First gravity reading....

Well it's been in the Fermenter 5 days...No bubbles in airlock.....

Procedure:

1. Cleaned Racking cane, hydrometer & case.
2. Took enough samples to fill Hydrometer case.
3. Cleaned /Sanitized airlock & plug.
4. Placed carboy back in its storage area. Tried not to disturb it to much.

Question 1. By removing the airlock dont I introduce airborne bacteria into the brew??

Specific Gravity Spec's & Measured Result

Starting Gravity 1.048-1.050 <<>> Final Gravity 1.017-1.020

My reading: 1.024

Observations: Poured brew into snifter to analyze.

1. Visually: Lighter brown than i expected from a stout. More the color of a brown ale like New Castle (maybe a little darker). Also the brew was very cloudy...I am expecting the beer to clear up in the next week or so. Maybe i'll try a clarifying agent next go around.
2. Aroma: I smell the malt's & alcohol. No noticeable hop aroma.
3. Taste: Bear with me here as i am trying to understand what i am tasting.....Reminds me of a young wine with crazy tannins....I believe i am tasting an overload of hops....Also a taste of alcohol....If i were to sum it up i would say this beer is young & confused which i think is an appropriate evaluation at this point in fermentation. Also i dont really taste the malts as i thought i would considering the aroma asessment.

Bottom Line...It tastes like beer! Not that pleasant at this point but I think it's on the right track.

WHEW!!!

Fermentation...

Well its Saturday 5 Days after brewing...

Day 1: Bubbling like crazy every 10 seconds
Day 2: Still Bubbling like crazy every 20 seconds
Day 3: Still Bubbling every 30 seconds
Day 4: Definately has slowed down maybe one a minute...if that.
Day 5: No bubbles! Will take gravity reading today!

Planning on moving to secondary fermenter Monday if the gravity looks right.

Brew Day!!

WooHoo!! Here we go.....

Brewers Best Irish Stout Ingredients:

1. Yeast: Nottingham by Danstar
2. 6.6 lbs Muntons Dark Extract
3. 4 oz. Black Patent Malt
4. 4 oz. Crushed roasted barley
5. 12 oz. Crushed crystal 60l malt
6. 8 oz. Malto Dextrin
7. Northern Brewer Bittering Hops 2 oz. Alpha Acid 6.6%
8. Fuggle Finishing Hops .5 oz. Alpha Acid 4.5%

Procedure:

1. Cleaned all equipment like a mad man. (This shit was clean!)
2. Brought 2 gallons of spring water to 155 F.
3. Killed heat & Steeped dry malts for 20 min.
4. Brought to boil & added Malt extract.
5. Brought to boil & added malto dextrin & bittering hops.
6. Boiled for 55 min. & added finishing hops for last 5 min.(Total boil 1hr.)
7. Immersed pot with lid on in an ice bath for approx 20 min.
8. Did not have a thermometer for low temps so i had to guess?????
9. While wort was cooling I rehydrated the yeast & covered with saran wrap.
10. Added remainder of water to bucket.
11. Poured wort into bucket with spigot rapidly in an attempt to aerate.
12. Poured re-hydrated yeast into bucket in a circular motion.
13. Attached siphoning hose to spigot & filled carboy slowly.
14. Placed airlock in the carboy. (Forgot the lid!)
15. Temp on carboy read 72 F.
16. Took Pic & stored carboy in cupboard.

Equipment List:

I finally have gotten all the equipment i need to get started......

1. 6.5 Gallon bucket for primary fermentation
2. 6.5 Gallon Bottling bucket w/ spigot
3. Lid with drilled & grommeted hole for airlock
4. Airlock
5. Crystal Thermometer
6. Hydrometer
7. Racking tube
8. Bottle Filler
9. Beer bottle brush
10. Bucket Clip
11. Oxygen based cleaner
12. Twin Lever hand capper
13. 6.5 Gallon Glass carboy
14. 3ft of tubing
15. Airlock & plug for carboy
16. Carboy brush
17. 20 Qt. Stainless pot
18. Brewing Spoon
19. 12 22 oz. Bottles & a shitload of used 12 oz. bottles
20. The complete joy of homebrewing by Charlie Papazian
21. How to brew by John Palmer
22. Brewing Journal
23. Brewers best Irish Stout Extract Kit