Just sampled my first brew!

[DJS42]

Hi all, I’m new to the home brewing process. I just sampled my first brew, Caribou Slobber. Tasted great but just a bit flat. I used the 1 gallon kit, and will probably stick to that in the future. I bottled exactly 2 weeks ago, and after reading here on the forum, sounds like a little more conditioning time is in order. I used the fizz drops, but sounds like there are better ways to go. Would be interested to hear some tips specifically for the 1 gallon kits. I just brewed the White House Honey Porter today, will see how that goes!

[sneezles61]

Welcome aboard! Practice is your best friend... You'll find all sorts of ideas for carbing in the bottle... Sneezles61

[frenchie]

Our host has a priming sugar calculator that you can use to prime the entire batch instead of each bottle separately. Plus, no worries about fizz drops dissolving or not. Like Sneezles says, practice, especially sanitizing and fermentation temp control. Those two things are of utmost importance in making good beer.
Make sure those bottles of slobber are in a warm spot (70+) and leave them for another week. Maybe give each bottle an upside down turn or two.
Welcome to your new insanity!! Haha , it's a fun insanity though.

Cheers,

Ron

[brew_cat]

For one gallon brews I use Flars method

[DJS42]

Thanks for the replies! Been very careful with temperature control and sanitation. Pays to be a bit OCD?!! I’ll give the Slobber another week or two, and I’ll try the Flars method of using Domino Dot’s on the Porter.
Thanks all!

[sneezles61]

Don't need to be OCD for this hobby... Just drink lots of your X-beer-ments... You'll find out what does and doesnt work... Keep lotsa notes... Even tasting notes on every batch you make... Sneezles61

[jmck]

Mazel Tov!!
The one thing you absolutely have to do is plan your next brew!

[WMNoob]

Wecome and congrats! Take heed of @sneezles61advice to take good notes, especially tasting notes! It’ll pay dividends.

[wilcolandzaat]

Yeah brew sample brew sample. And you will find your perfect brew. Its in search of the holy brew. Its a. Obsession.

[hd4mark]

The two week thing for carbonation is a basic guide. I have found three is more like it a lot of the time. Sometimes four weeks. If your bottles are stored somewhere cool, warm them up into the 70s if possible.

Don't feel bad about the OCD thing with sanitation. Can't be too clean.

[irishjoe]

Welcome. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. When I bottle, I always use NB CO2 calibrating chart. I take time in measuring out the priming sugar or whatever I want to use in each bottle. Once the bottles are filled I place the bottles were it is around 70 or so and cover with a towel because of the sunlight.

[DJS42]

Again...thanks all for your input! Great forum, great info! Just checked on my White House Honey Porter which I brewed yesterday...it's well on it's way, fermenting nicely! I have a spare bathroom down in the basement with a shower, I set up fermentation in there. I can keep that shower enclosure at a constant low 70's, and, if I ever blow something up, it'll be an easy (er) cleanup!
Thanks again!

[jmck]

The two week thing for carbonation is a basic guide.

^^^ this.

I kinda presume 21 days at 68º F. Add days if it’s cooler; subtract days if it’s warmer.

[Grantmesteven]

You should check out basic brewing radio on youtube if you haven't already. James Spencer is all about small batch brewing and shows how to bottle straight from the primary.

[hd4mark]

I agree but there are other factors like ABV, yeast and of course how much priming sugar. I used to use 3/4 cup priming sugar but learned weighing it out or using prime tabs is more accurate. Domino dots also work pretty good.

[barbarianbrewer]

Being OCD is probably a good thing when brewing one gallon batches. A small deviation from the recipe has a better chance of being noticed in a one gallon batch than in a 5, 10, 15, etc. gallon batch. I only brewed a few one gallon batches before moving to five gallon extracts. So, it could have been my process (step 1, step 2, step 4...damn...step 3) but my brews got better as soon as I switched.