1st Brew. Taste Question

[BigusD]

So... I know I'm being impatient. Right? But I'm just looking for a little validation.

I brewed my first batch with a friend (who's brewed several quality beers) and after reading "How to Brew". I'm pretty sure we did everything right and followed the recipe (Great Fermentations "Brain Eater Pale Ale").

So, my question is this: After one week, fermentation seems to have slowed significantly. I'm getting one bubble every 15 seconds or so. At seven days I added the dry hops. At that time I took a gravity reading and then tasted the brew. Gravity was at 1.013 (OG was 1.063). Seems like I should be pretty close based on what I understand. HOWEVER, the beer tasted much more like a spirit than a beer. Very "hot".

My research indicates this can be caused by fermenting too warm. I have a fermometer on my fermentation bucket that read 72 for the first day and 68 for the rest of the week. It also sounds like this "hot" spirit taste will mellow out over time and I might just need to be patient. Of course, the recipe calls for the dry hops to sit for 4-7 days...

So, my current plan is to keg this beer after seven days. Does it sound like I'm on the right track?

1. Does the flavor after seven days sound reasonable, or have I messed this up?
2. Is my plan to keg correct, or should I leave in fermentation bucket longer? If not kegging at seven days, should I pull the dry hops out and/or move to a secondary fermenter instead?
3. I read that fermentation temps can be higher than ambient room temp... is the fermometer reading the fermentation temp or the room temp, or between somewhere?
4. Why can't I just be more patient?

 

[mrgrimm101]

Firstly, patience will come with time. I know it's hard to do, but it will help your beers in the long run.

Secondly, airlock activity is a poor indication of fermentation activity. It could completely stop bubbling, but your beer could still be actively fermenting. The bubbles get more rapid during the most aggressive fermentation, but they aren't an indication of anything other than air escaping the carboy.

I don't dry hop until I hit my FG. Did you take a FG sample and then 2 days later take another to be sure you hit your FG? That is the only way to make sure you are done fermenting. I let my batches go about 2 weeks before checking the FG. That way I'm sure that it's done and I'm not being impatient.

72F sounds very warm, especially for the first day or so of fermentation. You may be getting some heat from that. You could also get more fruity esters at these temps. It will probably be ok though.

Your beer will taste vastly different after it finishes fermenting and gains carbonation and conditions in the bottle.

1.) I only taste when I pull gravity samples, so usually once on brew day then after about 2 weeks when I take my first FG sample. I can't say for sure if that "hot alcohol" taste is right for that stage..it should taste like "green" beer. Uncarbonated and unconditioned. Far from a finished product.

2.) I personally do not use secondaries. IMO, you should have left it in primary for longer before you dry hopped. Then dry hop for about 4 days and rack to keg. You could even dry hop additionally in the keg. I wouldn't remove the dry hops..just let them go for 4-7 days. I've let dry hops sit for up to 10 days with no bad side effects.

3.) That is true..fermentation causes heat so the internal temperature of your primary can be about 2-4 degrees higher than the ambient temp. The fermometer should be very close to the internal temperature..within a degree.

4.) RDWHAHB. Patience will come to you after you've gotten a few batches under your belt and have built up a pipeline of homebrews to drink.

Congrats and welcome!!

 

[BigusD]

I did take a gravity reading... but I didn't take 2 readings over a couple of days. I'll make a note of that going forward.

Sounds like at this point I'll check gravity again in about 4 days... then again a couple of days after that. Assuming FG is stable, I'll rack to keg at that time.

I'll just have to be keeping my fingers cross that the heat mellows out. Next time I'll be sure my fermentation is a bit cooler. I have it in the basement, which typically stays cool... but we had the AC off due to mild outside temperatures, and the basement was a bit warmer than usual for the first couple of days.

Thanks for the input!

