2nd attempt

so after failing in flames on my first brew I have educated myself and gave it another try. This time a made a brown ale using this recipe.
Beer Style: brown ale,
Recipe Type: extract
Yield: 5 gallons
Ingredients:
1 can Munton's Plain Amber Malt Extract 3.3 lbs
2 lbs. Munton's Plain Light Dry Malt Extract
1 lb. Crushed Grain Mix (1/2 50 L Crystal & 1/2 Chocolate)
2 oz. Willamette Whole Flower Hops 4.9%
Prime with 3/4 cup Corn Sugar
1 teaspoon Irish moss 1/2 way thru boil
WYeast #1028 London Ale or RTP English Ale Yeast
Procedure:
Steep grain until boiling, remove - add extracts - bring to boil, drop in hops for entire 45 min. boil ( Irish moss 25 min. into boil) 3 weeks fermentation. 3 weeks bottled. All at room temp.

but I changed it a little. I steeped the grains at 155* for 25 min. and put the moss in for the last 15 min.

Sounds good but I worry that steeping the grains till boiling might be bad. From my knowledge anything higher than 170 pulls out unwanted tannins. I'm still a newbie so I'd want to hear someone else backing that up. Good luck *edit: sry I should have read the whole thing you got it

Hope 2nd comes out better. My first one was bad too. About to give it a go again.

Disregard. Note to self...read the entire post before replying...your change up looks perfect.

You mention fermenting at room temp.... what is that?

My first two batches were fermented at room temps (68-72) because I didn't know any better, and both were sub-par. My next two batches, after learning as much about yeast as I could, were fermented at cooler temps (basement at 64-65), and are both amazing.

it's fermenting in my basement at a beautiful 57 degrees f.

WI_Brew_boy said:

it's fermenting in my basement at a beautiful 57 degrees f.

Click to expand...

That temperature is a little low for the yeast you have chosen but if it is fermenting, you're good for now. After a few days (3 or 4) it will slow down and at that point you can let it warm up for the last phase of the ferment as the yeast do the cleanup of the byproducts and make the last of the alcohol from them. I usually bring my to 72 for that and I usually end up with a lower FG than predicted.

RM-MN is spot on!

Cool start and warmer finish to any fermentation is a good plan. Also, give the yeast time to do it's "cleaning up". If you're being almost paranoid about cleanliness/sanitation (a good practice), your beer will benefit from being in primary for a few days after it's finished. I usually leave my ales in the primary for 12-14 days (6-7 for main ferment, 3-4 at warmer temp, 3-4 cold crash to drop yeast).

Producing wort is a part of the process, but managing a fermentation is what makes a good brewer.

I used a different yeast then the recipe called for. I used notty

Nottingham works pretty well down to about 55 so your 57 is really good, better than the 62 that I use even.

Thanks for the feed back. Now I just wait! The aroma coming from the air lock is amazing!

Im going to bottle this weekend! The waiting game continues.

In the bottles and I can't wait to drink these baby's!

In the bottles and I can't wait to drink these baby's!