1st time brew, very watery, HELP!

This is my first time homebrewing with a few friends. Our first batch was Muton's Light Beer.We used a 3lb 5 oz liquid malt extract. We added 2.2lbs of corn sugar, and topped our bucket off for a total of 6 U.S. Gallons of water/wort. We transfered from the primary (after 5 days) to the secondary last night and tried a bit. It tasted like beer, but it was extremely watered down and light colored. Is this normal and will it get more of a beer taste after fermenting in the secondary and bottles? Thanks for your feedback.
Steve

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I've felt that my brews tasted a little light before bottling/carbonation/conditioning, but have been greast once they matured a little. I've used a ratio of 1 lb extract to 1 Gal water for a light bodied beer as a reference guide (from Palmer's How To Brew ) As you are just over 5lbs for 6, it will be a little on the light side, but it should be fine.
Question- any hops? They are important flavor and aroma contributors.

Also, Next time, you might want to try using more extract as opposed to corn sugar, as it will contribute more to flavor and body.

it's thin because of the use of corn sugar )and possibly because of using 6 gallons of water). you'll be much happier with the beer next time if you omit the corn sugar and buy/use an additional can of malt extract.

Also, most kits are meant for 5 gallons, so if you put in 6 gallons you might have diluted it's flavor and color by 20%.

it might improve somewhat after setting in the secondary and the bottles for another several weeks, but this beer is probably going to remain thin and watery.

I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but those kits often don't make the best beer if you use them as described in the directions. They cut costs by giving you half the extract and having you get the rest of the fermentable sugar from corn sugar. Corn sugar ferments almost 100%, and they leaves a thin product behind...

-walker

The kits in Canada say "Makes 23 liters" which is true if you want terrible, watery ****e, just ask Sasquatch about his run-in with Morgan's
If you want good beer from a kit, only add water until you achieve your desired OG. DME makes a world of difference, of course, but in my experience you can make really good HB out of kits adding only dextrose. The key is brewing by gravity. You may only end up with 14-18L but it will be good. Promise. If you want the full 6gal you're going to have to add DME and hops and probably some dextrose too with alot of screwing around. By the time it's all said and done you might as well abandon the kits and go straight extract. Otherwise, go for a solid 17-18L of good, simple brew and RDWHHB. I brew all kits with DME, extra hops and specialty grains and other adjuncts with great success if I do say so (and I do).
Welcome.

Use TWO kits next time, same amount of water. Sugar boosts the ABV, but adds nothing to the body. If you're lucky it won't add anything to the flavor either.

Nothing is as bad as a "Brew Sack"!

Just what, pray-tell, is a Brew Sack?

Like sjtravis said, there is not much worst out there as far as directions go then the back of a can. Next time do stay away from corn sugar. There are many better options. The only reason I use it is for priming. Do you have any book to help you? There are several real good ones. The standard "bible" is the Joy of Homebrewing. As of everything, the more you read the better you will be

I am green as a gord at brewing and wonder what IPA is aconim for

(Irish-pale-ale) ? I'm just gessin don't really have a clue.

gregg

India Pale Ale,

Beer too thin and watery? Maybe there is a job for you at your nearest Bud Light brewery! . Just kidding. Seriously, as others have said, you need more extract next time.

I've found that the Brewer's Best kits are pretty close to the mark on ingredients at a very reasonable cost. I haven't used any others, but for 20 to 25 bucks you get all the ing. and they don't substitute malt for adjuncts. I keep saying I'll try my own recipe but when I add up the cost I can't touch my own batch for what they're selling in kit form. Anybody else experience this?

back when I used kits, I found that I liked Brewer's Best much better than the others available. My first batch of beer ever was their Pale Ale (which I added raspberry extract to).

-walker

IMO, you are much better off to just stay away from the kits altogether. If you don't have "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing II" by Charlie Papizan yet, that needs to be your first purchase! In that book he walks you through everything you need to know to brew good beer, as well as great recipes for just about every kind of brew you can amagine.

Then purchase the ingredients individually from your local homebrew shop. For the receipe you choose you might spend an extra $5 (I got everything for my most recent 5 gallons of IPA for $25), but you will be sure to have good beer (assuming you follow proper procedures ) rather than the watery crap you usually get from the $15 canned kits.
Again I can't stress enough, if you don't have the book, that needs to be your first stop, it is essential equipment if you want to learn to make good beer!

Cheers!
Sean

My first batch was a west coast pale ale and it tasted very watery until it was fully carbonated. It was very light similar to a commercial brew, but it actually had some flavor to it. It was pretty good and very refreshing.

Don't worry I'm betting it will taste just fine once its fully carbonated.