In the beginning... Batch #1

Here are the results of my first batch:

Bear in mind that I was very, VERY new to a lot of the brewing processes.

Batch #1 (Brewed Monday, January 5, 2009)

Goal:
Create a clone of Weihenstephaner Dunkeles Hefeweizen

Ingredients:
3.3 lb. can of Munton's hopped Wheat Liquid Malt Extract
3 x 1 lb. bag of Munton's Dark DME
Deer Park Spring Water
Irish Moss
Wyeast Strain 3068 (Weihenstephaner Weizen)

Notes:
Used a small pot, using approximately 1 gallon of water. There was a small boil over, losing probably 4 to 8 ounces of liquid. This was an all-extract recipe, so the total boil time was only 20 minutes. Added Irish Moss at 10 minute mark. Cooled pot uncovered in ice bath in sink. Added wort to fermenting bucket and added water to 5 gallon mark. Temperature was 78 degrees, so immediately pitched yeast. Did NOT stir.
Racked to secondary after 6 days.
Bottled after 4 more days.
Beer was fully carbonated after 4 days. I suspect that I rushed this batch and got a little extra fermentation in the bottle. No bottle bombs, however.

For a first try, this beer was Great!!! I hit the nail on the head. For about $0.65 / bottle, I created a clone of my favorite beer, which costs $3.19 / .5 liter bottle at my local beer store.

FG: 1.020 (really should have waited until 1.015 or 1.016)

Failed to do a proper OG, so ABV is unknown. Seemed to be right for the style, however.

AFTER NOTE: I saved a few of these bottles for 2 months to let them bottle condition. This was a mistake. After 2 months, they were HIGHLY carbonated, resulting in a beer that wasn't too much fun to drink. The taste was skewed. Lesson learned: when a beer is good, DRINK IT!