Hydrometers? We don't need no stinking hydrometers! - When a homebrew goes south...

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AlterCow

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I am new to homebrewing as a whole, although I did assist in some mead making and beer brewing another lifetime ago. When I got into making beer on my own it was January of 2009. My first recipie kit was a True Brew All Malt Amber. Without the usage of my hydrometer I simpley made the beer and relied on time to measure the wort fermenting out. The reason I did not use my hydrometer was thatI didn't have a tube to check the gravity of the liquid in. My first beer was a success, but only because of luck.

Thinking I succeed without this step in brewing I did not purchase a measuring vial until recently. In interim I have brewed a Dead Guy clone, a True Brew Stout and IPA without taking readings. The Dead Guy came out overcarbonated, stinking of alcohol, and tasting flat. The stout is way off and in no way resembles a stout: it is very thin bodied and again has an alcohol smell. Now I have yet to check my IPA which has been aging in bottles, but again I do not have much hope of it turning out good.

For the Dead Guy and the Stout I used Kreamex(?) and I wonder if that played a part in how it all turned out. On the IPA I used straight dextrose when bottling.

So, I believe that I have learned to take all steps necessary to assure the brew is what it is supposed to be before bottling.

Any insight or questions are welcomed. I just wanted to share misfortune in the beginning stages of figuring out brewing.
 
what where your fermentation temps? if they where anywhere around 80 or above that will cause the problems. did you add any yeast nutrient? over doing this will cause the problem. was the wart cool when you pitched the yeast? again should be somewhere in the 60's. did you add any refined sugars to your brew? this could cause this problem.
 
Starting fermentation temp: 68*
Finishing temp: 64*

I did not add any yeast nutrient.

I pitched yeast in the upper 60's on every batch.

The only sugar I added was at the time of bottling. That is with exception to the candi sugar that was part of the recipes.

Thanks for the response.
 
It started at 68* and ended at 64*. It did not fluctuate wildly in between those two temps for 7 days of fermenting, but it gradually cooled.
 
It started at 68* and ended at 64*. It did not fluctuate wildly in between those two temps for 7 days of fermenting, but it gradually cooled.

Is that the temp in the room or the temp of the fermenter? What yeast did you use?

Hot fermentation temps produce fusal alcohol flavors.

What is in the kits for fermentables? Was it all malt extracts? Candi sugar can thin out beer. Too much simple sugars can make it taste cidery.
 
In the fermentor. I am sure the fermenting temps were between 68* and 64* during the fermentation.

Pacman yeast for the Dead Guy Ale. Not sure the other yeast for the True Brew porter, but it was the stock Muntuns.

Both kits had grains to steep, with malt extracts boiled down after steeping.
 
The hydrometer has no effect on your finished beer.

It just tells you when it is done.

Knowing that your beer finished a little lower in FG would have changed nothing. Maybe your yeast is too strong.
 
The hydrometer has no effect on your finished beer.

It just tells you when it is done.

Knowing that your beer finished a little lower in FG would have changed nothing. Maybe your yeast is too strong.

+1 - the off-flavors you are describing are the result of your process somewhere, the hydrometer would have just told you when the beer is done, and how much alcohol is in it. It would not do anything for the flavor.
 
Yes, I am aware that a hydrometer doesn't have anything to do with flavor, but that the beer was finished fermenting.

Maybe the off flavor was the Kreamex bottling sugar. Maybe I didn't let the grains steep long enough.

That Pac-Man yeast does seem awefully powerful.
 
has anybody else tasted your beer? It would be great if you could get a certified judge to have a sample and give you some feedback.
 
I like that idea. In the future I may have to recruit some others than myself and my wife.

My first and successful amber ale was enjoyed by many. I got a lot of feedback about it. None of it seems to apply to these two mishaps.

I may sample my IPA tonight. It is close to the end of its aging.
 
It started at 68* and ended at 64*. It did not fluctuate wildly in between those two temps for 7 days of fermenting, but it gradually cooled.

Try fermenting in primary at least 3 weeks, bottle (or keg) at room temp. at least three weeks, then cool for another week, then drink. Also try leaving out any agents for conditioning/head retention etc. until a problem is percieved and needs fixed.
Brew on my friend:rockin:
 
Just throw all that bottle mess away and start kegging. It's simpler. Just snap on a CO2 hose and fughetaboutit.

I know you mean well, but that isn't what he wants to hear.;)

Try fermenting in primary at least 3 weeks, bottle (or keg) at room temp. at least three weeks, then cool for another week, then drink. Also try leaving out any agents for conditioning/head retention etc. until a problem is percieved and needs fixed.
Brew on my friend:rockin:

Right on.

Patience.

Even a crappy beer will be twice as good after 6 weeks in the bottle as it was at 2 weeks.
 
I know you mean well, but that isn't what he wants to hear.;)



Right on.

Patience.

Even a crappy beer will be twice as good after 6 weeks in the bottle as it was at 2 weeks.

Yes, you are right, I don't want to hear that... at least not yet. I can only afford so much and kegging is on the list after acquiring an all grain brewing set up and a beer fridge. So, we may not see kegging for another 10+ months.

I know what you mean by aging longer. I have a True Brew IPA that has a better mouthfeel after sitting around for 2.5 months in the bottles. The flavor is off and doesn't taste like any IPA I have ever had, but it is better than when I first tried it after a month of aging.

The thing that makes it frustrating is that all my extract beers, all brewed and aged as per instructions, all taste the same. This is driving me nuts trying to figure out how to make a beer that tastes like a craft beer and not a crap beer. :(
 
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