8D58-D9E5D37189AC-415474.JPG
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Posted: 1/11/2018 2:07:04 PM EDT
[#28]
Here is my kolsch that i messed up and used 20 percent Vienna instead of 2.0 percent , tastes great , full body , feels .... soft . It will be even better once it is carbonated
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Posted: 1/11/2018 2:26:37 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Here is my kolsch that i messed up and used 20 percent Vienna instead of 2.0 percent , tastes great , full body , feels .... soft . It will be even better once it is carbonated https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/275279/D674524D-D5C5-43C3-91CF-12042A82C99B-417317.JPG |
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Posted: 3/15/2018 1:35:52 PM EDT
[#30]
That kolsch was something funky , it was good but had an odd after taste , I then brewed a Belgian dubbel but fucked up during the mash and had a stuck mash tun , the efficiency was very low and I ended up with more of a patersbeir at around 5.5-6 percent abv but luckily no off flavors . I brewed a triple smash beer and dumped it on the doubles yeast cake and it tastes great in the fermenter , just bottled up a little over 3 cases and will wait for it to bottle condition.
On Monday I purhased an igloo 9.0 chest freezer from sams club for 200 after tax and I already had a temp controller I bought on sale , looks like batch 6 is going to be temp controlled  I think the biggest issues I’ve had since starting his hobby is temp control ( lack thereof ) , and just plain old lack of knowledge, I’ve been reading a lot and just finished Brew like a Monk , and have been listening to the whole back catalog of BeerSmith podcasts. My next batch of Belgian triple is going to replace the dark Carmel candy sugar with beat sugar and going to add 11 percent Special B to my grain bill. Fermentation will also start at 64 vs 62 and will be allowed to free rise in a temp controlled environment. So far this hobby is way more addictive than firearms
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Posted: 3/16/2018 7:50:04 AM EDT
[#31]
You're going to like having a temp controlled fermentation chamber. One less thing to worry about. You're probably not going to like lifting those glass carboys in and out of it though.
Now you can make lagers too. Downside is that it ties up the chamber for doing ales. I usually try to make a few of each type back to back to get by that. |
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Posted: 3/16/2018 4:48:21 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You're going to like having a temp controlled fermentation chamber. One less thing to worry about. You're probably not going to like lifting those glass carboys in and out of it though. Now you can make lagers too. Downside is that it ties up the chamber for doing ales. I usually try to make a few of each type back to back to get by that. This hobby is going to cost me a pretty penny. |
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Posted: 3/16/2018 8:33:09 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve thought of that , I was thinking I’ll invest in some extra tubing and do a co2 closed loop transfer to a keg. That way I’ll only be lifting empty ones out , I’ll still have to lift the full ones in but I’m young . Eventually I’d like to get a 14 gallon stainless fermenter to use in my stand up fridge so I can ferment under pressure but that Is going to have to wait till I build a house in a few years. This hobby is going to cost me a pretty penny. |
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Posted: 3/26/2018 11:26:01 AM EDT
[#34]
So , I upgraded my brewery with temp control using a 9 cubic foot igloo freezer from sams club , an ink bird temp controller and a golden rod for heating . Just brewed a Saison and was able to pitch low at 62 and my fermenter raised the temp to 68 degrees. Now I know why everyone told me to get temp control of some type .
I also got a new EdelMetal Bru burner and cut the amount of time to heat my water drastically . It helped me save 2 hours vs my typical brew day with my old turkey fryer  Attached File Attached File |
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Posted: 4/19/2018 12:44:50 AM EDT
[#35]
So I just brewed batch 7 , 2 weeks ago , a kolsch / cream ale hybrid. Batch 6 was a saison I based the recipie on the Saison Experimental recipe from the Maltese Falcons . I split that batch 1/2 WLP 590 and half WLP565 . I’ve got a nice brett infection going in the 565 and plan on infecting the 590 once I get a chance to drink a few more Orval’s . Batch 7 the kolsch/cream ale is almost done fermenting and will start to lower the temp so i can lagger it for 2 weeks before botteling it.
I was able to get some Imperial yeast G01 for my next batch ( 8 ) which will be another Hefeweizen. Batch 9 will be a red ale and then in July I’ll brew my final beer of the season an Oktoberfest, that way it can lager for a few months and be ready for a nice Oklahoma fall. Thank you guys for all the help , this hobby is amazing. |
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Posted: 4/19/2018 3:35:28 PM EDT
[#36]
Just took a sample of my kolsch batch 7 , way better than the kolsch I brewed batch 2. It’s clean with no off flavors , no fruity notes , and has a nice spicy hop note from the saaz I used. Just turned it down and will lagger it 2 weeks.
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Posted: 4/19/2018 4:09:29 PM EDT
[#37]
There is a lot of great equipment out there. I need to brew again..............
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Posted: 4/19/2018 4:11:46 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
for kegging I usually set my regulator at 20-30 psi (depending on the style of beer and how carbed i want it) for 2 days and then vent the keg and knock it back to ~10 psi for serving. Your ideal serving pressure may differ based on serving line ID and length |
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Posted: 5/4/2018 2:16:20 PM EDT
[#39]
Great work!
You can build a collar for the converted freezer, Then drill a hole for the CO2 lines so you can keep your cooler full of beer rather than CO2 tank. I built a pusher from a carboy cap and a racking cane and a few quick disconnects from the ball locks. I would hook one end to the CO2 line blowing into the carboy, and the end of the racking cane to the OUT line of the keg open up the gas low and watch the flow. You can adjust the racking cane so it doesn't suck trub. This way if you want to use the cooler as a fermenting chamber you do not have to try to lift a full carboy in and out.  Rack from the keggle to the carboy. Well, I used a plate chiller and you have an immersion but same idea.
Oh, Hefe is great but watch serving it from the keg, as the signature yeast drops your dip tube on the serving side will dispense that out unless you swirl. SOP for my keg served brew was to dump the first few to get rid of the yeast, but with the Hefe you want it. Also watch for carbonic acid build up when force carbonating. It is usually best to let a keg rest for a few days after giving the gas to it. Sometime it isn't a problem, but it is worth mentioning. I would up the gas to 18-20 fill the keg, roll it across my garage, pick it up and give it a shake, the stuff it away until it was needed. Bleed the gas, then serve about 8psi. Kegging and force carbing is the great. I can go from brew to cup in 10 days. 
Good luck have fun, sounds like you are doing well! |
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Posted: 5/5/2018 7:19:22 PM EDT
[#40]
Dang , my kolsch is excellent! Oh how fermentation control improves the home brew.
Edit : So after 2 weeks at 32 and fining with gelatin the beer dropped perfectly clear and is bright . I’ll post a picture later , the Saaz didn’t come through as well as I hoped , more of a hint of Saaz that is barely perceptible, turns out that it is about perfect , great lawn mower beer , I’ve had a few people try it so far and everyone has been happy with it, I’m happy to say I finally have a beer that I’m proud to share , everything else so far ( minus the saison I haven’t tried yet) has only been drinkable. |
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Posted: 5/6/2018 3:30:53 PM EDT
[#41]
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Posted: 5/6/2018 5:52:50 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryLooks good! 
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Posted: 5/9/2018 11:24:13 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Looks good! Right now I’m making a Hefeweizen with some imperial yeast G01 Stephon. Hit my mash temp of 154 , I’m mashing out right now and it’s going slow but not stuck , using 70 percent German red wheat and 30 percent bohemian Pilsner . Love me a wheat beer . Summers here in Oklahoma are hot so i need plenty of lower ABV beer to keep me cool and refreshed
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