[Wort-H.O.G.]

The only wisdom I have is that we all started with our first batch!

+1 nicely said

[klickitat jim]

Has anyone tried solid CO2 to cool wort?

Wait wait, liquid oxygen. Chill and oxygenate at the same time.

[klickitat jim]

Hey all,

So I am absolutely new to the whole brewing thing.  I current have 3 different recipes I'm going to try over the next few weeks.  The first one, which is currently fermenting, is a German wheat beer.  This was my first batch ever and I'm excited for the outcome.  Here are some photos from the brewing yesterday:

















I absolutely enjoyed myself.  For the most part everything went as I expected.  I look forward to bottling and tasting this round.  I did learn that I need (very much want) a copper or stainless wort chiller.  I also want a glass carboy or two.  And, instead of using re-usable synthetic hop bags, I'm just going to use single use hop bags.  Can't wait to brew up the other recipes.

This pretty much convinced me that you will be a rock star brewer before too long. Clearly you are already obsessed. That's not a put down, most of us are way obsessed.

You might take advantage of your new hobby to learn other things too. Such as YouTube how to solder copper fittings. For the cost of a decent copper wort chiller you can build one and buy all the tools you need. I built my own. First one was no solder, just compression fittings and 20' of 3/8" copper. It worked for small extract brews but I quickly outgrew it. I then build a 60' 1/2" copper chiller with soldered fittings and a pump to reciculate. That bad boy chills 6 gallons from 212 to 60 in about 20 minutes.

Anyway, welcome and keep at it.

By the way, how are you controlling fermentor temp?

[Gangles]

Hey all,

So I am absolutely new to the whole brewing thing.  I current have 3 different recipes I'm going to try over the next few weeks.  The first one, which is currently fermenting, is a German wheat beer.  This was my first batch ever and I'm excited for the outcome.  Here are some photos from the brewing yesterday:

I absolutely enjoyed myself.  For the most part everything went as I expected.  I look forward to bottling and tasting this round.  I did learn that I need (very much want) a copper or stainless wort chiller.  I also want a glass carboy or two.  And, instead of using re-usable synthetic hop bags, I'm just going to use single use hop bags.  Can't wait to brew up the other recipes.

This pretty much convinced me that you will be a rock star brewer before too long. Clearly you are already obsessed. That's not a put down, most of us are way obsessed.

You might take advantage of your new hobby to learn other things too. Such as YouTube how to solder copper fittings. For the cost of a decent copper wort chiller you can build one and buy all the tools you need. I built my own. First one was no solder, just compression fittings and 20' of 3/8" copper. It worked for small extract brews but I quickly outgrew it. I then build a 60' 1/2" copper chiller with soldered fittings and a pump to reciculate. That bad boy chills 6 gallons from 212 to 60 in about 20 minutes.

Anyway, welcome and keep at it.

By the way, how are you controlling fermentor temp?

Thanks so much! When I do something I try to do it as best as I possibly can.  If I like what I am doing, that adds to it!

My fiance just purchased me a copper wort chiller for an early Christmas present.  Should be here this week.  I'm very excited to use it.  Any other gear you think I should get, aside from a few more plastic carboys?

The carboy is staying pretty consistent in the 62-65 degree range.  I leave my wool sweater on it and it works well.  We're at 9 days now in the carboy.  I'll probably leave it in there for 14-21 days, then rack into the bottling bucket & bottle.  I figure another 3 weeks after bottling will be perfect.  Here's hoping!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

dont be afraid to bottle that hefe now if (and most likely) your gravity is stable. 

[Gangles]

dont be afraid to bottle that hefe now if (and most likely) your gravity is stable.

That's true.  I was figuring 10 days to wait at the least, but 9 wouldn't hurt I guess.  I'll check and see if it has hit FG when I get home tonight.  Thanks!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

dont be afraid to bottle that hefe now if (and most likely) your gravity is stable.

That's true.  I was figuring 10 days to wait at the least, but 9 wouldn't hurt I guess.  I'll check and see if it has hit FG when I get home tonight.  Thanks!

yeah i was just thinking that 14-21 days would not only be unnecessary, but unbearable on you to wait to get to try!  if it's done, it's done and IME a hefe at 9-10 days is done and ready/ok to rack.

[klickitat jim]

At some point, maybe not right now, but eventually you will want a solid reliable way of holding a precise set temp in your fermenters. I was about 6 months in when I bought a 14cf chest freezer and a ranco dual stage controller. I have never regretted it and it is now my most important peice of brewing equipment.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

At some point, maybe not right now, but eventually you will want a solid reliable way of holding a precise set temp in your fermenters. I was about 6 months in when I bought a 14cf chest freezer and a ranco dual stage controller. I have never regretted it and it is now my most important peice of brewing equipment.

+1 great addition for both ales and lagers if you starter getting into them. i've got Johnson Controls and has been great.

