Just a general informational post, I guess, because I really don't have a question per se.
I brewed an American Amber Ale (Northern Brewery Kit) a week ago Friday (ten days in the fermenter) and decided to take a gravity reading today so I could have a taste. The gravity is hovering right around 1.010, but the beer is still very cloudy. I plan to leave it in the fermenter until next weekend.
There is a very good hop presence to the beer, reminiscent of Sierra Nevada's pale ale, but not quite as prominent. There is a distinct orange aroma on the nose, which seems to be a characteristic of the Summit hops used. Overall, even at this early stage the flavor seems to be there. There isn't the "green beer" flavor I got from my first batch when I tasted it during bottling. I'm hoping the fact the beer tastes this much more "mature" at this stage will bode well for it later, once it's been in the bottles for a few weeks. I steeped the grains longer this time around, paying careful attention to control the temperature to allow for a full 30 minute steep. I wonder if this aided in the more complete flavor I'm experiencing now. I've also managed to maintain a nearly perfectly consistent 60 degree temperature throughout the fermentation.
So, anyway, if this is any indicator of things to come, I'll be opening my own brewery by the new year.
I brewed an American Amber Ale (Northern Brewery Kit) a week ago Friday (ten days in the fermenter) and decided to take a gravity reading today so I could have a taste. The gravity is hovering right around 1.010, but the beer is still very cloudy. I plan to leave it in the fermenter until next weekend.
There is a very good hop presence to the beer, reminiscent of Sierra Nevada's pale ale, but not quite as prominent. There is a distinct orange aroma on the nose, which seems to be a characteristic of the Summit hops used. Overall, even at this early stage the flavor seems to be there. There isn't the "green beer" flavor I got from my first batch when I tasted it during bottling. I'm hoping the fact the beer tastes this much more "mature" at this stage will bode well for it later, once it's been in the bottles for a few weeks. I steeped the grains longer this time around, paying careful attention to control the temperature to allow for a full 30 minute steep. I wonder if this aided in the more complete flavor I'm experiencing now. I've also managed to maintain a nearly perfectly consistent 60 degree temperature throughout the fermentation.
So, anyway, if this is any indicator of things to come, I'll be opening my own brewery by the new year.