Homebrewers Association | AHA Forum
General Category => General Homebrew Discussion => Topic started by: oscarvan on November 21, 2010, 02:32:10 pm
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Well, today was my first brew day..... Got all the gear, got it all set up and got a nice fire going out in "the barn". Partial mash kit for an APA. Some grain, some dry, lotsa hops and a yeast bag that zipped to life to the point where I thought it would blow....
(http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Oscar/Brewing_files/PB210008.jpg)
Note the cornies and CO2 on the side bench testing..... holding pressure for 49+ hours now...... 8)
Your's truly checking on the wort cooler.....
(http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Oscar/Brewing_files/PB210018.jpg)
What's better than a guy brewing? TWO guys brewing. My buddy Dave is a long time brewer who said it had been too long. Plus the wife doesn't like him messing up the kitchen..... Well, bring your bucket and come play at my house. I happened to have a second burner.......
(http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Oscar/Brewing_files/PB210016.jpg)
Well, they said aeration is to introduce O2 into the wort for the yeast...... You want O2? I got O2....... This baby be aerated with pure O2 for about 40 seconds....... 8)
(http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/Oscar/Brewing_files/PB210019.jpg)
Bucket is sitting in my office which is about 65-68ºF...... and now we wait......
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Copper pot...way cool!
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Copper pot...way cool!
Under $100 on eBay...It's an apple butter pot, nice thick copper, probably close to 100 years old. A few hours to get the gunk out of it. Someone had used it as a planter...... :o But in the and a half a jar of POR did the trick. I REALLY like it.
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It's really traditional, too. Brewing kettles used to be known as "coppers".
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Great pics. Good luck with your brew
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Well, two hours later......( I know, patience Grashopper) ....no bubbles, the little "hat" still sitting down on the tube..... so I tapped the airlock...... thought it was going to hit the ceiling..... we HAVE fermentation!!! I can see the water moving down, minutes away from the first beer fart..... this is COOL! Meanwhile the barn still smells like a brewery..... LOVE that smell.
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Well, two hours later......( I know, patience Grashopper) ....no bubbles, the little "hat" still sitting down on the tube..... so I tapped the airlock...... thought it was going to hit the ceiling..... we HAVE fermentation!!! I can see the water moving down, minutes away from the first beer fart..... this is COOL! Meanwhile the barn still smells like a brewery..... LOVE that smell.
I also love that smell. Nothing smells quite like that.
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Well, two hours later......( I know, patience Grashopper) ....no bubbles, the little "hat" still sitting down on the tube..... so I tapped the airlock...... thought it was going to hit the ceiling..... we HAVE fermentation!!! I can see the water moving down, minutes away from the first beer fart..... this is COOL! Meanwhile the barn still smells like a brewery..... LOVE that smell.
I also love that smell. Nothing smells quite like that.
after my very first brew, the folks at the LHBS asked me what I thought of the odor. I said it was wonderful. I think I passed a test ;-) The fragrances associated with brewing--from mashing through boiling to fermenting--are luscious, like breadbaking but more complex.
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First i love the copper pot. truly an awesome piece of equipment. An congrates on the first batch. welcome to the addiction.
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First i love the copper pot. truly an awesome piece of equipment. An congrates on the first batch. welcome to the addiction obsession.
Fixed that for ya!
Congrats on the first brew!
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Well, it ain't brew yet, but it's happily bubbling away right next to me....... 8) Even the cat is impressed... sniffing the fermenter with enthusiasm. Wonder if he would like.... no, no, bad......bad. ;D
Now, the kit recipe doesn't call for a secondary, but as I intend to become a "serious" brewer I am contemplating just that. Shall I rack to a carboy in a few days? I'm planning to keg, so logic says let it go 'till it's done plus a day or so and then keg right away....
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Well, two hours later......( I know, patience Grashopper) ....no bubbles, the little "hat" still sitting down on the tube..... so I tapped the airlock...... thought it was going to hit the ceiling..... we HAVE fermentation!!! I can see the water moving down, minutes away from the first beer fart..... this is COOL! Meanwhile the barn still smells like a brewery..... LOVE that smell.
You're at a very precarious point now....it's going to be very difficult to stop starting at the bubbling airlock. You may find yourself sitting in front of it for hours watching it. I find it best to watch the airlock with a full beer in hand. An empty beer is the only thing that gets me away from starting at it. :)
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Now, the kit recipe doesn't call for a secondary, but as I intend to become a "serious" brewer I am contemplating just that. Shall I rack to a carboy in a few days? I'm planning to keg, so logic says let it go 'till it's done plus a day or so and then keg right away....
No secondary is necessary and in fact it's undesirable. Thinking on that has changed a lot in the last few years. If you're an AHA member, you can read what John Palmer has to say about it in the Ask the Experts section. I almost always just leave mine in a bucket for 3-4 weeks, then keg.
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You're at a very precarious point now....it's going to be very difficult to stop starting at the bubbling airlock. You may find yourself sitting in front of it for hours watching it. I find it best to watch the airlock with a full beer in hand. An empty beer is the only thing that gets me away from starting at it. :)
WATCHING it? How about sitting there SNIFFING it....... :o ;D