First batch in 15 years off and running...

Started my first batch in 15 years last night - a dunkelweizen with WLP300 yeast. Brewing went smoothly but was rather hectic due to lack of practice...

Chilling with ice bath went smoothly and I pitched the yeast around 9:30 last night. I'm a little worried about sanitation, but I'm pretty sure everything will turn out well.

So, about 14 hours after pitching, I'm seeing activity. Krausen is starting to build and I got the first blip out of my airlock. Cool! It's exciting to see the progress!

Yay!! Welcome back to it! ;D I'm sure things were a lot tougher 15 years ago. I couldn't imagine doing this without Beersmith or some other such progams.
Was this an AG or part/full extract?
I love getting up the next morning and seeing the airlock boppin' away or the bubbles in the bucket when I've got a blowoff tube in the sanitizer bucket.

It's an extract recipe w/ specialty grains. I'm psyched... getting 12 bubbles / minute (completely subjective measurement). It's taking off nicely, and I'm beginning to smell cloves & bananas. I'm one happy camper!

Last time around I was using some software to work on recipes, but do not remember the name of it. I find the newer recipes tools very good! I've got a trial on BeerSmith and also Brewer's friend recipe builder. Don't know which I will stay with in the long term, will have to wait and see.

Well, here I am, two weeks later and wanted to give a follow-up. My batch spent a total of 15 days in the primary. It was probably ready to bottle after 7 days, but I was forced to wait another week as I was out-of-town. Yesterday was a busy day for me - cleaning and sanitizing my bottling equipment and bottles. I was so anxious to see my brew that the delays, though necessary to complete the bottling process, started getting on my nerves.

I boild up the priming sugar (aiming for abut 3.5 volumes per style guide), let it cool and added it to my bottling bucket. I then opened the primary for the first time and wasn't overly impressed - it smelled OK - bananna nose, but looked a little darker than I expected. As I racked to the bucket, I finally got a good look at the color in the tubing, and then saw that the color was pretty much what I expected, so I was a little less apprehensive and felt more confident.

Gravity (1.013) was within 1 point of value suggested by BeerSmith (1.014), so that was right on. Bottling went smoothly and my yield was what I anticipated.

I tasted some, and it was a little disappointing, felt a little thin, flavors not that pronounced, and a little less sweet, but I have to keep in mind that it's raw, unconditioned and flat.

So, I'll have to be patient a little while longer. Been reading Classic Beer Styles 'German Wheet Beers', for conditioning tips, so it'll be 3 to 5 days at 65-70 degrees and then chiiling for two weeks before I can get a real taste of my creation. Let's hope for a happy outcome!