My first batch

[mpenn35]

First Batch-Mr. Beer Wheat Ale kit (Two gallon batch)

Brewed on January 6th.

Used store bought distilled water both for the wort as well as what was added to wort in carboy.

Moved from glass carboy to plastic secondary and bottled on January 28th.

Added approximately two ounces of priming (corn) sugar to secondary and mixed before bottling. Had a two and a half ounce bag of sugar, measured out into 25 teaspoons. Added 20 teaspoons of sugar which equated to two ounces to the two gallons of beer. I don't have a digital scale yet, but that's coming very soon. Bottled into 12-22 ounce bottles and capped immediately. Bottles are being stored at 68 to 70 degrees.

Notes after bottling: Tasted small amount of beer as it was bottled. Tasted flat, obviously, and a bit weak and plain, but it tasted like beer, which is good...Carbonation and aging should hopefully improve the beer.

Any input? Anything I did wrong or that I should change? Thanks!

 

[ronclark]

Sounds like you're on track. It sounds like you gave more than enough time to ferment completely with the amount of time you mentioned.

Did you check the gravity? If not, pick up a hydrometer at some point.

Just try to hold off for 3 weeks before cracking the first one to ensure enough time to bottle condition. I am going to guess you have the patience to do that with your fermentation time so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle. Your taste buds will thank you for it.

Otherwise, welcome to the hobby.

 

[mpenn35]

So you recommend three weeks before cracking one open? It seems like everything I read says something different. The kit said a week and the gentleman at the homebrew store where I bought the priming sugar and bottles said 10-15 days. So many different opinions out there...

 

[ronclark]

So you recommend three weeks before cracking one open? It seems like everything I read says something different. The kit said a week and the gentleman at the homebrew store where I bought the priming sugar and bottles said 10-15 days. So many different opinions out there...

Check the forums out and do some research before making up your mind. My opinion is simply my opinion. I've never opened one at 1 week. That does not give enough time for full carbonation under most conditions. I have personally tasted the difference between 2 and 3 weeks and wait for 3 weeks now at the very least.

 

[mpenn35]

Thanks for the help. I've done some searching but I'll continue to do so. It seems like homebrewing like this is a lot of trial and error, so I'm sure I'll have my own opinions formed in no time.

 

[RM-MN]

Waiting 3 weeks for it to carbonate and condition would be a good idea but I still like to open one at a week just to see what it is like. I usually find that I really should have waited but every now and then one surprises me and I get to start drinking it early.