Great time at the demonstration in Kavanaghs

[acaoshes]

I very much enjoyed the brewing demonstration in Kavanaghs.
I have most of my gear assembled but was finding it a bit intimidating to make my first batch.
The demonstration was encouraging straightforward and has given me confidence to start.
Thanks to the organisers.
I've joined the forum and will now be joining as a member.
Regards.
Sean O'Shea

[Eoin]

nice one, welcome on board.

Eoin

[Dunkel]

Hi Sean, welcome to the madhouse. I presume that if you were in Kavanagh's last night, you must be fairly accessible to central Dublin. In which case, you may want to know about the local homebrew club, Capital Brewers. They run regular monthly (free) Brewdays in a place called TOG, and also homebrew tastings (free) in Kavanagh's pub. You could do worse than look at

http://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/index.php/board,16.0.html

for details about upcoming events. Declan, who did the brewing demonstration last night, is one of the leading lights in the club. And the rest of them aren't so bad either!

[DEMPSEY]

You will know Declan aka Cara from the scar on his arm. He does'nt like to mention it but he got it snorkeling  of The Pacific Coast of Oaxaca,Mexico checking out the coral when he got freaked by a Moray Eel. They way he tells it ye would swear it was as big as a Conger.

[acaoshes]

Thanks for the welcome. I've yet to take the plunge and brew my first batch but I can feel it coming on soon.
As I live in Ardee, Louth I'll see if suits travelling into the city centre as my beer quoffing brother lives close (relatively) to Kavanaghs.
Sean

[CARA]

How'd the first batch go so?

[acaoshes]

Still in the assembling gear phase. Must mash at 67C - need thermometer. Must ferment at 21C - heatwave is killing me as coolest room in house is 23C. Now I'm worrying about my mash pH. Yep I hear alot of people saying - oh for flip sake just do a batch, beer is very forgiving. I'm having to fight against my perfectionist nature. Its a slow battle and hope to wake up one morning and just do it.

[Shane Phelan]

Its your first batch, don't be worrying about PH !!!

[DEMPSEY]

I'm having to fight against my perfectionist nature.

Well with this hobby its best to be a masochist as well as a perfectionist. Freud would have a field day with some of us.

[acaoshes]

Warning, warning, peer pressure is building!!! I've two jobs to get out of the way then I'll just do it.

[Padraic]

Warning, warning, peer pressure is building!!! I've two jobs to get out of the way then I'll just do it.

Just do it, no matter how organised you are and how much you prepare everything won't be exactly as expected, it's better to start and get to know to your equipment, no need to worry about pH for a few brews!

[Ciderhead]

not everything mashes at 67
http://beersmith.com/blog/2012/12/20/mash-temperature-and-beer-body-in-all-grain-brewing/

its more fun screwing up along the way with various batches and get a feel for your gear at least then you know what you did wrong and never repeat.

[acaoshes]

It's like being back in school. To keep up with the pressure from the bigger boys I've just gone and ordered the ingredients for an American APA and IPA. I'll make sure to post pictures of my multiple love pump ups along the way. No laughing from the gallery though.

(It looks like my original post went through a foreign translator. love pump ups = c*ck ups)

[Padraic]

You should have said ...make a balls of...

Edit, I guess balls was removed from the filter...