First Brew

[sully626]

Hi All,
Been lurking around here for a bit checking everything out and am finally at the point where I am going to go get a starter kit. One question I have is on the first beer I should brew. I have seen the True Brew box at the local home brew store, but something about it doesn't seem right. I have been looking at ordering an extract kit from Northern Brewer and am wondering if that would be a good way to go or if I should look into something else.

I have ordered How to Brew and Radical Brewing, so I plan on doing some reading before I get anything, but it seems like there is a lot of knowledge to be tapped from this site.

[cul8rv8]

I'm not familiar with the True Brew kits, but they don't look too bad, really. It appears they contain LME, DME, specialty grains, hops, and so on.

Not that I have a problem with ordering from Northern Brewer, but I would use your LHBS whenever possible. By supporting your LHBS, it will help keep them in business, and the will be there for you in the future. I would talk to the people there, they can help you out, or even help you build an easy recipe for your first time. I know our LHBS has stacks of printed recipes with instructions, so you can basically make your own kit. Not sure if that's normal at all HBS's, but I would have to think most would have something like this.

I used to use Northern Brewer as well as Homebrew Heaven out of Washington, as we didn't have a HBS here in Vegas when I first started. Great people at both stores. But now that we have one here in town, I haven't bought much online at all.

[BrewDog]

(Wow, this is my 4000th post on this forum.... Been a long time and a lot of typing...)

Welcome to the hobby.
There is a ton of good info here.

I think an extract kit from Northern Brewer is a GREAT first recipe.
Pick one that is similar to a beer that you like, preferably an Ale as they generally are ready faster than lagers (there are exceptions).

How to Brew is a great first book. Radical Brewing will help you later when you want to get more creative with various ingredients and styles.

the http://www.howtobrew.com web site is a perfect place to start.

For a newbie, I'd say the top 6 things to understand about brewing good beer are:

1) Sanitation -- if it's not clean it can't be sanitized, and if it's not sanitized, it can ruin your beer (unless you are making a Lambic).

2) Temperature control - pitch cool (below 70F for an ale or below 50F for a lager) and keep the beer at a steady proper temp during fermentation

3) Yeast - They make the beer. It's your job to give them the proper environment, ingredients, and oxygen & nutrients, but they'll do all the magic. Treat them well and they will make you happy.

4) Water - Don't use straight tap water to top up. You will get phenolics. This is probably the cause of the majority of the off flavors I encounter when I am judging. You should at a minimum use campden tablets or better a carbon filter to remove the chlorine. Chloramine can only be removed by campden tabs. Good water makes good beer.

5) Patience - Give the yeast the time they need to do their work. They only do it on their schedule, not yours. Minimum 2 weeks in the primary, or better, 2 weeks in the primary and an extra week in a secondary (brite tank)
will produce a much cleaner, smoother, clearer beer.

6) Have fun, and RDWHAHB! (Relax, don't worry, have a home brew).

Good Luck!

[sully626]

Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it.

cul8rv8, I do plan on using my LHBS for most things, including getting the starter kit. I actually haven't been able to talk to anyone there that is into HB since it is in a liquor/convenience store and only the cashiers have been around when I have visited. Though I am expecting to spend much more time there, so I should be able to chat with someone.

BrewDog, with the water, should I be using bottled water? We get water delivered to the house since our tap water has a wonderful chlorine taste to it so I was thinking about using that. Also, I don't have an issue running to the store and spending $5 for 5 gallons of water if need be.


Looking forward to step 6!!

[Mikegobrew]

I bought my first kit from the LHBS and used a Brewer's Best Red Ale. Disappointing. (I do believe it was the kit since I did my homework.) My second batch (and next 3 till I was convinced I was doing it right) was with the American Pale Ale kit from Northern Brewer and WOW was I impressed. I've been using Northern Brewer for a few years now and they are awesome. One of my complaints on the LHBS is that he doesn't stock crap and he's NEVER open when I need stuff. I think you'll be hard pressed to find LME at a better price and quality than the NB extracts they sell in the half gallon.

