brew infected? [first brew question]

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mattfuzzy

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Hey people
Kinda new here but been hanging around for a bit to learn a few things.
I recently did a beer brew with a coopers "Real Ale" extract in a 5 gal fermenter (1 of them plastic things labeled wine/beer fermenter for cheapness) well i decided for ease of use i would do 3 weeks in primary and 3 in secondary then bottle (or something along thos lines) as i hear its common.
The brew is about 2 weeks 2/3 days old and last week (about 7 days ago) i took a hydro test, tasted the hydro tube and it tasted real good (in comparison to some stuff i've had before) today i did the same and it tasted quite bitter.
To my experience ale doesnt taste bitter and am now thinking its infected? looks clear (almost see through it) nothing "growing" on the top at all either, but quite abit of sediment in the bottom of the fermenter (about 1 - 2cm?)
anyone more experienced than me got a clue whats goin on?
thanks.
-matt
 
mattfuzzy said:
...anyone more experienced than me got a clue whats goin on?
thanks.
-matt
What’s going on my friend is there is beer brewing in that thar fermenter.

I think it’s high time you move that beer to a secondary and let it clear. Usually, 1 week is plenty of time in the primary, 2 in the secondary and three in bottles for carbonation.
 
ok thanks for the info.
BierMuncher i heard other than the 123 method you can do 3-3 aswell, although the 1-2-3 is supposed to be more popular. :mug: :ban:
so how long will the bitterness take to mellow out? although i guess its a good thing its strong as it is, stops me taking samples :D
-matt
 
mattfuzzy said:
ok thanks for the info.
BierMuncher i heard other than the 123 method you can do 3-3 aswell, although the 1-2-3 is supposed to be more popular. :mug: :ban:
so how long will the bitterness take to mellow out? although i guess its a good thing its strong as it is, stops me taking samples :D
-matt

fwiw, some of my brews go 10 days primary and then to bottle. In two weeks they are usually carbonated, however aging is a different story. Indeed the 1-2-3 method is popular, but sometimes not necessary depending on what you are doing. At any rate it shouldn't hurt anything for most normal recipes.

Where secondary really comes in handy is when you lager, have a high strength (something over 1.06 SG), or want to secondary and add 'stuff'.

The bitterness should become balanced (assuming the recipe is a good one) by roughly the 5th week or so with that.
 
mattfuzzy said:
ok thanks for the info.
BierMuncher i heard other than the 123 method you can do 3-3 aswell, although the 1-2-3 is supposed to be more popular. :mug: :ban:
so how long will the bitterness take to mellow out? although i guess its a good thing its strong as it is, stops me taking samples :D
-matt
Once you move it to the secondary, the concentration of yeast floaties and hop particulates will thin and allow the stuff to clear even more.

Think of it like a room full of 2,000 people and everyone is instructed to exit through two doors. Pretty slow going.

Now eliminated 1,500 of those people and give the same instructions and it becomes much easier to clear the room.

Once you come to the end of your three weeks in bottles, the beer will be more clear and will have mellowed out. That said, you last bottle of beer will be the best tasting.
 
cool thanks for the info people, think ill put some back for christmas or something (ofcorse that wont happen... itll last about 4 months maximum) :D as soon as the bitterness has gone im going to be temped to start on it anyway, and mabe start a few other brews too :cross:
-matt
 
I'd taste one a week for a while, or maybe one every other week. Suddenly it will be fine.

The best way to forget about it, and therefore save it until it's just right, is to brew another batch right now!

Want something quick? Try a hefeweizen:

6lbs Muntons Wheat DME
(Or 3 lbs Wheat DME and 4 lbs Alexander Wheat LME)
1oz Hallertau
Wyeast 3068 or WLP300

Add half the DME and bring to a boil. Add the hops and boil for 50 min. Add the remainder of the DME (or LME if you went that route) and boil for another 10 minutes (or just add it at the end of 60 min).

Cool it, pitch the yeast. Bottle in a week (priming, with 8oz DME). Drink as soon as 2 days after bottling, maybe even less.

This is as close to instant gratification as you get with beer, and with these yeasts you don't have to worry about high fermentation temps in the summer too much.
 
Just for future reference I have the same equip and I just made a cooper kit - IPA - I left it in the primary plastic bucket (fermentor) for 6 days it took a gravity reading of 1010 which meant it was just about done - then i transfered it over to the secondary (glass carboy) there i left it 8 or 9 days til it started to clear. In both primary and secondary youll see some setiment on the bottom - better in the fermentors then your glass :)

Anyway after 8 or nine days n secondary took another readin 1007 and then primed +bottled. made 55 1/2 bottles - so i sampled the half bottle before pouring it down the sink - tasted like it was going to be a tasty brew - light for an IPA but it will be refreshing on a noce summer day. IMO 3 weeks it too long in the primary if yer going over to secondary - for regular coppers kits the fermentation should be pretty well done by 6-7 days and then the secondary for final fermentation and conditioning.
 
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