Has anyone used Northern Brewing equipment and their extract kits for first time Brewing?

I’ll be starting my first ever homebrew Sarkari Result in a few days using Northern Brewing equipment and their Hefeweizen extract kit. Pnr Status Was wondering if anyone had any tips, comments, etc. that I should know beforehand. Thanks!

For your first brew, I would suggest following the recipe and instructions as closely as possible. Try to keep the fermentation on the low end of the recommended temperature for the yeast, and try cooling the wort down to around that temp before pitching the yeast. Also, with a hefe, you can usually expect a vigorous fermentation, especially when using the 3686 liquid yeast. So you might want to use a blowoff tube during the first part of your fermentation-lots of guys just leave the blowoff tube in for the duration. You can google blowoff tube and swamp cooler if you need some clarification. And there are others here who can chime in and maybe give you some pictures.

Welcome to the forum and the addiction.
Just have fun!

Cheers,

Ron

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Also forgot to mention–sanitize everything that will come in contact with the beer after the boil-fermentor, bottling bucket, racking cane, bottles, spigots, etc. Hopefully they gave you some starsan to mix up and use

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First thing is don’t worry. There is an old saying DWHAHB it means don’t worry have a a home brew. Since you don’t have any yet, get a six pack of a good craft beer and have one of those.

Keep it clean then sanitize it.This is very important.

The waiting is the hardest part. Don’t rush it. In most cases longer is better. This is very frustrating whe you first start.

You need a hydrometer if the kit did not come with one. Also a hydrometer flask and a wine thief or turkey baster to go with it.

If your primary fermenter is a bucket, they have a habit of leaking around the rim. This is not a disaster but your air lock may not bubble causing you to believe fermentation has stopped or did not happen. Putting it on wet (with sanitizer is best) then a light tap with a rubber mallet or the palm of your hand helps.

That’s all I could think of for now so welcome. If you have anymore questions please ask. We love to answer them. This is a very friendly forum. If you have any problems with it or the members contact a moderator. They have a shield next to their name like I do.

I started with one two years go, with zero experience. I followed the directions and the beer came out great.

Good advice. Try it the way it was designed first. If you want to tweak it, brew it again.

All good advice. The hefe is a good first beer because it will give some nice flavor if you ferment in the warmer zone. Most first timers don’t have their temperature control down so even if it gets into the 70s is fine

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As a Noob myself, my advice is to not overthink things. My first brew was the 2 gallon Hefe kit. I used too much yeast and a fermenter that was way too small and the beer still turned out great. I’m brewing a 5 gallon batch of the Hefe this weekend so it must be that time of year.

I’m just finishing my first 5 gallon batch of beer. It’s at day 11 of aging. I’ve tried it and it tastes great to me.
Here’s what I did and followed. Now, I’ll premise this with that my wife says I’m anal. I took the first month or two reading and researching. Then I spent about 2-3 days going over the recipe and process in my head. If I had a question I went back to my R&R and the wealth of knowledge on the internet. I purchased a few extras like bottles, carboy and bottle brush, Star San, caps, etc. Finally I jumped in and started with an NB Pale Ale LMR kit that came with the beer starter kit I purchased.
Cleaning/Sanitizing - some kits provide just a cleaner. Spend the extra money for some sanitizer. I bought Star San. Use both as they direct. I even filled a spray bottle with Star San to clean my hands and various pieces of equipment during use.
Follow the Recipe - follow the recipe to the letter. My only exception is use a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity along with airlock activity. My recipe and others I’ve read gloss over this for determining if the yeast is done. In my case I never saw a bubble in my airlock on my first batch. I relied on my gravity readings.
Secondary Fermentation - This is a sensitive subject and I’ll be chastised as a rookie, but I used a glass carboy for a secondary. (Note: This is where that spray bottle of Star San is helpful.) I’m also one who likes to see what’s happening. I found this quite a simple step and allowed me to check my SG, taste and smell. And watch it!
Let It Age - After bottling, put it away and be patient. Now I’ll admit as a first timer and my first batch, I checked it on day 3, 5, 8, and 10 to see/taste what was going on during the carbonation process.
Don’t Get Into Analysis/Paralysis - there’s an enormous amount of info out there along with millions of opinions. Make a plan and stick with it, but be flexible. Be patient and don’t be afraid to mess up. I looked at my first batch as a sacrificial lamb.
My experience turned out great with a good tasting beer. I learned a lot and had fun.
Last of all… ENJOY :beers:

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Your wife’s right

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Two pieces of advice.

  1. Buy another kit. Even if you like your first kit’s results, you’ll like your second’s better.
  2. Temperature control.
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Clean and sanitize. Being overly cautious never huts, even if it takes a little longer. Temperature control. Basic stuff. I like to document everything and I think it helps with future brews.

After you get one or two kits under your belt, I recommend getting right into biab. I think it takes basic quality to a whole new level.

Lastly, have fun and enjoy the process. It’s a great hobby and you won’t find a more generous and supporting group of peers.

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Nailed it Chris! Sneezles61

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