 

[m00ps]

Yeah fermentation temps are key. I use my chest freezer for the first week or so to ensure they stay at low temps. The first 5 days or so are more critical. After that its room temps usually but I set my thermostat in ym house specifically for beer. People will complain its a bit chilly but I say if you want to continue hanging out here drinking my beer for free then you cant ***** about it

 

[mrgrimm101]

I did take a gravity reading... but I didn't take 2 readings over a couple of days. I'll make a note of that going forward.

Sounds like at this point I'll check gravity again in about 4 days... then again a couple of days after that. Assuming FG is stable, I'll rack to keg at that time.

I'll just have to be keeping my fingers cross that the heat mellows out. Next time I'll be sure my fermentation is a bit cooler. I have it in the basement, which typically stays cool... but we had the AC off due to mild outside temperatures, and the basement was a bit warmer than usual for the first couple of days.

Thanks for the input!

Ideally, you want to take a gravity reading and then 2 days later take another reading. If the reading is the same, I'd say you hit your FG and can proceed.

When my basement is a bit too warm, I take a couple T-shirts and get them wet from my sink (not soaking, but a little wetter than damp) and wrap them around my primary. This knocks the internal temp down a few degrees. You can also set up what is called a "swamp cooler"..basically a big tub or tote filled with water that you place your fermentor in the water. You can rotate in frozen water bottles or 2 liters full of ice. This will help bring your temps down to where you want.

 

[brewcat]

That's a pretty high OG, so I would expect it to have that "hot" taste. It needs time. I would guess you will finish around 7% abv. I would just leave the dry hops for 7 days. Then keg if you are at OG.

I have a dubbel that tasted "hot" going into bottles after a month in the primary. After getting carbed up it isn't there. Which reminds me I need to see how those are coming along. I wouldn't worry about your beer. Yeah fermentation temps were on the high side but they weren't out of range.

The fermometer is very accurate to the beer temp.

I don't think anyone can be patient with their first homebrew. It is too exciting!

 

[metanoia]

That's a pretty high OG, so I would expect it to have that "hot" taste. It needs time. I would guess you will finish around 7% abv. I would just leave the dry hops for 7 days. Then keg if you are at OG.

I have a dubbel that tasted "hot" going into bottles after a month in the primary. After getting carbed up it isn't there. Which reminds me I need to see how those are coming along. I wouldn't worry about your beer. Yeah fermentation temps were on the high side but they weren't out of range.

The fermometer is very accurate to the beer temp.

I don't think anyone can be patient with their first homebrew. It is too exciting!

No, you shouldn't expect a hot taste unless you're aiming at an ABV in the teens, and even then it shouldn't stand out as a worrisome thing as OP indicated. A FG sample of a 6.5% brew should be pretty close to the final flavor- a bit green and in need of some conditioning, but free of off flavors and aromas.

 

[mrgrimm101]

That's a pretty high OG, so I would expect it to have that "hot" taste. It needs time. I would guess you will finish around 7% abv.

I wouldn't consider 1.063 to be high at all. Certainly not enough to give a "hot" taste. Most of my brews come in around 1.065-1.068 and I don't get a "hot" taste at all.

 

[ElJefeBrews]

It sounds to me that it fermented too warm. I have a porter that's just ready to drink and I happened to brew it during a warm week and had trouble getting ferm temps down and it sat near 70 the whole time and it has a hot taste, almost salty, and it's probably gonna be a pour-out batch. Use a swamp cooler (YouTube it) and keep the temps in the low 60s

 

[Bellybuster]

it's your first one....relax. Give it time to finish and clear then bottle/keg it and give it another 2-3 weeks after that if you can.
You'll be surprised to find out that the best glass of beer from the whole batch will be the one right when the keg goes FFFFSHHHHHHT. never fails, proves that time is your friend though.

 

[brewcat]

No, you shouldn't expect a hot taste unless you're aiming at an ABV in the teens, and even then it shouldn't stand out as a worrisome thing as OP indicated. A FG sample of a 6.5% brew should be pretty close to the final flavor- a bit green and in need of some conditioning, but free of off flavors and aromas.

