greenfrog5
Well-Known Member
A long-time brewer friend of mine was helping analyze my first brew (standard extract + steeped grain kit: American Amber) and suggested some unusual things (contradictory to things I've read on here).
First, he said his main comment on my brew was that it lacked body. He suggested this might be from letting the fermentation go too long (too dry), and/or from topping-off to go from 3-gal boil to 5-gal batch. He says that this topping-off isn't good, and waters down the beer (of course it does), even though it is extract, and PART of the recipe itself!.
Not sure about the over-fermented part. I got the impression extra time in primary wasn't generally a bad thing. It fermented in primary from 1.060 to 1.016 (matched the recipe) in 2 weeks). Its been in bottles for a month+.
Second, he says when he racks to bottling bucket, he tries to aerate the beer! He stirs the beer in the bucket until it is frothy!! I presume this is anticipation of more yeast activity on the priming sugar, but everything I've read says after pitching/aerating, that you want to forever avoid further aeration.
He admits that this is partly 'how he's done it for 10 years', and implied he would just keep doing so. He has a background in biology & science, so he understands the concepts involved. If I know his methods are wrong, he'd listen, but I wasn't equipped to dispute it without consulting the experts here. Are these techniques that have changed drastically since he started brewing?
Thanks
Aaron
First, he said his main comment on my brew was that it lacked body. He suggested this might be from letting the fermentation go too long (too dry), and/or from topping-off to go from 3-gal boil to 5-gal batch. He says that this topping-off isn't good, and waters down the beer (of course it does), even though it is extract, and PART of the recipe itself!.
Not sure about the over-fermented part. I got the impression extra time in primary wasn't generally a bad thing. It fermented in primary from 1.060 to 1.016 (matched the recipe) in 2 weeks). Its been in bottles for a month+.
Second, he says when he racks to bottling bucket, he tries to aerate the beer! He stirs the beer in the bucket until it is frothy!! I presume this is anticipation of more yeast activity on the priming sugar, but everything I've read says after pitching/aerating, that you want to forever avoid further aeration.
He admits that this is partly 'how he's done it for 10 years', and implied he would just keep doing so. He has a background in biology & science, so he understands the concepts involved. If I know his methods are wrong, he'd listen, but I wasn't equipped to dispute it without consulting the experts here. Are these techniques that have changed drastically since he started brewing?
Thanks
Aaron