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kf4ocj

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I have 2 brews under my belt and to be honest neither one came out very good,both had a hoppy bite,the 2nd worse than the first,and both were extract brews.Well I made a move the other day and ordered 2 budget stout kits from ahs.They are mini mash kits,and I brewed one yesterday and everything went great.I got my mash temp to 155F and held it perfectly for and hour.The day before brew day I boiled 2 bottles of water and frozen them,put them after the boil and got the temp down to 75F in about 10 minutes and pitched the yeast.Had airlock activity in about 3 hours and had a lot of activity this morning but now its started to slow some.According to the sticky thermometer on the fermenter the temp has stayed between72-76 degrees F.The question is,Have I screwed the pooch on this brew with the temps.I envey people who have to use heaters to get thier temps up.I wish I had that problem :(
 
No, you havent screwed the pooch. You made beer. Will the yeast make an off flavor? Maybe, maybe not. Let it ride...enjoy the process and no matter what, you made beer. Im sure it will be at least drinkable if not good!

RDWHAHB!
 
Ok, fist, are you sure the extract brew have a hop bite? My first few had a type of bitterness that was similar to hops, but not quite. More of an underlying sour/bite. I atrributed that to the "extract twang". It disappeared over time. Turned into damn good brews, but I had already drank most of them! Let it age another mont or so, it will be awesome, I swear.
Second, you should be fine with those temps for pitching yeast, but don't want those sustained temps for fermentation. Obviously a lower temp is better, but you didn't screw it up.
If your fermentation temps are that high, look up swamp cooler to control your temps
 
Just relax.

First leave those first two beers in the bottle for another month. And taste them again. I bet you will be amazed by the difference.

Second, take good notes and learn from it.

Third, stay with simple recipes until you get comfortable and learn your technique

Fourth... Relax, don't worry, have a beer
 
Ok, fist, are you sure the extract brew have a hop bite? My first few had a type of bitterness that was similar to hops, but not quite. More of an underlying sour/bite. I atrributed that to the "extract twang". It disappeared over time. Turned into damn good brews, but I had already drank most of them! Let it age another mont or so, it will be awesome, I swear.
Second, you should be fine with those temps for pitching yeast, but don't want those sustained temps for fermentation. Obviously a lower temp is better, but you didn't screw it up.
If your fermentation temps are that high, look up swamp cooler to control your temps

Thanks for replies,I guess its await and see thing.As for the hop bite I did what some people suggest and chewed on hop pellet to get an Idea of the flavor and that was it.I am looking for a small chest freezer to build a fermentation chamber from,but havent found one yet
 
What yeast was used? Some are more tolerant than others to warmer temperatures.

Here is a nice chart to review for temps and general characteristics..

http://www.yeastcalc.com/guide%20to%20yeast.htm

I used mutons ale yeast,I know,I know,I need to start useing better yeast.I did check one website and it claimed the it works well from 55-77F,seems like a pretty good temp spread to me
 
I just picked up a $5 water basin at Walmart and dropped some frozen bottles into it. Kept my cream ale at a happy 63 degrees and gave me my first clean profile beer with no esters.

Just cracked it earlier tonight and very excited about the results. The solutions for most brewing issues aren't expensive or complicated.
 
I just picked up a $5 water basin at Walmart and dropped some frozen bottles into it. Kept my cream ale at a happy 63 degrees and gave me my first clean profile beer with no esters.

Just cracked it earlier tonight and very excited about the results. The solutions for most brewing issues aren't expensive or complicated.

CONGRATS,thats what I am looking for.The first time you crack that brew and it taste great
 
Better ingredients (especially yeast) and even simple temp control should improve your results. Even going to mini-mash from extract kits should be a step up.
 
I wouldn't say that a chest freezer is a bad idea, but you might want to start with the swamp cooler before going to a freezer. If you can get the results you want, you can save yourself probably at least $100 between the freezer and controller. If you are planning on layering for long periods of time, then it's probably good to start with the freezer.

Good luck with the flavor issues.
 
Thanks for replies,I guess its await and see thing.As for the hop bite I did what some people suggest and chewed on hop pellet to get an Idea of the flavor and that was it.I am looking for a small chest freezer to build a fermentation chamber from,but havent found one yet

The hops aroma and flavours will mellow more the longer you condition. I'm not sure how much, or even if, the bittering mellows but generally all beers will lose their "sharp edges" and become a bit more "round" with a suitable length conditioning.

I wouldn't say that a chest freezer is a bad idea, but you might want to start with the swamp cooler before going to a freezer. If you can get the results you want, you can save yourself probably at least $100 between the freezer and controller. If you are planning on layering for long periods of time, then it's probably good to start with the freezer.

Good luck with the flavor issues.


