Homebrewers - Whats in the fermenter?

[replicant_argent]

You got a 2 gallon kit for 25 bucks? While unfamiliar with the Mr. Beer kits, that is REAAALLLY expensive.

[Salvelinus]

Originally Posted by forgop

Dumb question-I'm looking at some of these kits that make 5 gallons. My Mr Beer keg does 2 gallons. Am I limited to using their kits due to the size or what should I know if I used a 5 gallon kit and used it for multiple brews? Not so much a measuring standpoint but the shelf life so to speak?

I wouldn't split them like that, though you probably could. I'd invest in a 6 gallon bucket and an airlock and just start doing 5 gallon batches. Even if you don't have a big pot you can boil 2.5 gallons or so and top up to 5 gallons. It'll take a similar amount of time and you'll have twice the beer.

[cobra03]

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

You got a 2 gallon kit for 25 bucks? While unfamiliar with the Mr. Beer kits, that is REAAALLLY expensive.

Really? My wife got my Mr.Beer kit for around $30. Yeah it only brews 2 1/2 gal. but it came with 8 liter bottles, everything to brew with, and 2 complete ingredient kits. I didnt think that was to bad for $30. Its not the best but its great for newbies like myself.

[forgop]

Originally Posted by replicant_argent

You got a 2 gallon kit for 25 bucks? While unfamiliar with the Mr. Beer kits, that is REAAALLLY expensive.

This is the kit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00007G2IX

Keg, 8 bottles, and ingredients kit. Hell, the ingredients kit is $15 by itself, so $10 for the bottles/keg ain't too shabby.

I have a tendency to buy stuff and then it sits, so I want to make sure it's something I'll continue before getting splurging on a nice kit.

[replicant_argent]

Not horrible, then, I thought the 25 was just for a refill kit.

[cobra03]

Originally Posted by forgop

This is the kit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00007G2IX

Keg, 8 bottles, and ingredients kit. Hell, the ingredients kit is $15 by itself, so $10 for the bottles/keg ain't too shabby.

I have a tendency to buy stuff and then it sits, so I want to make sure it's something I'll continue before getting splurging on a nice kit.

Im right there with you . Didnt want to spend all that money and not enjoy it. Now that im into it i'll probably fall off the deep end and go crazy with it .

[ktblunden]

Ok, got all my stuff from Midwest today and got my first batch brewed and into the fermenter. It's definitely a learning experience and next time I know what to watch out for and do differently.

Made my local Brew Supply's "Colorado Blvd Pale Ale"

6lbs Pale LME

Steep grains for 30 min:
8oz Caramel 10L
8oz Caramel 40L

Boil 60 minutes 0.6oz Columbus
Boil 15 minutes 0.7oz Cascade
Add at 0 min 1.0oz Cascade

Original gravity should have been 1.045, I measured 1.040, but that may have been because I agitated it right before taking the reading.

Now the hard part: letting it just sit there and do its thing.

[hammondc]

Just bottled my Surly Furious clone. Somewhere, I lost like a gallon. Oh well. Taste is good right out of the fermenter. I am never bottling again. Straight to kegs on the next batch.

[replicant_argent]

Black IPA into the keg for secondary, and freshly boiled dry Irish Stout into the fermenter today.

[forgop]

Originally Posted by hammondc

Somewhere, I lost like a gallon. Oh well.

I guess if you drink a whole gallon, you might not remember where it went.

[Mikes]

21 oz of hops ;o)

We did a 10 gal mini mash using the Citra Pale Ale grain bill and added all Zythos™ Pellet Hops and one extra oz will go into the dryhop kegs. Also did 10 gal of a (Ninkasi) Tricerahops Double IPA clone kit.

[hammondc]

Thats a lottta hops. I love it!

[kaisersozei]

Brewed the 2012 version of my Hopslam clone yesterday:

http://hopville.com/recipe/1078202/i...m-2012-version

Pitched it last night and the thing is bubbling away, smells great.

Originally Posted by ktblunden

Original gravity should have been 1.045, I measured 1.040, but that may have been because I agitated it right before taking the reading.

Remember, most gravity readings are based on 60 degree temps so you'd have to adjust:

http://www.brew365.com/technique_hyd...correction.php

[ktblunden]

Originally Posted by kaisersozei

Remember, most gravity readings are based on 60 degree temps so you'd have to adjust:

http://www.brew365.com/technique_hyd...correction.php

Yeah, it was about 70-75 degrees when I checked, so that brings it up to 1.041-1.042 and I did a partial boil so it probably wasn't completely mixed with the clean water at that point. I'm not too concerned about it, just letting it do its thing in the fermenter now. The airlock is bubbling like crazy and it's starting to smell like beer, so I'm completely stoked...and already trying to figure out what to brew for batch #2.

[cricky101]

Brewed a Falconer's Flight IPA on Saturday that went fairly well until the bag I use for brew-in-a-bag sprung a leak along the seam when I was dunk-sparging it in another pot ...

After some straining I got the grains cleaned up and proceeded as usual. I don't think it should have much of an affect on the beer. The sample I took before going into the fermenter tasted great!

Tonight a cream stout gets kegged.

[cobra03]

Newbie question here. I tried one of the blonde ales i bottled last week to see how everything was going. It had great carbonation and clairity but had an odd sweetness to it. It wasnt noticably sweet when it came out of the fermenter. Its not cidery but it is sweet. Will that fade with bottle conditioning or is that just how its going to taste?

[Salvelinus]

If it's only been a week you may still have some sweetness from the corn sugar and that may fade as bottle conditioning finishes. What was your final gravity?

[cobra03]

Originally Posted by Salvelinus

If it's only been a week you may still have some sweetness from the corn sugar and that may fade as bottle conditioning finishes. What was your final gravity?

Thats what i was thinking but im still figuring all this out. It came out just around 3.8% which is about right on where it says it should be.

[icantbejon]

I just brewed up a Abbey Ale that has a great deal of potential. I'll be brewing again on the 21st and now I have to go recipe hunting.

[cobra03]

Originally Posted by icantbejon

I just brewed up a Abbey Ale that has a great deal of potential. I'll be brewing again on the 21st and now I have to go recipe hunting.

Whats up Jon? Havent seen you around in a while. That Abbey Ale sounds good.