My first ever brew
  • djsethalldjsethall
    Posts: 4,040
    Boy, that brew was so long ago and I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I decided to make a guiness clone from the early intraweb. It was an extract clone. I went and bought the crappiest boil kettle ever made. It was basically a turkey roasting crock pot. I boiled everything together and threw it directly into a carboy. Didn't cool it at all before pitching. Went to the brewshop for another pack of yeast. I had no Idea what a blow off tube or headspace was.The airlock clogged and shot right off the carbo. There was guiness clone stains on the ceiling. 2 coats of paint before I said it was good enough. I didn't want to commit to buing a capper, caps or bottles for that matter. I ended up just drinking a bunch of 40's of Busch. It was for the cause. So, the guy at the brewshop said it wouldn't work, so I figured I would have to take it up a notch. I bottled with the proper amount of priming sugar which I was sold for an outrageous price. After bottling, I dipped the screw on caps in melted household wax and put them under my bed. I figured it had to be like a cave or something. The beer carbed up and was drank, sorta. It was so malty and dank, that if it warmed up a bit, it became hard to drink. There are a few morals to this story. Don't always trust what the LHBS guy says. Never Bottle in 40's and do more reading before trying your first batch of beer. Try new ideas, but listen to people sometimes also. Never hurts to ask a question. 
  • JayrizzleJayrizzle
    Posts: 90,060
    I bottled in 40's once (first or second brew). It seemed to work fine for me.... you just have to drink a 40 when it's done. I didn't mess with wax or anything either, just put them on good and tight.
    "I don't have TP, but I do have ammo."
    -Some guy in Ohio
  • PK1PK1
    Posts: 14
    My first was long ago too; in college. My housemate and I brewed guiness with yeast we harvested from guiness bottles. we bottled and put it in the crawlspace but it was summer in WI and too hot. the caps started popping and we called in recruits to help us drink the whole batch that night.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,621
    I didn't pick up why bottleing in 40s is necesarily a bad thing... Beside having 40ounce serving of your beer, and looking like you are drinking a 40 when you pop one open.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Too funny.....
    My first batch was back in '85....
    A can of John Bull light hopped, and a can of Edme dark, a quarter pound of dark brown sugar, and a half handful of some kind of unknown variety hop pellets at flame out..... for what it was it turned out pretty good.....
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Oh..... I bottled in Bud longnecks that a bartender gave me.....
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 121,621
    ceannt said:

    Oh..... I bottled in Bud longnecks that a bartender gave me.....



    :)
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    I used a "hammer capper"........ never again!!!!!!!
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.
  • ceanntceannt
    Posts: 53,828
    Oh..... that was also the last (and first) batch that I transferred to secondary..... been Primary only ever since...
    Never attribute to malice, that which can adequately be explained by stupidity.