As I'm finishing up my first batch of beer, it was time to start the second, from a kit called "Packs-a-punch Porter". Learning from my past mistakes (which still resulted in a drinkable product), I was now free to correct those mistakes and make all new ones!
I steeped the grains at the right temperature. I added the hops at the right time. I used better yeast. I took out the useless filter in the funnel. Everything went smoothly...except...I let the brew pot boil over. Instruction sheets for beer kits only have one line in all caps, and that is "DO NOT LET THE WORT BOIL OVER". So of course I had to do just that.
It was taking forever to come to a boil after I added all of the malt extract and hops. I put the lid on so it could keep some heat in (mistake #1). Then, I went and did something else for about 3 minutes (mistake #2). I come back to see wort EVERYWHERE. I thought I wouldn't have enough heat to bring it to a boil. I thought my pot was so big it could never boil over. I thought it wouldn't happen to me. :-P At least now I have something to improve upon next time!
This was my first time using the hydrometer that came with my kit as well, and it started out measuring a reasonable 1.060, which is right in the range specified by the kit. This past week I transferred it to secondary, and it had gone down to 1.020. Hopefully after two weeks in secondary it'll drop a bit lower, then I'll be ready to bottle. Should be drinking the next batch in about a month!
Posted by Ben at March 25, 2007 08:50 PMThanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
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