Just started brewing

[Oaney]

Hello everybody, here's my story. A few weeks ago I started a Mr. Beer kit, and it didn't come out quite right, though I am in the middle of trying to save the batch. As soon as I racked my wort in the fermenter for the first time I was hooked. I ran right out to a few LHBS's and picked myself up a simple 5 gallon equipment starters set, and 2 ingredient kits. I am currently working on sucking down sam adams and other local brews in an effort to collect bottles haha.

Well tonight I brewed up a 5 gallon batch of True Brew: Red Ale. I just racked the wort into the fermenter and it's now sitting comfortably in the basement between 62-65 degrees. Tonight I am also going to open the 2nd bottle (of 8) from the Mr. Beer Kit. I split the 8 bottles into 2 groups of 4 each. I refrigerated half and stuck the other half in the basement. The first beer was sweet and flat, so I'm thinking I didn't let it sit to carbonate long enough. Tonight I am going to open one that carbonated a week longer in the basement.

Oh yeah also, I found this website by running many google searches on different homebrew topics and questions, and this board was consistently in the highest ranked results. I figured it would be a great community to supplement my new found interest in addition to advice from my LHBS.

Cheers!

 

[SledgeH]

i started with a Mr beer kit as well. that was in March. I'm now sitting at 63 gallons brewed through July. it's incredibly addictive. by far the best advice i can give you is to sit on things longer and have patience. longer primaries than the 7 days the kits and Mr beer directions call for has improved things. longer bottling conditioning though is the best thing you can do. my biggest regret is drinking a beer after one or two weeks post bottling now that i've tasted how great they become after a month. the taste improves so much it's hard to believe. Sam Adams and Grolsch bootless are amazing. other than the weight gain, three hobby is glorious. welcome, and happy brewing.