Agree completely. That’s why I asked about the water. @flars also outlines your simplest alternatives to remediate the water issues.
If it were me I’d get the water for brewing before the softener and treat it with campden. Simple and cheap. I’ve read that the carbon filters are not all that effective at removing chloramines. Most only say they remove chlorine. So depends how your city treats your water. Maybe call the city and see if you can get a water analysis. You’ll want that if you get into all grain brewing down the road.
I on the other hand have chewed on a band-aid and I can tell you it tastes very band-aid-y. blech. The aroma gives a very good indication of what it tastes like.
Welcome the the art of brewing a awesome hobby. Like all the other reply on your question. Think indeed you pitch your yeast to hot. As well think 2 weeks is to early to bottle. Give it more time. Take more gav readings so you can see whats going on. With your brew. Most important. Ask questions. At the forum you will learn lots. Read some books as well. But most inportant have fun. Good luck on your quest. To create. The perfect brew
@dannyboy58 - I havee the availability to get the water pre-softner. Thanks for the info on campden tablets, I am headed back to the research and development phase today, Thanks for all the great info!
@wilcolandzaat - I am slowly finding a few little things that may have played a part i my first brew, I saved the instruction sheet that came with the kit, and it does give an optimum yeast temp range, but in the step by step it just says 78 or lower, in the midst of it all it just registered as 78* to me, i need to pay closer attention! Thank you!
I like the idea of you already planning your brew room! Do your best to put it by the floor drain… Brewing is 25% brewing, and 75% cleaning… Be sure to have good access route for electricity… Since you are brewing indoors, an electric kettle will be ideal… Look at electric build up… You’ll get the picture! Sneezles61
Welcome to the hobby! Lots of great advice and tons of knowledge on the forum.
Personally, if I felt the beer was not drinkable as is, I’d put it away. Open one a month to see if it improves. We brewed our host’s Chinook in December of 2016. It was pretty so-so. We forgot about a bottle until this January. It was amazing! Sometimes age does it good. Cheers!
Indeed. Its more cleaning. Before and after brewing. But do love the brew day. Especially when you created a own recipy. And everything comes out as planned. And the most rewarding part. Once your brew is ready to drink. And other people do say. This beer taste good. Only advise i can give. Buy lots of things what makes your brewing much easier. Hydrometer. Refractometer. A must. Racking cane. Stirplate and flask. 1 liter. But i would go with 2 liter. Once you move to allgrain. Or biab. Transfer pumps. Advise i give. Get some. Speidel fermentors and if you go with glass carboys. At least. 6.5 gall. Now let the fun hobby start
In addition to the great counsel above, I’ll toss in my 2 cents. I started brewing in late 2016 with the NB starter kit and some extract kits and immediately fell in love with it. I added equipment to make AG at about batch 5. In the beginning I kind of thought it would become something I’d get obsessive about and I wasn’t wrong. I am now at batch 50-something and still get excited every brew day.
I told you that to tell you something I wish I’d done: Try to imagine where you’ll be with the hobby in a year. Think about your process. Plan your equipment purchases now to support that vision. Brewing is a chemistry experiment but with an artful twist. Get the chemistry equipment, the necessary techniques, and the procedures right first. Read…a lot. Talk to friends that brew, brew with them, join a club if that’s your thing. In the end, it almost always is beer so try not to get to wound up about things that happen along the way. There are guys on this forum that are a wealth of information and very willing to share if you’re open. Happy brewing!
Get obsessed but have fun. I backed down to 5 gallon and 3 gallon batches only because I get to brew more. Bigger is not always better. It’s a great hobby it’s key if you have an understanding spouse. “Are you brewing again?”
It’s tricky. If I have more than enough I feel I need to “finish this keg” if I don’t have a second keg of it I’ll back off and make it last. Don’t know about you but I don’t need an excuse to drink more. Don’t want the drinking to become the hobby if you know what I mean
I enjoy brewing just as you, sometimes, I split my batches… having the other one conditioning whilst the first one is in service , then switching after kicking a keg with skipping a beat… Without an equal! Sneezles61
Hello David,
Great to hear that you are entering the wonderful world of brewing.
And yes, brewers love to share their expertise, always wanting to help.
Here is my advice:
1.) Get a Hydrometer (only way to know progress on fermentation)
2.) Sanitize everything past the Boil, Clean everything always prior to sanitizing.
3.) Forget bottling with priming sugar (too unpredictable), I mean it, forget it.
4.) If you bottle, use a Beer Gun (you will need CO2)
5.) Since you now have C02, you might as well purchase a Corny Keg (you will still use the beer gun)
6.) YouTube has tons of video of brewing techniques. Take some with a grain of salt.
Best one that I have found for new brewers is listed below. Wish I had watched this to begin with.
7.) Buy a MegaPot (10 gallon) and a means to chill your wort quickly.
Thanks for the helpful info, i have been reading as much as i can everywhere and watching videos and learning the process, and slowly planning my next brew day, and the equipment that i need to purchase to make everything easier.