Campden tablets as Brewdog mentioned improved my beer greatly. I didn't start using them until about a year ago, and for the cost of them you shouldn't attempt to brew without them. My municipal water is decent (comes from Lake Huron) but does have a lot of chlorine and chlormine in it and the campden tablets do the trick.

[BrewDog]

What I was really meaning to say is that tap water straight from the tap to top up is a no-no. (I edited the post above).

Campden tabs are a good way to go. 1 Tablet is enough to treat 20 gallons of water. You'll only need a little less than 1/2 a tablet (remember, to end up with a 5 gallon batch, you'll need to boil about 7 gallons).

HTH-

[Mikegobrew]

What I was really meaning to say is that tap water straight from the tap to top up is a no-no. (I edited the post above).

Campden tabs are a good way to go. 1 Tablet is enough to treat 20 gallons of water. You'll only need a little less than 1/2 a tablet (remember, to end up with a 5 gallon batch, you'll need to boil about 7 gallons).

HTH-

I use them for full boil water and it improved my beer greatly.

[cul8rv8]

cul8rv8, I do plan on using my LHBS for most things, including getting the starter kit. I actually haven't been able to talk to anyone there that is into HB since it is in a liquor/convenience store and only the cashiers have been around when I have visited. Though I am expecting to spend much more time there, so I should be able to chat with someone.


I think in that case I would go with Northern Brewer. They will be happy to answer any questions you have, as well, just give them a call. We had a guy that tried to sell homebrew supplies here, but the business was an indoor garden store. The people working there were total stoners, and knew nothing about brewing, so they were really no help, so I continued to shop online until the true homebrew shop opened up.

[corkybstewart]

The brewing shop I go to is in a spa/pool supply store. The guys do know a little about brewing but not much. I tried to buy some brett yeast and some lambic blends once and I had to explain what brett and sour beers were. They didn't believe me even after I named some commercial examples. One guy asked why anybody would even want to drink sour beer much less spend a year making it. Since that store is 200 miles from here I don't visit often, but it is the closest to me and my wife's online masters degrees are from the university in that town so I do shop there for basics once in a while.

[revans618]

The brewing shop I go to is in a spa/pool supply store. The guys do know a little about brewing but not much. I tried to buy some brett yeast and some lambic blends once and I had to explain what brett and sour beers were. They didn't believe me even after I named some commercial examples. One guy asked why anybody would even want to drink sour beer much less spend a year making it. Since that store is 200 miles from here I don't visit often, but it is the closest to me and my wife's online masters degrees are from the university in that town so I do shop there for basics once in a while.

That's kind of a weird connection to sell homebrew supplies isn't it? Spa/pool supplies=homebrew supplies? Funny!

[sully626]

*Happy New Year!!!*

Thanks for all the info so far!

I moved this post to the general section

[sully626]

So I just did my first brew last night! The brewing process didn't seem to bad at all, though I guess I have a few weeks before I will know if I did it right. I checked the fermented this morning and I am already getting some bubbles.

I do have one question about the gravity. I used the basic ale recipe that came with the kit that said the OG should be 1.035-40, when I put the recipe into brew pal(iPhone app) it said OG 1.058, and from what I can tell I got 1.048. Should I be worried about my reading? And what would cause the difference from the recipe to the app? I triple checked that I put the recipe into the program correctly, but the program didn't have the exact yeast I used, so I used one that was listed as comparable online.

Btw, thanks to everyone for all the help and ideas you have giving me!

[corkybstewart]

If you used water to top off your fermenter you probably just didn't get everything mixed well so your sample may have come from a heavier section of the wort. Don't worry about it, once it starts fermenting it mixes great. It's very hard to miss your OG using kits unless you are way off on your water volumes.
As far as the app goes who knows, but yeast doesn't figure into OG at all. Ideally you take your OG reading before adding the yeast. Relax and be patient, your beer will turn out fine.

