Hey fellow brewers I just got done making my second batch of beer but they both kinda tasted the same. I have a really basic setup not much testing equipment. My first batch was an American ale and the second was a pumpkin ale. Both had a great flavor when I was putting them into my primary, but the end result came out the same same flavor. So I guess it probably has to do with how I ferment. Hopefully this little bit of info will get me headed into the right direction.
New brewer needs help
- Thread starter brek01
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
jwalk4
Well-Known Member
What type of yeasts? What temperatures were the beers fermenting at?
Well the pumpkin was safale us-05 dry ale yeast, and I had it sitting in a closet and the temp was around 70, I can't find the name for the other batch but it was also a dry yeast. The first batch was only in a Carboy for two weeks then bottled for two weeks. And with the pumpkin it was in a bucket for a week and Carboy for a week then in bottles for the same
mgortel
Well-Known Member
I think you would do well to ferment at a lower temp.....mid 60's perhaps......
Also....be more patient....leave your beer in bucket/carboy longer and let them bottle condition longer.....
2 weeks in carboy and 2 weeks in bottle is pretty quick and green....depends on beer....but if I was you I would give it 3 weeks in primary.....and then min 3 weeks in bottles (depends on beer....but these are normally my mins)......again....little cooler on fermentation temp if you can.......
More information would be helpful...maybe post what your plans are for next brew and how you plan to brew it and ferment....and let us give you feedback....you will get a lot of help here from guys if you give full details and dont be afraid to ask what you might thin are dumb questions....we all started out like that
BTW....fermentation temperature = big impact on beer......if you had beer in closet at 70F...then beer probably was at 73-74 which is high......beer will ferment at 3-4 degrees higher than ambient (and even higher in some cases) due to the fact that the yeast activity creates heat (exothermic reaction)......read up on this sight all you can!
Also....be more patient....leave your beer in bucket/carboy longer and let them bottle condition longer.....
2 weeks in carboy and 2 weeks in bottle is pretty quick and green....depends on beer....but if I was you I would give it 3 weeks in primary.....and then min 3 weeks in bottles (depends on beer....but these are normally my mins)......again....little cooler on fermentation temp if you can.......
More information would be helpful...maybe post what your plans are for next brew and how you plan to brew it and ferment....and let us give you feedback....you will get a lot of help here from guys if you give full details and dont be afraid to ask what you might thin are dumb questions....we all started out like that
BTW....fermentation temperature = big impact on beer......if you had beer in closet at 70F...then beer probably was at 73-74 which is high......beer will ferment at 3-4 degrees higher than ambient (and even higher in some cases) due to the fact that the yeast activity creates heat (exothermic reaction)......read up on this sight all you can!
jwalk4
Well-Known Member
Hmm, well a few things to try next time:
1) Keep your beer in the primary fermenter a little longer, the yeast is still in the conditioning phase at 2 weeks. Honestly, I have never racked my beer to a secondary and still get great, clear beer. So leave it in the primary for 3 weeks minimum.
2) Try to cool down your beer a little more, at least for the first 3-4 days of fermentation. If your room is 70F, then the yeast fermenting can be anywhere from 5-10 degrees higher while they're in their primary/ attenuative phase, thus resulting in off flavors. To accomplish this, try to make a swamp cooler. Simply put your fermenter inside a cheap rubbermaid tub or a cooler, with some water and add ice packs every 12 hours or so. If you still need to get it cooler, then try to put an old T-shirt over top of the fermenter and put a fan on it. You are aiming to keep the beer at 60F.
Remember, it is only for the first few days, that you need to do this. After 3-4 days take the fermenter out of the bucket and leave it for 3 weeks.
1) Keep your beer in the primary fermenter a little longer, the yeast is still in the conditioning phase at 2 weeks. Honestly, I have never racked my beer to a secondary and still get great, clear beer. So leave it in the primary for 3 weeks minimum.
2) Try to cool down your beer a little more, at least for the first 3-4 days of fermentation. If your room is 70F, then the yeast fermenting can be anywhere from 5-10 degrees higher while they're in their primary/ attenuative phase, thus resulting in off flavors. To accomplish this, try to make a swamp cooler. Simply put your fermenter inside a cheap rubbermaid tub or a cooler, with some water and add ice packs every 12 hours or so. If you still need to get it cooler, then try to put an old T-shirt over top of the fermenter and put a fan on it. You are aiming to keep the beer at 60F.
Remember, it is only for the first few days, that you need to do this. After 3-4 days take the fermenter out of the bucket and leave it for 3 weeks.
jwalk4
Well-Known Member
Lol @mgorte, you beat me to it.
I think you would do well to ferment at a lower temp.....mid 60's perhaps......
Also....be more patient....leave your beer in bucket/carboy longer and let them bottle condition longer.....
2 weeks in carboy and 2 weeks in bottle is pretty quick and green....depends on beer....but if I was you I would give it 3 weeks in primary.....and then min 3 weeks in bottles (depends on beer....but these are normally my mins)......again....little cooler on fermentation temp if you can.......
