just tried first homebrew

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jonp9576

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ok, so i tried my first batch. its coopers real ale. the picture showed a real light colored beer. this is a link to it.

it came out much darker

i am not sure if this is a bad thing or not.

it doesnt taste bad, but i am not sure what i am supposed to be comparing it to. the finish is supposed to be moderately bitter. its a pertty bitter finish. i am wondering if the fermentation temps have something to do with this. i used the yeast that came with the can. it fermented at 73 for 2 weeks. its been in the keg for 2 weeks. now chilled and i am drinking it.

should i pull it out for a couple weeks to keep conditioning for a week or so? will it getting warm affect the taste once its been chilled?
 
Extract will come out darker.

If you used dextrose instead of malt, it will affect the taste.

I usually give my beer a month to age before drinking. Actually they taste even better after two months.

Keep brewing and you will be surprised what you come up with.
 
I wouldn't be concerned about the darker color at all. Those photos always so perfect glasses of beer, but generally, extract beers come out on the dark side. Until you make the jump to all-grain brewing, expect your beers to be dark or darker.

As for the bitterness, I really don't think aging will make much difference on that. Bitterness doesn't really go away in my experience. Hoppiness will, but not bitterness. Perhaps your idea of moderately bitter is less than what the makers of the recipe think. Your fermentation temperature was on the high end, but not unacceptably so. That would affect other aspects of the flavor anyway, not the bitterness. Still, it might grow on your as time passes, especially if you have a few in a row. :mug:
 
My first batch was based on the cooper's real ale kit also. I have to say I was disappointed. It came out looking more like a brown ale, with some off flavors. I've found that I can only really tolerate it if I drink it really cold. My friends thought it was ok, but they might just be being nice about it.

I dry hopped it with amarillo, and as I didn't have any temp control at the time, it fermented at about 75-76. I think the color was off because the can of extract had sat on a shelf for too long before my LHBS sold it to me. It was practically black when I poured it in. I might also be tasting some grassy flavors from the dry hopping... With so many things about that batch being questionable, I don't think I can diagnose it further.

The AHS Fat Tire clone kit I just brewed for my second batch is looking much more promising. The ingredients were much fresher, and I have temp control this time. It smelled really good when I racked it yesterday.
 
kkngs i think my friends are just being nice too. its not bad. i will drink it, and i think immight like it more than i should because i made it. its much better real cold.

my second kit was a red ale, and it was no darker than the ale i just made. after checking the sg and such while kegging it, it already tastes better than the first batch. i have a third in the fermenter now, and its real dark. my next one is going to be a hefe. i am looking to make a real light color next and try the lighter taste
 
It's only going to get better! A good thing to do is brew up a clone of a beer that's available like Sierra Nevada PA or Anchor Liberty where there is known IBUs, hops, grains, OG etc; Compare side to side and adjust your procedure. eg, if said commercial beer is 35 IBUS and by your calculations yours is 35 but it is a lot less bitter change your IBU efficiency to reflect that.
 
sounds like a plan. its funny you bring up sierra. my one friend loves it, and wants me to make the ahs clone of it. i'll give it a shot on his dime.
 
ok, so i tried my first batch. its coopers real ale. the picture showed a real light colored beer. this is a link to it.

it came out much darker

i am not sure if this is a bad thing or not.

it doesnt taste bad, but i am not sure what i am supposed to be comparing it to. the finish is supposed to be moderately bitter. its a pertty bitter finish. i am wondering if the fermentation temps have something to do with this. i used the yeast that came with the can. it fermented at 73 for 2 weeks. its been in the keg for 2 weeks. now chilled and i am drinking it.

should i pull it out for a couple weeks to keep conditioning for a week or so? will it getting warm affect the taste once its been chilled?
Did you boil the extract? What was the date on the can?
 
I hav learned to stop worrying about color becuase it is never where i want it. But the beer will get muc better with time so let it sit a while more. More of the flavors will come through if you wait a bit
 
Congrats on Brew #1.

One thing I learned is that you are ALWAYS learning. Don't worry (yet) about what it's SUPPOSE to taste like. Do YOU like it?

My first drinkable brew (#2) was not what I expected but others loved it. Yet I could not wrap my mind around loving it.

Every brew will get better and better and every brew you will say "why didn't I know this little bit of new brew knowledge last time". You ALREADY are gaining knowledge with fermentation temps

For now - just relish in the fact that you achieved a nature miracle and have joined a relatively small and unique community of humans in the world that can brew beer.
 
yes i did boil it. i am not sure of the date on the can. my first batch was more of a act first ask questions later, so i didnt really start looking or reading till most of the process was finished. my second brew should be better. better temp control during the boil and the fermenting.

my next brew is going to be a hefe. i am going to try the swamp cooler with it.

as far as liking it. i havent had the chance to have more than one because my life has been so crazy the past few weeks, but tomorrow night i am having a few friends over, so we'll each have a few, and really decide what we like and dont like about it.

bottom like...if my hydrometer works, and the tables i used to calculate work, then its 6% alcohol, so we'll all have a bunch and it will get better as the night goes on
 
bottom like...if my hydrometer works, and the tables i used to calculate work, then its 6% alcohol, so we'll all have a bunch and it will get better as the night goes on

Hahaha... I'm telling you, everything eventually tastes pretty good, after you drink enough! :drunk:
 
yes i did boil it. i am not sure of the date on the can. my first batch was more of a act first ask questions later, so i didnt really start looking or reading till most of the process was finished. my second brew should be better. better temp control during the boil and the fermenting.

my next brew is going to be a hefe. i am going to try the swamp cooler with it.

as far as liking it. i havent had the chance to have more than one because my life has been so crazy the past few weeks, but tomorrow night i am having a few friends over, so we'll each have a few, and really decide what we like and dont like about it.

bottom like...if my hydrometer works, and the tables i used to calculate work, then its 6% alcohol, so we'll all have a bunch and it will get better as the night goes on
When you boil it, you will caramelize the malt extract it. This is why your beer is darker than the can. The Coopers beer kits are pre-boiled. Also the original bittering and aroma hop character of the kit will be removed. In the case of the Coopers Real Ale, there isn't any aroma hop. If you choose to add aroma hops, you can make a hop tea and add it to the fermenter after straining or dry hop.
 
You say that each brew gets better after setting for a month, is this from secondary fermentation in the bottle? What if after single rack go straight to soda keg, do you think this will adjust the flavor as in continued ageing? Suggestions?
 
I am with you Sir on the color thing. You can't taste color. I use Coopers hoped extract with Briess unhoped extract and some steeping grains. Put a ounce of hops in the fermenter for two weeks. Some of my beers have looked like used motor oil.

i like my beer with the evening meal.
 
You say that each brew gets better after setting for a month, is this from secondary fermentation in the bottle? What if after single rack go straight to soda keg, do you think this will adjust the flavor as in continued ageing? Suggestions?

A bit of aging does wonderful things to beer! The flavors meld, and any green apple flavor (often present in young beers) fades. It's not from secondary fermentation- it's from conditioning.

If you go from primary fermenter to keg (and I often do!), you could let the beer sit in the fermenter for 2-3 weeks before kegging and then keep the keg at room temperature a couple of weeks for more conditioning. The beer will condition at cold temperatures, too, but much more slowly.
 
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