[vance71975]

So I just did my first brew last night! The brewing process didn't seem to bad at all, though I guess I have a few weeks before I will know if I did it right. I checked the fermented this morning and I am already getting some bubbles.

I do have one question about the gravity. I used the basic ale recipe that came with the kit that said the OG should be 1.035-40, when I put the recipe into brew pal(iPhone app) it said OG 1.058, and from what I can tell I got 1.048. Should I be worried about my reading? And what would cause the difference from the recipe to the app? I triple checked that I put the recipe into the program correctly, but the program didn't have the exact yeast I used, so I used one that was listed as comparable online.

Btw, thanks to everyone for all the help and ideas you have giving me!

Welcome to the hobby, i wouldnt worry as corky said it could be as simple as your sample wasnt well mixed or it could be a batch of malt that was just a tad stronger than predicted, worst case your beer may come out a bit stronger than expected not a bad thing!

[sully626]

Thanks corky! So I should have tested before the yeast was put in? I will be sure to do that next time, the recipe that came with the kit said to add yeast, mix vigoriously, then check og. I will definately go with what you guys say, who knows who wrote up that recipe.

The recipe says to have it in the fermentor for almost a week, then transfer to glass carboy for 1 week, then bottle and let sit for 2 weeks, I was kind of thinking about leaving it in the carboy another week, but I'm not sure that will make any difference with it being a kit.

[vance71975]

Thanks corky! So I should have tested before the yeast was put in? I will be sure to do that next time, the recipe that came with the kit said to add yeast, mix vigoriously, then check og. I will definately go with what you guys say, who knows who wrote up that recipe.

The recipe says to have it in the fermentor for almost a week, then transfer to glass carboy for 1 week, then bottle and let sit for 2 weeks, I was kind of thinking about leaving it in the carboy another week, but I'm not sure that will make any difference with it being a kit.


I would give it 1 full week in primary and 2-4 full weeks in secondary. there is nothing worse than your hobby turning deadly because you bottled too soon and got hit with flying glass from an over carbed beer that exploded in your hand and even More than a month in secondary will not hurt, ask corky about his Flanders red that spent 2 years in secondary!

When it comes to bottling Better safe than sorry!

[texasliam]

One week should be good for transfer, but two weeks is good too, no big deal

[corkybstewart]

For a beer with this low a OG I would go with 2 weeks in primary, check the gravity and then bottle it. Secondary is a wasted step with sanitation and oxidation issues you really want to avoid on your first beer.
There's been a lot of discussion about whether secondary is necessary or not but I think most would agree that a beer under 1.050 really doesn't benefit from it. And you'll be drinking it sooner this way. My flanders red was in secondary almost 3 years but that's a really unusual type of homebrew. I quit using secondaries out of laziness and because of my work schedule beers stayed longer in primary before I could bottle them, and I found they tasted at least as good.

[BrewDog]

Congrats-

Leave it in the primary for 2 weeks. If you want, you can secondary it for a week for a clearer, more refined beer. Patience rewards you. Don't rush it. Let the yeast do their work on their own schedule, not yours.

Start planning your second one now, though!

[sully626]

Thanks again for all the great info, I will keep on saying that for a few years. I do have a concern with the amount of bubbles I am seeing in the airlock. I put the brew in on Wednesday night and it seemed to start bubbling after just a couple hours, with bubbles coming through every 5-10 seconds. As of this morning I am seeing hardly any bubbling, I sat and watched it for what seemed like hours(about 2-3 min) and only saw one set of bubbles. Does this sound like a normal thing?

Also, I have it in a 6.5 gallon bucket currently, which is why I was going to put it in a secondary, since I thought I had read it would be better to have it in glass.

And thanks for mentioning the next one brewdog, I have already been looking and was thinking about an IPA, anyone have any suggestions?

