First beer

I made my first beer about a week and a half ago. It has finished fermenting and has been transferred into the secondary. After transfer I took my wine thief and got a taste sample. It tastes almost like water.... Did I do something wrong or will the flavor build as it sits in the secondary? It's an autumn amber ale. Grains were steeped for 20 min at 150 degrees. Then it was removed from heat, added the lme, stirred until dissolved, brought to boil then added the hops. I followed the directions. Any advice?

It sure smells like beer. When I transferred it, it made the whole house smell like beer.




This is it fermenting





This is in the secondary.

I would say honestly don't worry about it. It will most likely turn out just fine, tasting after fermentation and before carbonation and conditioning can really throw you off. Bottle it and let it carbonate and condition then give her a taste. (Smells like beer, Looks like beer- probably going to taste like beer.... LETS HOPE )

Using a hydrometer to measure gravities helps to know where it started and where it finished.

I know it finished fermenting... I was just curious as to why it tasted watery

Seriously,
Wait until it's carbonated. That accounts for quite a bit of the mouthfeel.

What recipe was it? Did you use grains or extract? What was the OG and FG?

It was an extract brew, the sg and of match the paper guidelines. It was an extract kit from Midwest Supplies.

Wait for it to be carbonated. Beers will taste different even between 80% carbonated and fully carbonated, let alone not at all.

sounds good. Its in a keg now.

for a watery tast during fermintation you may of converted to many of the sugars to fermentable sugars, thus they would be eaten by the yeast.

how to tell

you will have a lower final gravity than expected.

down side you will lose some flavor

up side, higher achol content with a lighter tasting beer.