Tried the first brew (nelson sauvin summer ale) NOW WITH PHOTO :P

[Patrick]

Hi

Bottled the nelson sauvin summer ale a week and a half ago (my first home brew of any type - decided to go all grain (BIAB) straight off the bat)

Put one in the fridge on Monday and decided to crack it open tonight.

Pleasantly surprised. Still very bitter but I expect that to mellow in the bottles - there are a few floaties in the glas which I suspect is a result of me tipping everything from the kettle thru a strainer into the fermenter, and having not used a hop sock. Hopefully these will drop out in to the sediment in the bottle.

The carbonation and colour is good, head retention is good, and it has quite a kick at ~6.2%, just had half of it and feeling it already (and I am a big guy who drinks a lot :) so definitely not a summer quaffer.

Took a hydrometer sample of the second brew (James' blond ale) and it is down from 1040 to 1008 in a week and a half in the fermenter, suspect it is still going as the krausen is still on top. Will bottle it this weekend. Hydrometer sample tasted lovely, nice and mellow so will be a nice quaffer.

Will brew a scottish amber on the 20th of December and leave it fermenting over the break, bottle it in the new year. 3 weeks on the yeast should be OK right?

Sorry I couldn't take a photo - the camera is flat.

Cheers for all your advice so far guys - keep it coming!

[denimglen]

Sounds like a good start mate, good on ya!

Three weeks on the yeast is fine, almost all my beers get a minimum of three on the yeast.

[JoKing]

Good on you Patrick. Brewing is the shit. There's no two ways about it.

And it always tastes better when you made it yourself.

Cheers.

[Patrick]

I just remembered I took a pic on my cellphone :) I was very gentle about pouring it because I didn't want to stir up the sediment, hence the almost total lack of head. It was also served too cold and tasted better as it warmed up.

[Patrick]

Just shared a couple of bottles with the neighbour. It is really nice now, the bitterness has mellowed out leaving a nice hoppy flavour that settles on the middle of my tongue, pouring nice and clear and the head has improved over the last week. Can't wait to try the blonde ale next weekend!

[Michael]

Good on ya!

I am a little worried though...this becomes rather habit forming to try to brew the perfect beer. :)

[Sparky]

Agree with Michael....Patrick you're doomed LOL!!