I *thought* I did everything right ...

OK - first post -

I had tried my hand a brewing back when I was WAY younger and less patient - to fairly predictable results for someone who was both young and impatient. I quickly gave up on making bad beer.

Move forward 15 years - time to try again.

I read articles. I "snooped" thru forums. I bought a few book. I talked to folks. Then, I bought some brew equipment, and a simple "Box kit" . I followed all the directions - honest. I guarded temps - I sanitized like a surgeon. I gave it extra time in the secondary.

I bottled this past Wednesday. Out of morbid curiosity I took out a bottle today ( 3 days later) and held it to the light. It looked like it had " floatings" in it. I know I sterilized all equipment, that I strained both when going from primary to secondary as well as from secondary to bottling bucket. What gives? ( I also used Knox to "fine" it for 2 days prior to bottling. )

I cracked it open, and noted the following: already a little carbonation. Seems cloudier than when bottled. And has a cider-like taste. This dissappoints me because I used an all malt / steeping grains kit, not one that depended on corn sugar.

Any help / advice / recommendation / admonishments?

What was the kit? Can you post ingredients?

Generally, flavors will clear up after a bit longer (say two weeks) in the bottle, though the longer in the bottle the better!

How long was it in the primary/secondary for?

::edit:: 'Floaters' could be any number of things - some good, some bad. It is probably the yeast doing its job. My bottles almost always have a bit of sediment settled on the bottom of the bottle when I'm done (pain to clean out).

It is a Brewer's Best (R) Red Ale - 6.6 lbs LME , 8oz Crystal 120, 1 oz Choc. Willimette hops - 1 oz each for bittering and aroma. The yeast strain I do not recall.

I used purchase spring water. I washed every thing with Dawn and rinced, then washed cold water, then followed with 1step sanitizer.

Was in Primary for 6 days, though had stopped working after 4. In seconday for 12 days, Knox gelitin added at day 10.

Bottled in a mix of longnecks I had from way back when, and other I began collecting up recently when I got the bug to brew again.

Hope this helps.

What did you use for priming sugar? Did that come in the kit?

If it is still 'cidery' after a few weeks, one of the common reasons is the type of sugar used, though I'm sure some of the more experienced brewers will help with other reasons it may be. I've seen an 'off-taste flavor wheel' around here too that shows the off tastes and what commonly causes them.

Sorry - left that out. Corn sugar, included with kit. Made into simple syrup and added to bottleling bucket.

I'm hoping I'm just being a nervous Nelly and that after a fw more days, and then some fridge time it will be rectified. I hope. Maybe.

It should, hopefully, that red ale sounds pretty good!

Give it time. Leave it in the bottles for at least three weeks and then chill some down in the fridge overnight. It will help settle out the stuff left in the bottle.

Leave it condition in the bottle for at least 3 weeks before you pass judgment. Also, how long was the beer in the primary/secondary?

What tempature did you ferment at? Also do you remember if it was dry yeast or liquid?

Fermentation was at a very steady 70/72. I used a dry yeast, rehydrated for 15 minutes, then "tendered" with 2 tbs of wort every 3 minutes until it matched the temp of the wort at pitch ( 76 ).

Hannable1975 said:

I bottled this past Wednesday. Out of morbid curiosity I took out a bottle today ( 3 days later)

Click to expand...

Don't worry, you are doing fine. You just took it out too early, that's all. You can taste the beer after 2 weeks, and drink it after 3 or 4 weeks.

Hope so. Hey folks - thanks, a lot. really.

When I joined I did the added cost premium thing via Paypal. I have been reading posts here for a while, and it is well worth it to me. I really appreciate everyone's helpful natures.

Ok,

After reading your posts I have noticed a few things,

You should wait at least 2 weeks in the primary for any beer !
Your fermented a bit warm 65-68 deg F is desired...
unfiltered hops add to "floaters"
Age at least 3 weeks in the bottles ( homebrewing mantra "21 days at 70 degrees" repeat 3-5 times a day for the first week)

I (this is only an opinion) would wait at least 2 more weeks then chill one for at least 24 hours and try it, most of the floaters will fall out and you should have a fantastic brew.

Brewers Best kits are known for quality and consistent results !

work on your next 2 or 3 recipes while waiting....


-Jason

Thanks for all the help / info. I was so stoked by all this, I am currently, right now brewing up a Brewer's Best English Brown Ale, with only a small modification - the addition of 1 oz leaf hops at flavoring stage, and after reading some posts the addition of a whirlfloc tablet. Thanks again guys!

I made this kit as well recently. Also as well I had not brewed anything for about 15 years. I did not care for the taste. It reminded me of the True Brew Red Ale kit I made 15 years ago.

Just curious as I read somewhere to not use soap to clean equipment as it may ruin the head of the beer. I use oxy-clean which some people say you shouldn't use either but I always have used it and haven't had any problems with it so I was wondering what the opinion is on that?

I use dye free soap all the time and oxyclean to clean equipment and don't have any problems. It helps to rinse really well. I don't think I would use dishwasher soap.

As far as the OP is concerned, my personal opinion is that they should get 2-3 weeks in primary, and 3-4 weeks conditioning time. Probably wait till about 6 weeks after brew day before you make any opinions. You probably just tried it too soon.

As a side note, trying it too soon (like how you did) is a useful way to find errors in your brewing process. They will usually be cleaned up with aging. Not all things you will see at this point are errors. The floaties are probably (but not necessarily) yeast working on the carbing process (this is a good thing). The cidery off taste you describe is in the same boat (still not a bad thing). The cloudiness tells me that your yeast hasn't floccated out which fits with the floaties and cidery taste. The only real problem I can tell so far is that a red needs more time to meld and finish up than you are giving it.

One last note for the brewer's best kits - I've found that when they use steeping grains the temp they list in the instructions is too high. Steep your grains at 140 or 150 tops, if you go too high you'll get tannin extraction. I haven't used this kit in particular but my LHBS sells BB kits (which I used exclusively before switching to AG).

For those interested, I took bottles out yesterday to do the "gentle roll" . Today, much cleared, and looking better. All I could do not to stick one in the frezer to check when I get home from work tomorrow.

OK, so after 2 weeks , decided to check again. VERY clear in bottles, very carbed up it seems.

Here is a photo. My "red" ale seems to be a little closer to brown. Hmmm...

Anyway - did not go to waste - added to some flour and sugar and made some Beer Bread.

( Also stuck one in the fridge to let cool for a few days and sample. )