[Gangles]

Thanks again for all the helpful tips and info!

At the recommendation of Ken (thanks Ken!) I decided to bottle last night:




During the racking (to the bottling bucket) process I became somewhat livid at the "kit" I have:


The tubing with that kit was splitting when trying to get it onto my auto-siphon.  With no recourse (It was late and nothing was open) I had to use a zip tie and duct tape.  I also had to manually pump the siphon to keep it running.  Not to mention all the beer passing through this area was being aerated (FML).  Eventually I got all the liquid out of the carboy and into the bottling bucket.

Once in the bottling bucket I again had another issue.  The same tube as earlier was also too small for the bottling bucket tap as well as my spring loaded bottle filler.  I was able to finally (with a ton of force) get these to fit and eventually got everything bottled.

I was 2 12 oz bottles short of 2 cases:




I did taste it when I verified FG.  It tastes lovely already.  I'm very excited!!!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

looks awesome. what volume did you carb at ? i just recently did a dunkelweizen at 3vol, and i will tell you i was nicely carbonated after a week and fully at 2 weeks in 220z bombers at 75F.

try a bottle in a week (if you can make it that long). the amount of yeast in suspension in a hefe seems to speed up the carbonation-my experience recently vs. a more highly floculated beer.

[Stevie]

All of those hiccups go away with time. After a dozen or so batches it becomes autopilot.

[Gangles]

looks awesome. what volume did you carb at ? i just recently did a dunkelweizen at 3vol, and i will tell you i was nicely carbonated after a week and fully at 2 weeks in 220z bombers at 75F.

try a bottle in a week (if you can make it that long). the amount of yeast in suspension in a hefe seems to speed up the carbonation-my experience recently vs. a more highly floculated beer.

I went with the recipe and used 3/4 cup of corn sugar and 2 cups of water.  Boiled for 5 mins.  Allowed to cool.  Added it to the bottling bucket, then racked off into the bucket from the bottom up.

I can wait a week.. I hope.  I'll update when I have my first pour!  Thanks again!

All of those hiccups go away with time. After a dozen or so batches it becomes autopilot.

I figure as much.  I feel it's like anything else I enjoy: Photography, off-roading, drag racing, paintball, BBQ smoking, etc.  There's always a learning curve and you always learn of new, better ways to do things along the way.  That's why I like this forum.  I can post these updates and go back through this thread prior to doing my next batch.  That should make sure I have all the pieces to connect the dots that caused issues this go around.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

looks awesome. what volume did you carb at ? i just recently did a dunkelweizen at 3vol, and i will tell you i was nicely carbonated after a week and fully at 2 weeks in 220z bombers at 75F.

try a bottle in a week (if you can make it that long). the amount of yeast in suspension in a hefe seems to speed up the carbonation-my experience recently vs. a more highly floculated beer.

I went with the recipe and used 3/4 cup of corn sugar and 2 cups of water.  Boiled for 5 mins.  Allowed to cool.  Added it to the bottling bucket, then racked off into the bucket from the bottom up.

I can wait a week.. I hope.  I'll update when I have my first pour!  Thanks again!

All of those hiccups go away with time. After a dozen or so batches it becomes autopilot.

I figure as much.  I feel it's like anything else I enjoy: Photography, off-roading, drag racing, paintball, BBQ smoking, etc.  There's always a learning curve and you always learn of new, better ways to do things along the way.  That's why I like this forum.  I can post these updates and go back through this thread prior to doing my next batch.  That should make sure I have all the pieces to connect the dots that caused issues this go around.

ok so that's roughly 2.7 vol on 5 gal

[Gangles]

looks awesome. what volume did you carb at ? i just recently did a dunkelweizen at 3vol, and i will tell you i was nicely carbonated after a week and fully at 2 weeks in 220z bombers at 75F.

try a bottle in a week (if you can make it that long). the amount of yeast in suspension in a hefe seems to speed up the carbonation-my experience recently vs. a more highly floculated beer.

I went with the recipe and used 3/4 cup of corn sugar and 2 cups of water.  Boiled for 5 mins.  Allowed to cool.  Added it to the bottling bucket, then racked off into the bucket from the bottom up.

I can wait a week.. I hope.  I'll update when I have my first pour!  Thanks again!

All of those hiccups go away with time. After a dozen or so batches it becomes autopilot.

I figure as much.  I feel it's like anything else I enjoy: Photography, off-roading, drag racing, paintball, BBQ smoking, etc.  There's always a learning curve and you always learn of new, better ways to do things along the way.  That's why I like this forum.  I can post these updates and go back through this thread prior to doing my next batch.  That should make sure I have all the pieces to connect the dots that caused issues this go around.

ok so that's roughly 2.7 vol on 5 gal

I think I came out with approx. 4.8125 gallons, but yes, close enough.  I was on recipe auto-pilot at that point when adding the corn sugar.