It tastes good - BUT ...

OK, My first batch ( discussed in an earlier thread ) was a Brewer's Best Red Ale Kit.

For the sake of brevity, i did not add any additional ingredients, only used what was in the box, did not use any Whirlfloc or moss, and used purchased spring water.

In my earlier post I was getting a little antsy and kinda rushing the nature of brewing.

So now, bottles conditioned, very nicely carbed up, chilled with little to no haze - and tastes pretty doggone sporty. I like it.

BUT - This "red ale" looks more like a hybrid of a brown ale and sweet tea. Not really pretty, color wise.

So, I have been perusing the threads ( I try no to ask a question if someone else has, IF I can find the answer ) - and I have 2 theories - either the kit I bought ( from a LHBV I WILL not be returning too, but I digress) is old, or could it be Malliard ( sp?) reactions from the steeping grains - after some of the posts I realized that I both steeped them too hot, and let the bag rest on the bottom of the brew kettle - not suspended it. ( Something I corrected on batch #2).

Suggestions? Comments? Have you brewed this kit before? DId you're come out a nice rich red?

How long has it been bottle conditioned?

You will be amazed at the amount of difference time in the bottle will make.

I think if you leave it alone it will go from tea-looking to sparkling clear, especially if you throw some in the fridge and leave them for a month. You will think your are pouring a store bought, filtered beer.

Congratulations on your first brew, Hannable! It's great that it came out tasting good.

I've used Brewers Best kits and they are fine, in my opinion, although I never used the particular one, the red ale, that you are asking about.

In my experience, red ales aren't really red but have a reddish tint to them. The way I get that color in my red ale is by using roasted barley in my sparge (not mashed) during all-grain. Now how that translates to extract brewing is an interesting question - you want to extract the color from the roasted barley but not the roasty flavor. So, I think a brief steeping of the roasted barley, separately from the other steeping grains, might work.

But I suppose others who have made an extract red ale might be able to give you actual, real advice from experience rather than my ruminations. I really just wanted to congratulate you on a successful first brew!

MajorTom said:

How long has it been bottle conditioned?

You will be amazed at the amount of difference time in the bottle will make.

I think if you leave it alone it will go from tea-looking to sparkling clear, especially if you throw some in the fridge and leave them for a month. You will think your are pouring a store bought, filtered beer.

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Well, it is very clear, and the one sampled was chilled 72 hours, after 18 days conditioning. Maybe I am missing something, but it does not seem to b a particulate or sediment issue, but rather a color issue. Even poured on a white plate the brown is uniform, like the hue of tea. I only put 3 in the chill box, letting the rest condition one more week, and I'm sure that will mellow the beer, but I just wanted to see if anyone else experience "off colors" and the causes.

+1 MajorTom

when they condition out more, you will indeed be amazed at the changes that are still taking place.

pwndabear said:

+1 MajorTom

when they condition out more, you will indeed be amazed at the changes that are still taking place.

Click to expand...

OK, seems maybe I just need to wait a bit longer - LOL. ( Kinda hard to do I just love brew so much! )

Pappers said:

Congratulations on your first brew, Hannable! It's great that it came out tasting good.

Click to expand...

Thanks!

I've never made that particular kit, but I've done plenty of other Brewer's Best kits. They've all been pretty good.

As far as color, well, that's tricky. It could be that the extract was older, or that the steeping grains were a bit darker. But to be honest, even for experienced brewers a "red" color is pretty hard. Brown is easy, copper is doable but the lovely red hue is a tough color to get without adding roasty flavors.

An Irish "red" beer by the BJCP style guidelines can be 9-18 SRM. 18 SRM is very dark- pretty brown and not much red. Mine was definitely a reddish brown (my own recipe) with an SRM of 11, and not really red but it was within style guidelines.

I guess that's the long way of saying that I bet you're definitely drinking a red- but the color is maybe not what you were expecting. If all else is good (and it sounds like it is!), then I'd call it a great success and drink it with my eyes closed.

Congrats on your first brew!

My first brew is bottle conditioning now, but as others have said, I've seen some of my friends beer still changing with an extra two weeks of conditioning.