^^^^
+1


What sort of ambient temps are you dealing with?? If it's not really hot, like say over 86f, you can get away using a swamp cooler(any vessel that can hold your fermenter and water, up to just below the surface level of the beer, put an old Tshirt or towel over the fermenter and into the water to wick up the water and aim a fan at that. It'll do a good job of cooling your brew. If you live in a hot, humid envirnoment you're going to have to swap out the bottles of frozen water quite frequently to maintain decent temps), swapping 2 litre/1qt bottles of frozen water a couple to a few times a day. A bit involved but way cheaper than a chest freezer, as in you could put one together right now very easily to help your present brews without spending a ridiculous amount of money.
 
the ambient temps are right at 70 and stay near that year round.With the freezer idea Im sure I can get setup for around 70 bucks,but finding a freezer has been the problem.Sooner or later I would like to lager so I may as well get the things together for it
 
I used mutons ale yeast,I know,I know,I need to start useing better yeast.I did check one website and it claimed the it works well from 55-77F,seems like a pretty good temp spread to me

Honestly, being new to the brewing game you are heading in the right direction and showing concern in the right areas. I looked at my first couple of beers as test runs to figure out what and how to do things. After of 3-4 tries I figured out what worked for me and made my adjustments and then it is off to the races.

Next thing you know is your pocketbook is 1-2 grand lighter. :)

Good luck!
 
the ambient temps are right at 70 and stay near that year round.With the freezer idea Im sure I can get setup for around 70 bucks,but finding a freezer has been the problem.Sooner or later I would like to lager so I may as well get the things together for it

If your ambient is around 70 it's going to be really easy to keep your fermentation temps down in the low 60s using the swamp cooler.

As said before, it might be a little more time intensive but cheap, easy, effective and can be thrown together practically instantly.

Using a swamp cooler for the initial few days of fermentation definitely gave my beers an instantaneous jump in quality.:mug:
 
I don't like the hop bite ether in most recipes, I have cut the 60 min hop (bittering addition) amount in half on quite a few recipes that I brew and even up to 2/3, and cut all hop additions in half on more than one recipe to meet my taste.

Home Brewing is all about making beer that taste the way you like it, not making your beer the way other people want it to taste.

Look at these 2 things first.

Fermentation temperature control is going to make a huge difference in your brew.
Get a $6 rope handle tub from walmart, put 5 gal cold water in it, place your fermentation bucket in it for the first 4 to 6 days of fermentation, add frozen water bottles as necessary to keep temp down to the lower side of recommended temps for that yeast.
If you ferment with to high of temps for that yeast, the brew will have (Fusel alcohols) a hot alcohol bite in the beer.

Try cutting back a bit on the 60 min bittering hops, try maybe 1/3 less, this will make a less bitter beer for sure.
As for hops 60 min=bittering, 20 min=taste, 10 min or less=aroma

Good luck, keep trying you'll get it right, try looking up malty, low hop kit recipes, this might help you find what your looking for too.

Cheers :mug:
 
I don't like the hop bite ether in most recipes, I have cut the 60 min hop (bittering addition) amount in half on quite a few recipes that I brew and even up to 2/3, and cut all hop additions in half on more than one recipe to meet my taste.

Home Brewing is all about making beer that taste the way you like it, not making your beer the way other people want it to taste.

Look at these 2 things first.

Fermentation temperature control is going to make a huge difference in your brew.
Get a $6 rope handle tub from walmart, put 5 gal cold water in it, place your fermentation bucket in it for the first 4 to 6 days of fermentation, add frozen water bottles as necessary to keep temp down to the lower side of recommended temps for that yeast.
If you ferment with to high of temps for that yeast, the brew will have (Fusel alcohols) a hot alcohol bite in the beer.

Try cutting back a bit on the 60 min bittering hops, try maybe 1/3 less, this will make a less bitter beer for sure.
As for hops 60 min=bittering, 20 min=taste, 10 min or less=aroma

Good luck, keep trying you'll get it right, try looking up malty, low hop kit recipes, this might help you find what your looking for too.

Cheers :mug:

I love this site and really appreciate all the help/advice.I come by here at least once a day and more if I am looking for help on a brew.I will keep after it till I get a great batch,then I will know I have it right:ban:
 
I love this site and really appreciate all the help/advice.I come by here at least once a day and more if I am looking for help on a brew.I will keep after it till I get a great batch,then I will know I have it right:ban:

Helping each other, Thats what we are all here for isn't it? ;)

Cheers :mug:
 
getting the fermenting temps to the correct range will definitely improve your beer. over 70 and most ale yeasts can give you problems. but a lot of those problem flavors will mellow some if you leave the beer in the bottle to age for a few months. don't dump the batch before you give it a chance to mellow.

and not everyone brews great beer the first time. it took me probably 5 or 6 batches to get everything right and make a beer I thought was really good. if you stick with it and learn from each batch, every one of them should improve, until you are making beer that is as good as or better than anything in the store.
 
How do yall get a temperature reading of the beer in the fermenter? In my first 2 brews, I got it cooled to the mid 70s and then pitched the yeast, sealed the bucket and set it in my basement with an ambient temp of like 73ish, which I have since realized probably means the beer was even warmer.

