OK, So newbie here. I brewed my first brew (Red Hood esb) on saturday and took a sample today (day 3). The gravity was 1.014 and it tasted BLAND... there were very very light hints of hops and a little sweetness but other than that it was just water. I'm wondering if this is normally and if it will develop more flavors after bottling or if there is anything I can/should do to increase the flavor at this phase. I do have 1/4oz Willamette hops left over, would it increase the hoppiness if I threw the pellets into the bucket?
here is a link to the recipe - http://www.midwestsupplies.com/red-hood-esb-red-hook-w-american-ale-wyeast-activator-1056.html
the recipe is an extract kit with 4 lb. Alexanders Pale malt extract, 3 lb. Light dried malt extract, 16 oz. Caramel 60, 3 oz. Tettnang, .5 oz. Willamette pellet hops, 1 tsp. Irish moss.
I followed the recipe closely and as far as I know I didn't screw up during the boil. I boiled (& steeped) 4gals of distilled water and topped with 1gal of distilled ice to cool the wort, the wort cooled pretty quickly (also submersed in ice bath) to around 80f & I pitched the yeast, closed her up & walked away. I checked on the bucket 48hrs later & the temp was around 75-77 with 1.5 bubbles in the airlock per second. I used some frozen gallon jugs next to the fermenter to cool it to 68 were it has held at since. I'm still getting bubbles about ever 20secs. I didn't take an OG, but current gravity is 1.014 .
any suggestions?
here is a link to the recipe - http://www.midwestsupplies.com/red-hood-esb-red-hook-w-american-ale-wyeast-activator-1056.html
the recipe is an extract kit with 4 lb. Alexanders Pale malt extract, 3 lb. Light dried malt extract, 16 oz. Caramel 60, 3 oz. Tettnang, .5 oz. Willamette pellet hops, 1 tsp. Irish moss.
I followed the recipe closely and as far as I know I didn't screw up during the boil. I boiled (& steeped) 4gals of distilled water and topped with 1gal of distilled ice to cool the wort, the wort cooled pretty quickly (also submersed in ice bath) to around 80f & I pitched the yeast, closed her up & walked away. I checked on the bucket 48hrs later & the temp was around 75-77 with 1.5 bubbles in the airlock per second. I used some frozen gallon jugs next to the fermenter to cool it to 68 were it has held at since. I'm still getting bubbles about ever 20secs. I didn't take an OG, but current gravity is 1.014 .
any suggestions?