[corkybstewart]

For the time frame we're talking about a bucket is as good as glass. I wouldn't leave beer in a bucket for 6 months, but a month is not uncommon for me. Plastic is oxygen permeable but at a very slow rate. racking beer into a glass carboy pretty much automatically exposes the beer to oxygen unless you have a way to purge the carboy with CO2. On the other, other hand oxidation is a problem that takes w while to show up and I have a feeling your first beer will have a very short lifespan!!
Get another bucket or 2, they're cheap and you'll always have beer on hand.

[texasliam]

If I had to buy it all over again I would stick with buckets. Glass on a secondary for a stronger beer though, since I secondary for a month or 2 on those. Ive broken 2 carboys so far and they are a bugger to clean.

[corkybstewart]

Technically I secondary in kegs, but once the beer is in the keg it only comes back out by the glass-the less racking between containers the better off your beer turns out.

[vance71975]

Thanks again for all the great info, I will keep on saying that for a few years. I do have a concern with the amount of bubbles I am seeing in the airlock. I put the brew in on Wednesday night and it seemed to start bubbling after just a couple hours, with bubbles coming through every 5-10 seconds. As of this morning I am seeing hardly any bubbling, I sat and watched it for what seemed like hours(about 2-3 min) and only saw one set of bubbles. Does this sound like a normal thing?

Also, I have it in a 6.5 gallon bucket currently, which is why I was going to put it in a secondary, since I thought I had read it would be better to have it in glass.

And thanks for mentioning the next one brewdog, I have already been looking and was thinking about an IPA, anyone have any suggestions?

I wouldn't worry too much about your bubble rate just yet, some yeast work much faster than others, just like people, i have done 3 batches with Nottingham and without fail all 3 were done completely in 3 days.Just continue with your normal length of primary and secondary and then bottle when your SG stays the same at least 3 days in a row.

I love a good IPA, Here is a Recipe i have been wanting to try but just haven't got around to it, your welcome to brew it up if you like just tell me how it tastes! It Hits all the numbers(Some are a bit toward the high end for the style,but still in the numbers) as far as matching the style guidelines BUT the ingredients are a bit unconventional for an IPA, i will at some point be brewing it. There are a lot of grains aimed to add a lot of depth and complexity to this ale, i plant to steep them at between 154 and 156 for 60 mins when i brew it,i want it to have a rich full body.I love smoked malts, so if you don't feel free to leave the smoked malt out. Btw let us know how your first batch comes out, my first batch,luckily came out awesome.


Smoked IPA Bomb
American IPA


Type: Extract
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 5.72 gal
Boil Time: 60 min

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
6.00 lb Pilsner Liquid Extract (3.5 SRM) Extract 35.29 %
3.00 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 17.65 %
2.00 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 11.76 %
1.00 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
1.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
1.00 lb Oats, Malted (1.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
1.00 lb Smoked Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
1.00 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 5.88 %
4.00 oz Glacier [5.60 %] (Dry Hop in Secondary) Hops -
1.00 oz Chinook [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 45.9 IBU
1.00 oz Williamette [5.50 %] (20 min) Hops 11.8 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (5 min) Hops 6.0 IBU
0.50 oz Burton Water Salts (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
1.00 lb Honey (1.0 SRM) Sugar 5.88 %
2 Pkgs SafAle English Ale (DCL Yeast #S-04) Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.061 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.016 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.90 %
Bitterness: 63.6 IBU
Est Color: 14.3 SRM



Steep grains In 154-156 degree water (60 minutes)






Age for: 62.0 days
Storage Temperature: 62.0 F

[sully626]

Sounds good, how much of a smoky flavor do you think there will be? I like the flavor, but I got kinda turned off by it in alcohol after I had a whisky that had an insanely over smoked flavor.

[corkybstewart]

You'll be doing a mini-mash right? You've got a lot of malts in there that need to be mashed.
Sully, have you ever tried a rauch beer? They can be pretty tasty. I'm just now learning to appreciate them(thanks Beerking) but I can tell you that a Speziale Rauch I had last year had a very mild smoky flavor that was an excellent intro. Stone makes a smoked porter that is actually good, it's the only Stone beer I really like.