I'm trying to improve each batch, and have read many times that temp control is key. What's a cheap/easy to get a read on the beer in the fermenter?
 
Ok, fist, ... I atrributed that to the "extract twang". It disappeared over time. Turned into damn good brews, but I had already drank most of them! Let it age another month or so, it will be awesome, I swear.


+1 Extract has a twang.

If you drink a beer to early you will get what some of us call a green" taste too.
 
Dynachrome said:
+1 Extract has a twang.

If you drink a beer to early you will get what some of us call a green" taste too.

For that reason, I am now building my pipeline to allow me to age beers 2-3 months before drinking them, as opposed to 3-4 weeks. Allows the beer to age, get softer/more blended, lose any greenness, and any extract twang to go away.
 
For that reason, I am now building my pipeline to allow me to age beers 2-3 months before drinking them, as opposed to 3-4 weeks. Allows the beer to age, get softer/more blended, lose any greenness, and any extract twang to go away.

That why I have started getting my kits 2 at a time.I checked my temps this morning and they have dropped to 68F,I realize this beer wont be great but it will be drinkable,I will brew my next batch either this upcoming weekend or the next and I can assure everyone that the temps will be in the correct range and it will be my best one yet.When I get to the point of ageing 2-3 months would it not be a good idea to rack to secondary?
 
Getting my ferm temps under control with a swamp cooler made SUCH a difference in the quality of my brews..! You'll be amazed..!

Once fermentation is done and the yeast have had a chance to 'clean up' after themselves, go ahead and bottle and let it age in the bottles. That way you can pull a sample every few weeks and taste how things are progressing.

But, you are right that if you plan to 'bulk age' long term in a carboy, you don't want to leave the beer on the yeast for an overly extended period.
 
Ok,my friends thought I would do an update.Though its only been in primary for 40 hours,after seeing very aggresive activity after only 3 hours I decided to check the gravity this morning,the og was 1.047,this morning after 40 hrs the hydrometer shows 1.020,the fg is supposed to be 1.011.Now the waiting game.I did take a little taste and its really not that bad.The hop bite I had talked about earlier wasnt there,but I did something diffrent with the hops,instead of just throwing them in I put them in a grain bag by themselves,put them in and from time to time did a little tea bag dunk,that way when the boil time was up and I pulled the hop bag none of the residue from the hops was left in the brew.So even with the temp issues during ferment I think this is going to be my best brew ever.I cant imagine how good it will be when I get everything right :rockin:
 
How do yall get a temperature reading of the beer in the fermenter? In my first 2 brews, I got it cooled to the mid 70s and then pitched the yeast, sealed the bucket and set it in my basement with an ambient temp of like 73ish, which I have since realized probably means the beer was even warmer.

I'm trying to improve each batch, and have read many times that temp control is key. What's a cheap/easy to get a read on the beer in the fermenter?

Hello, if you have your fermenter in a swamp cooler, I have found by checking both, that the temp on most brews will only be 2 to 4 deg warmer than the water temp in the swamp cooler, even at high fermentation, I know its not the best way to check, but it works great for me.

Cheers :mug:
 
Ok,my friends thought I would do an update.Though its only been in primary for 40 hours,after seeing very aggresive activity after only 3 hours I decided to check the gravity this morning,the og was 1.047,this morning after 40 hrs the hydrometer shows 1.020,the fg is supposed to be 1.011.Now the waiting game.I did take a little taste and its really not that bad.The hop bite I had talked about earlier wasnt there,but I did something diffrent with the hops,instead of just throwing them in I put them in a grain bag by themselves,put them in and from time to time did a little tea bag dunk,that way when the boil time was up and I pulled the hop bag none of the residue from the hops was left in the brew.So even with the temp issues during ferment I think this is going to be my best brew ever.I cant imagine how good it will be when I get everything right :rockin:

By putting the hops in and removing them and then putting them back in you have achieved some control of the bitterness but you really don't know how much bitterness you will get with this method and it may vary by variety of hops too. It's better to control the quantity to get the bitterness as it is repeatable. When you dunk the bag of hops later in the boil you also get flavor from the hops. Depending on the hop flavor this may or may not be a good thing. It definitely will change the recipe.

You don't need to worry about the hop residue. If you put it in at the beginning of the boil all the bitterness will have been extracted by flame out.
 
kf4ocj said:
That why I have started getting my kits 2 at a time.I checked my temps this morning and they have dropped to 68F,I realize this beer wont be great but it will be drinkable,I will brew my next batch either this upcoming weekend or the next and I can assure everyone that the temps will be in the correct range and it will be my best one yet.When I get to the point of ageing 2-3 months would it not be a good idea to rack to secondary?

If you want to age in the fermenter (bulk aging), then yes, you will need to rack to secondary.
I personally give 3-4 weeks in primary, 1-2 weeks in secondary if used, then 2-4 months in the bottle. Frees up fermenters and allows the beer to still age.

Each batch will be better a d better as you learn more.
 
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