FreeLordBrewing
Well-Known Member
hi everyone
well I just about finished consuming my 8th batch (I still consider myself a newbie). I had posted some concerns about it and got GREAT advice!! so thanks to all for the input!!
I brewed a dry Irish stout (extract) kit from brewers best, with the addition of wyeast of Irish ale yeast instead of the generic yeast pack supplied with the kit, and also added 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the boil (attempted a pumpkin pie spiced stout). I fermented in the primary for 3 weeks and racked to secondary for additional 2 weeks at which point I added an additional 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice as I could not smell any of the spice what so ever when racking, after 2 weeks I racked into bottling bucket and added an additional 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. The flavor profile I was going for was dead on!!! I made a few mistakes with this batch and learned of some issues.
first I never areated the wort before pitching the yeast (will do this on my next batch for sure!!!) I never did this with any of my batches and introduced banana flavors to the beer letting it sit on the yeast cake longer helped to remove the scent and banana flavors (a tip from my fellow brewers on here thank you!!!) the fermenting temps were just fine and were not the cause to the banana flavor.
I brought the specific gravity to a higher mark than what was called for on the directions for this kit, in hopes of making for a stronger beer. target was 1.046 - 1.050 I brought it to 1.055 (only yielded 4.25 gallons vs 5 gallons)
I didn't use a "starter" for the yeast (something I will also do with my next batch for sure!!) that along with not aerating the wort may have attributed to not reaching my final gravity. I wanted to get down to at least what the kit called for 1.011 - 1.014 but only managed 1.022 and it would not budge even after a second week in the secondary.
I bottled it at 1.022 and was decent, but mouth feel still felt "watered down" and some what flat. I had to give it a "harsh pour" to get a decent head on it. All of my home brews at this point (8 total) have all come across this way on my tongue with the exception of 1 a IPA (6th batch) that so far has been my favorite (it came off syrupy and heavy on the tongue which i liked!) is the watery mouth feel just a normal character of extract brewing??
the % of this batch only yielded 4.3% which I was disappointed at but still drinkable. I Gave out the bottles to all my good friends as Xmas gifts ha ha. although it did carbonate, the beer didn't give off a good Pshhhh when opening as I thought it should. It was there but not very strong. I added all of the priming sugar as described in the directions of the kit.
the flavor was amazing!! but the mouth feel still felt weak, and some what flat....I let it sit for some time (just opened another last night which its been aging since Dec. 9 so 5 weeks). I was hoping to get to the 6% mark but didn't. If i was to hit a higher percent, Will the higher percent in alcohol come across as a heavier mouth feel?? and does very good carbonation also lead to a better mouth feel?? thanks in advance - Shawn
well I just about finished consuming my 8th batch (I still consider myself a newbie). I had posted some concerns about it and got GREAT advice!! so thanks to all for the input!!
I brewed a dry Irish stout (extract) kit from brewers best, with the addition of wyeast of Irish ale yeast instead of the generic yeast pack supplied with the kit, and also added 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice to the boil (attempted a pumpkin pie spiced stout). I fermented in the primary for 3 weeks and racked to secondary for additional 2 weeks at which point I added an additional 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice as I could not smell any of the spice what so ever when racking, after 2 weeks I racked into bottling bucket and added an additional 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. The flavor profile I was going for was dead on!!! I made a few mistakes with this batch and learned of some issues.
first I never areated the wort before pitching the yeast (will do this on my next batch for sure!!!) I never did this with any of my batches and introduced banana flavors to the beer letting it sit on the yeast cake longer helped to remove the scent and banana flavors (a tip from my fellow brewers on here thank you!!!) the fermenting temps were just fine and were not the cause to the banana flavor.
I brought the specific gravity to a higher mark than what was called for on the directions for this kit, in hopes of making for a stronger beer. target was 1.046 - 1.050 I brought it to 1.055 (only yielded 4.25 gallons vs 5 gallons)
I didn't use a "starter" for the yeast (something I will also do with my next batch for sure!!) that along with not aerating the wort may have attributed to not reaching my final gravity. I wanted to get down to at least what the kit called for 1.011 - 1.014 but only managed 1.022 and it would not budge even after a second week in the secondary.
I bottled it at 1.022 and was decent, but mouth feel still felt "watered down" and some what flat. I had to give it a "harsh pour" to get a decent head on it. All of my home brews at this point (8 total) have all come across this way on my tongue with the exception of 1 a IPA (6th batch) that so far has been my favorite (it came off syrupy and heavy on the tongue which i liked!) is the watery mouth feel just a normal character of extract brewing??
the % of this batch only yielded 4.3% which I was disappointed at but still drinkable. I Gave out the bottles to all my good friends as Xmas gifts ha ha. although it did carbonate, the beer didn't give off a good Pshhhh when opening as I thought it should. It was there but not very strong. I added all of the priming sugar as described in the directions of the kit.
the flavor was amazing!! but the mouth feel still felt weak, and some what flat....I let it sit for some time (just opened another last night which its been aging since Dec. 9 so 5 weeks). I was hoping to get to the 6% mark but didn't. If i was to hit a higher percent, Will the higher percent in alcohol come across as a heavier mouth feel?? and does very good carbonation also lead to a better mouth feel?? thanks in advance - Shawn
