First Beer kit did not follow directions!

I started with a kit that had everything - almost. I got stainless tools and pyrex cups and bowls. The night before I made a yeast starter. Used Windsor yeast.The yeast started foaming in minutes at 75 degrees. It foamed into the air lock. after 24 hours it was still bubbling away. I steeped the grain added first hops at specified time and second hops 15 min before. 1 hour total time. I cooled in a sink of crushed ice and water until 75 degrees. Added to 2 gallons of pre-boiled water that had cooled to 75 degrees. got some really good aeration doing so. SG was 1.055. added yeast starter, sealed with a different airlock (same type - 3 piece). 3 hours later checked on it & found 1 bubble per second. next morning temp had dropped to 73 and got 2 to 3 bubbles per second. remained that way all day and night. After 28 hours there were no bubbles in the air lock. This beer did not read the instructions I read 'cause it should have bubbled much longer. Temp is now 71 degrees. Oh well, it was fun and good practice - so lets try again. Wait! let's check the SG again. Siphoned enough beer to use the hydro (using sanitized siphon of course). SG is now 1.012. Huh? Doesn't appear to have gotten stuck... Lets have a sip, or better yet - a sniff. Smells like alcohol might be in the there. looks like a dark beer came from a english ale kit. Took a sip. Tasted like some of that stuff we drank in southeast Asia 40 years ago. Not a bad taste but certainly a strong taste. Reminded me of elderberry wine. maybe a hint of sweet to it. I was meticulous about sanitizing everything at all times..

Could this beer be ok after fermenting only 28 hours? I had already read some posts about tossing more yeast and was about to do so before taking that second SG reading. Now, I feel I should wait about 5 days and get another SG reading. It's in a bucket so I can't see it. I wanted to get a couple of batches done with success before investing in carboys.

I could be. Your fermentation temp is a little on the high side. This could explain the alcohol taste. But, to answer your question, most guys here will tell you to let it sit for at least 3 weeks in the fermenter before you even think about bottling it. Leave it be. This should help drive off some of the "odd" flavors you are tasting. Tossing more yeast won't do anything. The yeast should be healthy.

sounds like you could use a LOT more reading. either that or this is a gag post, but i'm hoping not. a starting gravity of 1.012 is VERY low, beers done in 28hrs is not likely, etc.

please take some time and read some tutorials. i'd hate to see this end badly.

fineexampl said:

sounds like you could use a LOT more reading. either that or this is a gag post, but i'm hoping not. a starting gravity of 1.012 is VERY low, beers done in 28hrs is not likely, etc.

please take some time and read some tutorials. i'd hate to see this end badly.

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I am reading that the SG is currently 1.012, but started at 1.055. That sounds about right to me.

Those temperatures are a bit warm, so I'm not surprised it finished in a day or so. I've had beers ferment overnight before, especially if it's summer and it's too warm. The temperature range of Windsor yeast is 64-70 degrees. http://www.danstaryeast.com/products/windsor-ale-yeast

So, it might taste a bit estery (fruity) and "hot" if it fermented at 73-75. Not too much, though. It'll improve over the next couple of weeks as the yeast go back and digest some of their own wast products. Next time, try to keep the fermenting beer at the lower range of the temperature guidelines, and it'll be "cleaner" tasting.

So, cover it back up and wait about two weeks. Then you can bottle it.

I agree with yooper, i think that the fg is about right, i was figuring about 1.011. So you are close to where you need to be. I think by making the healthy yeast starter it helped the beer take right off. Definitely let it sit a little longer so the yeast can clean up after themselves. I think it will turn out to be a great beer!

Patience grasshopper. Time is a great thing in the beer making process! I have had many beers I thought were a total waste only to find out if I let them sit, they become a lot more forgiving!

I can easily be patient. I just wanted to know if I should toss it and try again. Fermenting below 71 degrees is just not going to happen until I feel justified in buying a dedicated fridge for the fermentation. My thermostat is set at 70 and the AC has not cycled off in 3 weeks. It's hot down here! Until we start getting those afternoon thunderstorms it is hot at night. The A/C vent is right on the bottom of the bucket. Temp is constant cause it never kicks off.

I have seen some yeasts that claim to be usable up to 77 degrees. Would this be a better choice for me? During the winter it would be easy with a big tub of water to minimize temp fluctuations. The beer kit said maximum temp of 75.

I suppose I should seek some suggestions on how to best deal with the slightly higher temps I have to live with. I was really wanting to try some honey ( it's free for me) for some darker more flavorful beer but probably not a good idea since the beer is going to tend to be a little sweet already. A couple of donated bottles of Honey Nut Brown Ale is what got me thinking about doing this.

Noooo! Don't toss it!

I made that mistake with my first kit - It was a Black Lager - Supposed to ferment at 45 or so - I fermented at 74.

It - Was - Nasty

I kegged it and drank most of it anyway. It was tolerable after a few. But, I bottled some off and forgot about it. Found it 3 months later - Holy crap! Good beer! Don't give up. Wait a few weeks, bottle it, and forget it in a corner for a few months. You might be surprised what you wind up with!