[vance71975]

Sounds good, how much of a smoky flavor do you think there will be? I like the flavor, but I got kinda turned off by it in alcohol after I had a whisky that had an insanely over smoked flavor.

If your worried that the smoke flavor might be too much, cut the amount of smoked malt in half or even down to 1/4 lb that will give it a touch of smoke without being overpowering.

[vance71975]

You'll be doing a mini-mash right? You've got a lot of malts in there that need to be mashed.
Sully, have you ever tried a rauch beer? They can be pretty tasty. I'm just now learning to appreciate them(thanks Beerking) but I can tell you that a Speziale Rauch I had last year had a very mild smoky flavor that was an excellent intro. Stone makes a smoked porter that is actually good, it's the only Stone beer I really like.

Yes when i make that one it will be mini mashed at between 154-156 for 60 mins.

[sully626]

Corky, I haven't tried a Speziale Rauch, but I know one of the local liquor stores has Stone, and I saw a couple different smoked beers there. Guess it's time to try one.

Thanks Vance for the recipe and ideas.

[vance71975]

Corky, I haven't tried a Speziale Rauch, but I know one of the local liquor stores has Stone, and I saw a couple different smoked beers there. Guess it's time to try one.

Thanks Vance for the recipe and ideas.

Np man until the beginning of next month when i get my new brew equipment and can actually start brewing again, making recipes has become a major hobby for me lol:cool:

[Undergradbrewin]

Hi All,
I have seen the True Brew box at the local home brew store, but something about it doesn't seem right. I have been looking at ordering an extract kit from Northern Brewer and am wondering if that would be a good way to go .
I still use extract (Just brewed my 6th batch ever) so I am still very new. However the true brew kits are what I got started on with my buddy when I first picked up the hobby. I agree something always seemed odd about them -I think it is the oldish style looking graphic on the box that seemed corny. Never had a problem with thier stuff and I enjoyed the 3 Raspberry wheats we brewed, irish stout, and a Nut brown ale -with almost NO preperation, I mean me and my buddy just went head first and figured it out as we went, and had very drinkable ale in the end! I have recently been exposed to Northern Brewer now that one has opened new Milwaukee -This place is incrediable I love it. I just got a kit from them a Bavarian Hefe-weiss, and its really good. The onyl thing that may trip a newbie up compared to the True brew kits is 1) Northern brewer cells caps seperatly. 2) Northern brewer sells yeast seperatly and 3) the directions are a bit more general and are obviously a staple for all of thier kits with just minro additions specific to the brew. however these may seem like a down fall, but I think they are better becuase 1) buying seperate yeast forced you to learn yeast styles and differences of them, and the beer coems out way better! so its important to not be cheap when buying it. 2) you can Call northern brewer (both stores) and some one will awsner who is ready and waiting to awsner any question you have, which is awesome. Way more then helpful, I will be very loyal to this store for my duration of living in Milwaukee.
P.S the priming suger is also seperate, and they claim to use top-qaulity extremely find (maybe silt size?) suger grains that is already clean and can be added directly w.o boiling water. But I usually throw it in 8 ounces and boil to be safe.

[sully626]

Thanks UGB, I am actually going to brew my third batch tonight or tomorrow night. I ended up using a kit for the original brew I did(it came with the starter kit I purchased), but since then I have been doing stuff on my own. I have found that if you google a beer you like(ie redhook ESB clone or recipe) there are a lot of recipes online to use as a starting point as well as there are a ton on this site(thanks Vance!). I have a buddy that is using the True Brew kits and loves them and I would say they come out good and I had heard the Northern Brewer Kits are great.

[Mikegobrew]

I made plenty of the Northern Brewer extract kits and have even bought their all-grain kits. I get mine all from mail order, and I can tell you they are great. I still brew some of their beers.