First Beer is in the Tummy!

I just couldn't wait any longer, so after 3 weeks in the primary and only 2 weeks in the bottles, I put a few in the beer fridge and here is the result:



Here is the recipe:

7.7# LME
6 oz. Crystal 60 grain
4 oz. Chocolate grain
7.5 aau Warrior hops [bittering]
.5 oz. Kent Golding [flavoring]
Nottingham dry yeast

I was supposed to be a alternative to Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale. I've never tasted that beer, but I have tasted Newcastle Brown Ale and it has always been a favorite.

This beer taste a lot like Newcastle. It is very smooth and not too heavy for a dark beer. It has a nice maltiness with just enough bitterness to balance it out. There is almost a Coca Cola quality about it and not in a bad way. There was not a lot of grain in this batch, and I have rectified this in a batch of Blonde Ale that has been in the fermenter for 2 weeks. It has a total of 32 oz. of grains in it. It will be interesting to taste and feel the contrast between these two beers once the Blonde ale is ready to drink.

Something kind of strange about the Brown Ale... When I open the bottles there is the fssssttt sound, and if I let it sit there for a second, it wants to foam up and start to foam out of the top of the bottle. When I pour it into the glass it has a nice head on it, but it dissapates rather quickly. It taste just fine and the level of carbonation seems fine too, it's just that it's more like a soft drink carbonation than a beer carbonation. It's hard to describe. I guess I was just hoping for more head retention. Perhaps I am over analysing my first brew.

Honestly... I never thought I would make something this good and this drinkable. If you guys are right and this stuff gets better over time, then I'm pretty stoked. I don't see how it could get much better.

If you give it another 2 weeks in the bottle, I'll bet the foaming subsides, the head will be better, and the beer will be smoother. A month after that you'll be wishing you had brewed more of it.

I need to pace myself then... Or I'll have them drank up before they get really good.

BlondIrishGuy said:

Something kind of strange about the Brown Ale... When I open the bottles there is the fssssttt sound, and if I let it sit there for a second, it wants to foam up and start to foam out of the top of the bottle. When I pour it into the glass it has a nice head on it, but it dissapates rather quickly.

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My understanding is that when CO2 pressure is created in the bottle, it'll first fill the headspace and then, after more time and pressure, the CO2 will be forced down into the beer itself. It sounds like you've got good, active carbonation going on but your beer has not yet had enough time to push the gas into the liquid.

My first batch was like this also and after another week, it was great - I have a glass next to me with about 1 inch left in the glass and there's lacing all the way up to the top and the beer that's left has bubbles suspended in it - yours is just fine but needs some more time.

Cheers!

BlondIrishGuy said:

I need to pace myself then... Or I'll have them drank up before they get really good.

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that always happens when starting. i did that, he did that, she did that, etc... that's why i have 9 kegs

BlondIrishGuy said:

I need to pace myself then... Or I'll have them drank up before they get really good.

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My problem as well, as far as I can tell it doesn't get any easier. Welcome to the addiction