More information would be helpful...maybe post what your plans are for next brew and how you plan to brew it and ferment....and let us give you feedback....you will get a lot of help here from guys if you give full details and dont be afraid to ask what you might thin are dumb questions....we all started out like that
BTW....fermentation temperature = big impact on beer......if you had beer in closet at 70F...then beer probably was at 73-74 which is high......beer will ferment at 3-4 degrees higher than ambient (and even higher in some cases) due to the fact that the yeast activity creates heat (exothermic reaction)......read up on this sight all you can!
3-4 degrees is probably an understatement. Sometimes it's 10 degrees+.
The freshness of your spices in the pumpkin ale could be a factor?
Pumpkin/Squash beers really seem to be about: what spices/adjuncts are used, and how much.
Pumpkin/Squash beers really seem to be about: what spices/adjuncts are used, and how much.
Ok thanks for the tips and I think when I get my next batch ready to go I will put it up and see if I'm missing something else besides keeping my temps cooler. Both of these have been kits that were prepackaged so I just followed the direction with the two week fermentation then two weeks in the bottles. But a big thanks so far, and I definitely will be reading up more on my new found hobby
To be honest,the 1st thing we all learn on here is that kit instructions time lines suck major. Read up on here to find out what we did/learned & you'll get a better product. I primary only for 3 weeks on average for average gravity ales. That's time for the beer to hit FG,& 3-7 days for it to clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty. Then prime & bottle. They'll clear up in a couple days at 70F or better. Higher temps at this point won't cause off flavors as they would during initial fermentation.
3 to 4 weeks is good for average ales ime. Then at least a week in the fridge to settle out chill haze & get co2 into solution. 2 weeks fridge time gives thicker head & longer lasting carbonation.
3 to 4 weeks is good for average ales ime. Then at least a week in the fridge to settle out chill haze & get co2 into solution. 2 weeks fridge time gives thicker head & longer lasting carbonation.
Ok fellow brewers I have received my next kit and am ready to try again. I thought I would post what I have and what I think should happen throughout this process and hopefully some of you can help me fine tune where my problems are. My next 5 gallon batch is gonna be the happy holiday ale from Midwest. Here are the "quick" instructions as they say.
1 steep crushed grains for 10-30 minutes at 155 deg in two gallons of water
2 remove kettle from burner then add the malt extract, stirring constantly
3 return to burner and as soon as a boiling bubble starts. Add 1 oz of vanguard bittering hops for the full 60 min boil
4 at the last 10 minute mark add the ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick
5 at the last two minute mark add 1 oz cascade aroma hops then remove from burner
6 cool the wort to below 80 deg, then pour into primary fermenter and add water till it becomes five gallons
7 aerate the wort
8 rehydrate the dry yeast in 90-100 deg warm water for ten minutes before adding it into the fermenter.
I think for the boil I do pretty good, the other beers I have made tasted not to bad after this stage but I think the fermenting is where my problem lies. I bought a hydrometer but am not exactly sure when to take the readings or how many times thru out this process. The SG is 1.062-1.066 , the FG is 1.012-1.018
The yeast I have this time is safale s-4 and the temp range is calling for 59f to 75f
I have a 6 gal Carboy and I have five gallon buckets which would be better for the primary and the secondary, and someone told me that my 6 gal Carboy is to big for 5 gal batches that it could be the reason my beer taste funny. I had a hard time believing that but I'm no expert by any means, so I thought I would throw that out to see what everyone else thought. Anyways this is long enough for now, thanks for everyone's help so far I have already learn so much. An advice is welcomed and appreciated
1 steep crushed grains for 10-30 minutes at 155 deg in two gallons of water
2 remove kettle from burner then add the malt extract, stirring constantly
3 return to burner and as soon as a boiling bubble starts. Add 1 oz of vanguard bittering hops for the full 60 min boil
4 at the last 10 minute mark add the ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick
5 at the last two minute mark add 1 oz cascade aroma hops then remove from burner
6 cool the wort to below 80 deg, then pour into primary fermenter and add water till it becomes five gallons
7 aerate the wort
8 rehydrate the dry yeast in 90-100 deg warm water for ten minutes before adding it into the fermenter.
I think for the boil I do pretty good, the other beers I have made tasted not to bad after this stage but I think the fermenting is where my problem lies. I bought a hydrometer but am not exactly sure when to take the readings or how many times thru out this process. The SG is 1.062-1.066 , the FG is 1.012-1.018
The yeast I have this time is safale s-4 and the temp range is calling for 59f to 75f
I have a 6 gal Carboy and I have five gallon buckets which would be better for the primary and the secondary, and someone told me that my 6 gal Carboy is to big for 5 gal batches that it could be the reason my beer taste funny. I had a hard time believing that but I'm no expert by any means, so I thought I would throw that out to see what everyone else thought. Anyways this is long enough for now, thanks for everyone's help so far I have already learn so much. An advice is welcomed and appreciated
mgortel
Well-Known Member
I would cool the wort to below 70 degrees....maybe down to low to mid 60's if you can......rehydrate yeast at 70F or so...
