1st 5 gallon story

[Rippt530]

This is a story of patience.

I began brewing my first 5 gallon all grain batch, after a 1 gallon AG from Brooklyn Brew Shop and a 2 gallon AG batch of IPA.

I started like my last two batches. Grabbed the grains at the LHBS, prepped my equipment, and started brewing. Nothing special happened during the process; mash in, mash out, sparge, boil, cool, pitch... no big deal (my notes are better than this). My efficiency is low, but I think this is down to a LHBS grind issue. I'll save this for another time. Hydro reading about 1.044.

Fermented, waited, and took readings. After it hit 1.014 it tasted like absolute diarrhea to put it mildly. Nothing off to indicate contamination, it was just every bad taste of beer; sugary but not malty, banana flavors, and some sort of puckering bitterness that made me sick.

Doing projects around the house, and not having the last 60 days to brew, I just left that stuff sit in the basement @62F. Pulled it out today to dump it, or at least see how much worse it got, and behold,beer was made. It tastes fantastic. I can't wait until it's carbed fully in the bottles now.

Patience is a virtue. A second (3rd, 4th or 5th) primary fermenter is a necessity.

My little bit of knowledge gained in this brew:
1. If it tastes good in the boil, it will eventually taste good as a beer.
2. If it doesn't taste good, wait.
3. I now know what a solid yeast cake looks like.
3. I like the number 3.
4. Don't ever dump beer.

If anyone has anyone else to add, I would appreciate it.

 

[windbreaker123]

it tasted like absolute diarrhea If that is the flavor of vodka you buy you may want to think about another.

 

[cclloyd]

too funny..... so when did Absolut come out with feces flavor?

 

[Rippt530]

Bad choice of words, but it was really aweful.

 

[Lechien]

I've got a carboy full I was all excited about as i was making it, it's a month and a half old and terrible....I'm going to move it out of sight in the basement and check it in a couple months.

Thanks for the encouraging thread.

 

[DesertPunk1981]

I heard a similar story about a guy cleaning out some storage racks in his garage and found a bottle of old Homebrew (1-2 years old, I think). He claims that all he remembers is it was a horrible batch that mostly got dumped. This bottle must've got pushed to the back over time, so he tried it and said it was the best beer he ever made!

 

[Rippt530]

I just checked the yeast washed off the cake and it is no longer viable so I know it won't be reused. I think it was California Ale. No foam or even bubbles when adding it to some simple syrup and water. I left it go for 12 hrs and no dice.

 

[onthekeg]

I just checked the yeast washed off the cake and it is no longer viable so I know it won't be reused. I think it was California Ale. No foam or even bubbles when adding it to some simple syrup and water. I left it go for 12 hrs and no dice.

Did you check the gravity of the syrup before and after? It may have fermented it quickly. I have used yeast that is over a year old, making a starter of course.