I'm just getting started with brewing beer, and decided to try a few extract kits while I accumulate the equipment to go AG. My wife got me the Coopers DIY starter kit that comes with the "Coopers Lager Extract" can and 1kg of dextrose/maltodextrin blend. Added sugar to fermenter, added hot water & mixed, added warmed extract then topped off to 23L as per the kit instructions. OG was 1.034. Nice foaming action after 24h, dissipated after 3-4 days. Fermentation temperature was 20-22C.
After reading some advice on these forums, I decided to extend the suggested fermentation time even though my FG readings were stable at 1.012 over several days. Let brew sit in the fermenter for an extra week and a bit (2 weeks total). Bottled in 750ml PVC bottles using the provided priming sugar drops.
Right off the bat I felt something was funny. The ABV seemed low (2.89% + 0.5% ~ 3.4%) and the beer tasted very yeasty. No off flavors, just tasted like pizza dough... I figured it would dissipate after hanging out in the bottles.
Just cracked a bottle open to see if flavor had improved (it's been 1wk in the bottle). I wasn't expecting miracles, but was hoping the flavor had matured a little... Beer cleared nicely and there was a little yeast deposit on the bottom, but it was still VERY yeasty and obviously low ABV. Also virtually NO carbonation. I'm by no means a beer snob, but I couldn't drink it.
Tried to follow everything to a tee. Sanitized bottles/equipment using star san. I should mention that I am using the "new" coopers fermenter with a spigot on the bottom and a non-sealing lid. Did not transfer to a secondary fermenter - went right from the primary to the bottles.
Hopefully the above is enough to diagnose the problem. I thought perhaps it may be a problem with the yeast or a lack of adequate mixing... Shook all the bottles and am letting them hang out another week or two... hoping I won't have to pitch it.
After reading some advice on these forums, I decided to extend the suggested fermentation time even though my FG readings were stable at 1.012 over several days. Let brew sit in the fermenter for an extra week and a bit (2 weeks total). Bottled in 750ml PVC bottles using the provided priming sugar drops.
Right off the bat I felt something was funny. The ABV seemed low (2.89% + 0.5% ~ 3.4%) and the beer tasted very yeasty. No off flavors, just tasted like pizza dough... I figured it would dissipate after hanging out in the bottles.
Just cracked a bottle open to see if flavor had improved (it's been 1wk in the bottle). I wasn't expecting miracles, but was hoping the flavor had matured a little... Beer cleared nicely and there was a little yeast deposit on the bottom, but it was still VERY yeasty and obviously low ABV. Also virtually NO carbonation. I'm by no means a beer snob, but I couldn't drink it.
Tried to follow everything to a tee. Sanitized bottles/equipment using star san. I should mention that I am using the "new" coopers fermenter with a spigot on the bottom and a non-sealing lid. Did not transfer to a secondary fermenter - went right from the primary to the bottles.
Hopefully the above is enough to diagnose the problem. I thought perhaps it may be a problem with the yeast or a lack of adequate mixing... Shook all the bottles and am letting them hang out another week or two... hoping I won't have to pitch it.