I have a Pale Ale, a Kona Fire Rock Clone, in the primary. It's been there since February 19, so about 3 weeks. Everything went well with the brew and OG was around 1.057. I pitched a vial of White Labs America Ale Yeast.
My fermentation was a bit slow to show signs, at least in the air lock. Fermentation temperature stayed between 66-68 degrees since day one. I checked the specific gravity today and it was 1.012 or 1.013. It was hard to tell. The directions said it should be 1.013. When I pulled to top off my bucket it smelled like a Belgian Ale to me. When I tasted it from the testing tube it tasted like it too. It had very little malt body as well. Here was the kit ingredients.
Steeping Grains:
1 1/2 lbs Honey Malt
1/2 lb Pale Ale Malt
1/2 lb Munich Malt
LME:
6 lbs Extra Pale Extract
1 1/2 lbs Munich Extract
Hops:
1/2 oz Galena @ 60min
1/4 oz Galena @ 15min
3/4 oz Cascade @ 15min
1 oz Mt Hood @ 5min
Granted I know this brew is young but should the taste and smell be that much off? It doesn't taste bad.....just not too much like Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale or any Pale Ale for that matter. Thoughts?
i just did a trail 1 gallon of ipa that I tasted 1 week after bottling then 2, 3, 4, then 5 on the 5th week it was like 2 different beers from the 1st week. It did not taste like an IPA after the 1st week but as each week went buy the taste got beeter and better. Maybe just leave it alone for another week then bottle and leave it alone for another 3 weeks. If it still taste like a Belgian you just found a good Belgian recipe.
Yes, I know that how much the flavor can improve over time with a new beer. I experienced that with my first brew. I was expecting to taste green Pale Ale not green Belgian. Maybe once I keg, cool and carb it the taste will be more in line for a Pale Ale.
I'll look up the differences in the two styles and see if they use similar hops.
The "steeping" grains need to be converted. Did you mash or steep? Mash would be ~150-155F for 60 min. Steep is ~160 for 30 min.
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Quote:
"My new company is going to sell Aqua-infused(tm), Alphabetamashed(tm), Wortboiled(tm), Multihops Brewed(tm), Saccharomented(tm), Lageriffic(tm) beer. - Bobby_M
Pigs are fantastic creatures. They convert vegetables into bacon.
The kit's directions said to steep for 25 min @ 155˚, so that's what I did. I actually did a pretty active steep, raising and lowering the grain bag in and out of the wort. I have seen some brewers that just plop the bag in and basically leave it. I figured I was extracting more sugars that way. I did not squeeze the grain bag for fear of releasing excess tannins.
"My new company is going to sell Aqua-infused(tm), Alphabetamashed(tm), Wortboiled(tm), Multihops Brewed(tm), Saccharomented(tm), Lageriffic(tm) beer. - Bobby_M
Pigs are fantastic creatures. They convert vegetables into bacon.
Well in the JP link it says 160°F +/- 10° for 30 min. so maybe I didn't get 100% conversion. I am in the ballpark though. Next time I shoot for 160˚ for 30 min. to be safe.
I have the color and the malt sweetness. Hops are there as well. It just smells and tastes different than I was expecting. Yes, I know it's green. I'm going to keg and carb it after I get back home later today.
Well, looking back at my notes I know what the problem might be. I didn't exactly follow the recipe.
Here is the original hop additions according to the recipe.
1/2 oz Galena @ 60min
1/4 oz Galena @ 15min
3/4 oz Cascade @ 15min
1 oz Mt Hood @ 5min
The kit came with 1 oz pack of each type of hop. I dumped the remaining 1/4 oz of Galena and 1/4 oz of Cascade in at the 15 min left mark. I hated to waste them and they smelled so good. I think that I am smelling and tasting the Galena. I love Cascades and know their flavor, so I'm sure it's not the Cascades. Lesson learned.
Questions about my new Pale Ale
Or did you mean January 19th?
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