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Author Topic: First Batch  (Read 16684 times)

Offline fattony

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First Batch
« on: August 20, 2012, 07:08:05 am »
Hello all,

Well I brewed my first batch and I do not have high hopes for it, quite a few mistakes.  I cannot wait to get it into bottles so that I can start the next batch.  I do have one question though.  How does one remove the malt aroma out of the house?  When I leave and come back, it hits me hard.  Personally, I like the smell but my wife has other opinions.

Nathan

Offline davidgzach

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2012, 07:15:34 am »
Try Febreeze.  Unfortunate though.  I love that smell.
Dave Zach

Offline Jimmy K

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2012, 07:23:20 am »
Open the windows for a while.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline erockrph

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2012, 07:48:06 am »
I feel your pain. Leave some windows open while you're brewing to get some cross-ventilation going. Close the door to your bedroom while you're brewing as well, so at least it doesn't get into your sheets or her clothes. She'll appreciate you for it.

I've been toying with trying my hand at a hops-scented candle using some hop extract. I figure if anything can cover up the smell of malt, it would be hops...
Eric B.

Finally got around to starting a homebrewing blog: The Hop Whisperer

Offline mripa

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2012, 08:26:00 pm »
It goes away in about 2 days.. I love the smell but others in the house don't.  I'm in Florida so the a/c is blowing constantly which helps.

Offline fattony

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2012, 09:32:00 pm »
Opening the windows for a few hours worked.  The smell is gone and all is well.  Thank you all for the tips.

Offline sch21c

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2012, 08:13:28 am »
Well I brewed my first batch and I do not have high hopes for it, quite a few mistakes.  I cannot wait to get it into bottles so that I can start the next batch.  I do have one question though.  How does one remove the malt aroma out of the house?  When I leave and come back, it hits me hard.  Personally, I like the smell but my wife has other opinions.

Welcome!  I'm just a few batches ahead of you, and I had the same low hopes for my first batch (pale ale) when I bottled it.  You may be very pleasantly surprised how drinkable it is when it's been bottle conditioned for a few weeks.

I've got the same issues with the malt smell in my house.  My 17 year old son (my brew partner) and I like the smell, but my wife and daughters all hate it.  I haven't tried to do a whole lot yet to deal with it.  We've been brewing in the kitchen, and here in the northeast the air conditioning doesn't get shut off until late august - early september, so windows haven't been much of an option.

Offline Pinski

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2012, 08:34:44 am »
Fortunately, everyone in my household likes the "bready" smell.  They come through the front door on starter day when I'm working in the kithchen and holler, "Pin's making beer again!"
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2012, 08:52:17 am »
The smell of boiling wort was the only thing that soothed my wife's "morning sickness" with our first child.  It was actually evening sickness, about 7:00 pm or so.  If I was brewing when she came home, she didn't hurl.  If I wasn't...

Needless to say, I had free rein to brew as often as I wanted for awhile.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline fattony

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2012, 03:43:36 pm »
Well I brewed my first batch and I do not have high hopes for it, quite a few mistakes.  I cannot wait to get it into bottles so that I can start the next batch.  I do have one question though.  How does one remove the malt aroma out of the house?  When I leave and come back, it hits me hard.  Personally, I like the smell but my wife has other opinions.

Welcome!  I'm just a few batches ahead of you, and I had the same low hopes for my first batch (pale ale) when I bottled it.  You may be very pleasantly surprised how drinkable it is when it's been bottle conditioned for a few weeks.

I've got the same issues with the malt smell in my house.  My 17 year old son (my brew partner) and I like the smell, but my wife and daughters all hate it.  I haven't tried to do a whole lot yet to deal with it.  We've been brewing in the kitchen, and here in the northeast the air conditioning doesn't get shut off until late august - early september, so windows haven't been much of an option.

I understand your pain.  I live in Oklahoma and the AC might not get shut off until late September early October, which really makes it hard to brew in the summertime.  We just hit a perfect spot where it was cool in the morning and hot in the afternoon and opening the windows in the morning made the smell go away rather quickly. 

Offline kgs

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2012, 11:54:48 am »
Funny, after I brewed my first batch, the LHBS in my former home state asked me what I thought of the smell. I said "we all LOVED it!" I guess they knew I'd be back pretty often!
K.G. Schneider
AHA Member

Offline brewmaster_cannon

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2012, 01:56:36 pm »
Welcome to the hobby, I myself have been brewing for a couple years though I am also new to this forum.

The best sure fire way to get rid of the smell is to buy a propane burner to go outside with the brew day, keeps the kitchen cleaner and the wife happy.  Other than that febreze should help and open the windows to air it out.

Offline gmac

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #12 on: September 05, 2012, 08:50:26 pm »
Fry up a whole bunch of bacon.
Should cut the smell with the added benefit of bacon.

Offline bboy9000

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Re: First Batch
« Reply #13 on: September 05, 2012, 09:34:57 pm »
You could also try cooling up some Thai food.  The curry and fish sauce should get the malt smell out. 

Or try Ozium.  That seemed to work well in my college dorm room.
Brian
mobrewer

Offline majorvices

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First Batch
« Reply #14 on: September 06, 2012, 06:09:49 am »
+1 to the buying a propane burner and getting the heck out of the kitrchen comment. You will want to get off your kitchen stove ASAP if you continue in this hobby. Nothing ruins a stove faster than a wort boil over.