Thoughts on my second beer?

I thought I would post a pic of my second beer and ask some opinions and suggestions on my brew process (listed below of course).

My second batch was NB's Brown Ale




This was also a partial brew, but instead of following the instructions to a T, I took some suggestions made by the gurus here. What I done was....

1. 3.5 gallon partial volume boil vs 2.5 gallon
2. added half the LME at beginning of boil, then rest with about 10 minutes left vs full amount for 60 minutes
3. 3 weeks in primary vs 2 weeks*
4. cold crashed for 3 days
5. bottle conditioned for 3 weeks vs 2

* first week of fermentation was closer to 68 degrees (ambient) in a swamp cooler, then when my temp controller came in, the last two weeks were in my converted freezer at 60 degrees F.


It tastes "good", but to be honest I like my first batch better (a wheat beer). This beer has a bit of a bitter aftertaste at times. The taste also seems thin compared to other brown ales I've had (Redhook, BBC, Newcastle....). I'm kinda a bit surprised it also seems cloudy looking. Clarity is a distant second to taste, but thought I would mention that if there's suggestions.

I'm still new at this, but I read here often where fermentation is so make it or break it with beers. I'm wondering if the switch from swamp cooler to temp controlled freezer is the culprit. I know taste is subjective, but for those in the know, am I right or just being too critical of myself?

The beer is good enough to drink, but the after taste is enough to catch my attention sometimes. I have a one gallon batch of Caribou Slobber I'll bottle this weekend, so maybe this will be a better tasting brew to what I'm drinking now. Until then, what improvements should I make?

Thanks and sorry for the winded post.

Hmmm..... You might have to ship me a bottle and I can comment on the beer.

Any issues with the beer are probably just Northern's recipe.
But again, I would like a bottle or three to test that though.

Fermentation temps are best kept stable. Best thing to do is keep brewing. Make another batch with the temp controller and see if things improve.

Yesfan said:

I thought I would post a pic of my second beer and ask some opinions and suggestions on my brew process (listed below of course).

My second batch was NB's Brown Ale

This was also a partial brew, but instead of following the instructions to a T, I took some suggestions made by the gurus here. What I done was....

1. 3.5 gallon partial volume boil vs 2.5 gallon
2. added half the LME at beginning of boil, then rest with about 10 minutes left vs full amount for 60 minutes
3. 3 weeks in primary vs 2 weeks*
4. cold crashed for 3 days
5. bottle conditioned for 3 weeks vs 2

* first week of fermentation was closer to 68 degrees (ambient) in a swamp cooler, then when my temp controller came in, the last two weeks were in my converted freezer at 60 degrees F.

It tastes "good", but to be honest I like my first batch better (a wheat beer). This beer has a bit of a bitter aftertaste at times. The taste also seems thin compared to other brown ales I've had (Redhook, BBC, Newcastle....). I'm kinda a bit surprised it also seems cloudy looking. Clarity is a distant second to taste, but thought I would mention that if there's suggestions.

I'm still new at this, but I read here often where fermentation is so make it or break it with beers. I'm wondering if the switch from swamp cooler to temp controlled freezer is the culprit. I know taste is subjective, but for those in the know, am I right or just being too critical of myself?

The beer is good enough to drink, but the after taste is enough to catch my attention sometimes. I have a one gallon batch of Caribou Slobber I'll bottle this weekend, so maybe this will be a better tasting brew to what I'm drinking now. Until then, what improvements should I make?

Thanks and sorry for the winded post.

Click to expand...

My first beer a robust porter was really really bitter, after being carbedbin bottles for about 2 months the bitterness really and I mean really mellowed out. Now the beer is great and getting better. Kinda wish I didt drink as many at first ( But it was my first batch!)

If its really bitter let it age out to mellow. Prost!

Ok. Thanks. I still have a little over a case left, so I can always put some back and see if aging it a bit mellows it out. I also have my two 1 gallon batches too to help the brown ale batch last longer (unless those taste like crap).


On a side note, I did recently get a new 10 gallon kettle. Now I'll be able to do full volume boils along with having stable fermentation temps. I'm dying to do an all-grain batch next, but wonder if I should stay with extract for a bit longer. Is it a bad decision to go with all grain next (BIAB)? I don't see how my first all grain could be any worse than my extract beers (famous last words), but if anything it's still going to be a learning process whether I start now or later.

If it helps, I've done (and still doing) a TON of reading and searching all grain topics and feel I have a grasp of the basic processes. Just like with my first extract, I'll probably go with the cheaper priced recipes. There's the one gallon all grains too, but I really want to break in the new kettle.

Yeah man put some away age them. get some beers in your pipeline

Now that you have a bigger kettle try some full volume boils with extract? Ive brewed about 9 batches and have not done a 2.5 gallon boil. Maybe it will help?

Brew wichever you want AG, BIAB, extract. And if your doing your "homework" your beers will be good. Of course theres always room for improvement but I guess stay within the lines you feel comfortable.

You mentioned clarity. In the future you can use a whirlflock tablet in the last 10 minutes of the boil. That will help. so will cold crashing after fermentation has finished. Now that you have temp control that will be easy. But if you wait long enough it will clear in the bottle. And the bitterness will age out to a degree. Perhaps you should send me a bottle or two as well, just so I can tell.