If you pitch yeast into wort that is in the 70's it will ferment in the 70's and maybe as high as 80F....not a good thing...you will develop off flavors, fusel alcohols (hangover creators), etc....
I realize yeast says it is ok up to 75F....but you really want to be on the low end of the range...low to mid 60's....will make a HUGE difference in how good beer turns out.
OH...and remember....let it go 2-3 weeks in primary before even checking SG....preferably 3 weeks......it will give yeast a chance to do their job and clean up the beer.....dont rush it.
If you pitch yeast into wort that is in the 70's it will ferment in the 70's and maybe as high as 80F....not a good thing...you will develop off flavors, fusel alcohols (hangover creators), etc....
I realize yeast says it is ok up to 75F....but you really want to be on the low end of the range...low to mid 60's....will make a HUGE difference in how good beer turns out.
OH...and remember....let it go 2-3 weeks in primary before even checking SG....preferably 3 weeks......it will give yeast a chance to do their job and clean up the beer.....dont rush it.
mgortel
Well-Known Member
I would cool the wort to below 70 degrees....maybe down to low to mid 60's if you can......rehydrate yeast at 70F or so...
If you pitch yeast into wort that is in the 70's it will ferment in the 70's and maybe as high as 80F....not a good thing...you will develop off flavors, fusel alcohols (hangover creators), etc....
I realize yeast says it is ok up to 75F....but you really want to be on the low end of the range...low to mid 60's....will make a HUGE difference in how good beer turns out.
6 gallon carboy is fine for primary......you want an air space up top....it will fill with CO2 and blanket the beer and keep oxygen off....do not use the 6 gal carboy for secondary though.....because it will expose beer to Oxygen...bad thing at that point.
Also, are your 5 gallon buckets "Ale Pails"??? Normally Ale Pails are like 6.5-7 gallons...... If they are just normal plastic utility buckets...you should not use them....you need food grade buckets made for fermenting beer.
If you pitch yeast into wort that is in the 70's it will ferment in the 70's and maybe as high as 80F....not a good thing...you will develop off flavors, fusel alcohols (hangover creators), etc....
I realize yeast says it is ok up to 75F....but you really want to be on the low end of the range...low to mid 60's....will make a HUGE difference in how good beer turns out.
6 gallon carboy is fine for primary......you want an air space up top....it will fill with CO2 and blanket the beer and keep oxygen off....do not use the 6 gal carboy for secondary though.....because it will expose beer to Oxygen...bad thing at that point.
Also, are your 5 gallon buckets "Ale Pails"??? Normally Ale Pails are like 6.5-7 gallons...... If they are just normal plastic utility buckets...you should not use them....you need food grade buckets made for fermenting beer.
mgortel
Well-Known Member
Not sure how that happened...meant to edit first post...but ended up adding to it and reposting......
Ya I just bought them and they are just plain 5 gal buckets, I guess I didn't think much about that. Well they were cheap and I guess I can have new sanitizer buckets now. So if I decide to use a secondary fermenter when should I make that move to switch them or is it even that big of deal and I could just let it go in the glass for three weeks before I bottle it
mgortel
Well-Known Member
I would just leave in primary....only reason for secondary is if you are racking onto fruit or adding something else....I very rarely do secondary now as do a lot of guys/gals on here.....leave it in carboy and check it at 3 weeks to see if done (i.e. check SG).
Then bottle it!
if you were going to secondary it would depend on beer, etc.....sometimes I will secondary and put gelatin finings in to help clear the beer.....I usually wait 2 weeks to do that. Honestly, the lest you mess with it the better off you are.....less chance for exposing to oxygen or worse yet infection!
PS...yeah...you can always use them for sanitizer solution on brew day.....and put all your "stuff" in that needs to stay sanitized.
Then bottle it!
if you were going to secondary it would depend on beer, etc.....sometimes I will secondary and put gelatin finings in to help clear the beer.....I usually wait 2 weeks to do that. Honestly, the lest you mess with it the better off you are.....less chance for exposing to oxygen or worse yet infection!
PS...yeah...you can always use them for sanitizer solution on brew day.....and put all your "stuff" in that needs to stay sanitized.
Sorry for not updating this post in a while but the key was waiting longer during the fermentation. The beer turned out great but the next morning I woke up with a splitting headache. I chalked it up to drinking a lot of the great tasting beer I made but later even after having just 3 or 4 beers j would wake up know the same way. Just kinda wondered if that happened to anyone else or maybe comes from some sort if mishap while brewing
First off,steeping is 20-30 minutes,not 10 minutes. 30 is better. 155F is good. Keep a couple gallons of water in the fridge for a day or two before brew day to top off with. Chill wort down to 75F or so,then strain into fermenter & top off to recipe volume with the chilled water. Stir roughly 5 minutes to mix & aerate a lil more. Slowly chill the rehydrated yeast down to within 10 degrees of wort temp for a healthy pitch. A 3 minute aroma addition works well for me.
Keep ferment temps in the mid 60's. Take OG sample before pitching yeast. I now wait three weeks to the day to take an FG sample. Wait 2-3 days,& test again. If the numbers match,uit's done. Give it 3-7 days more to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. Then prime & bottle.