I'm assuming it is more and this beer is over 7%. I still think you can taste more alcohol with certain recipes especially higher OG. I may just be missing how much of an alcohol taste is noticeable.

Next question. What yeast was used? I wouldn't expect 72 to produce that sharp of alcohol flavor.

 

[metanoia]

i'm assuming it is more and this beer is over 7%. I still think you can taste more alcohol with certain recipes especially higher og. I may just be missing how much of an alcohol taste is noticeable.

Next question. What yeast was used? I wouldn't expect 72 to produce that sharp of alcohol flavor.

1.063 - 1.013 = 0.050 * 131 = 6.55% abv.

 

[kh54s10]

Well. I have made 10% + ABV beers. You know there is alcohol present but you can't really taste it.

72 degrees is on the high side and may have gone higher while not being checked. It will probably mellow some.

Plus the beer will taste very different when fully conditioned...

OP, congrats on the first, start another one ASAP. You will be surprised how fast it will disappear, especially if you have friends helping.
Look into different fermentation temperature control options. It is one of the best ways to make your beer better.

 

[BigusD]

Just took another gravity reading. 1.012. Going to keg tomorrow. A little heat. But only maybe. A little peach note in the aroma. Think it's going to taste great. Drank the whole thiefed bit this time. Flat but tasty. Great!

Thanks for the assistance!

 

[BigusD]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441319916.003412.jpg

Forgot about weighing down the dry hops. Oops.

 

[BigusD]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1441319980.452133.jpg
I read 68. Is that right?

 

[mattdee1]

I'm sure you'll be fine. I'll never forget tasting the 3-week gravity sample from my first brew (a stout) back in July.

With great anticipation I sipped from the hydrometer tube, only to find that the beer tasted like it had been filtered through a used sumo wrestler thong. I found this outcome a bit disappointing.

I pressed on anyway through the rest of the process (bottling), and the beer ended up being incredible.

I can't speak for kegging (yet, anyway) but when you mix that beer with the priming solution, seal it away in a bottle under a crimped cap, let it sit for a few weeks, chill it down in the fridge, crack it open, pour it into some nice glassware, and have it wake up before your very senses... you realize that in the time since tasting that awful gravity sample, nothing short of pure magic has happened. I'm almost getting choked up writing this.

 

[Sammy86]

View attachment 300854
I read 68. Is that right?

64 blue is the temp...cheers!

 

[cooper]

And your pictures look amazing by the way. You're definitely doing it right bud. If you have the ability to buy a temp controller and a chest freezer in the future that will help you out a LOT and you'll be doing nothing but lagers for about a year. Also, it helps to let it sit either in the swamp cooler or temp-controlled fermentation chamber till it gets down to the pitching temperature you want before pitching the yeast. The first 3 days are the most important as far as fermentation temps go.

 

[BigusD]

Thanks for all the input!

I racked to keg today. Chilling with pressure on at 12 (since I'm drinking off my other tap). If I understand, it's going to be a week or two before the beer is properly carbonated... Is that right?

Anyhow, took another FG and found it was stable. Tasted good still, but I did pull some yeast this time. Can't wait to have a proper pint!

(Also visited the local great fermentations and picked up some gear for my first solo brew... Should be a great weekend)

 

[m00ps]

you could have it pretty much carbed in 2-3 days if you put it up to 30psi and shake it for a few min. Youll hear co2 going into solution. Then purge and reset at serving temps

 

[metanoia]

Why does it seem like everyone these days are so impatient to drink their kegged beer? It's no different than bottles, the beer will still be rather green those first couple weeks.

 

[BigusD]

Just FYI. I intend to let this batch sit at ~10-12 (where I have been serving my sunking kegs). I've been taking small pulls to sample flavor and carbonation, but it's not ready on either front methinks.

Got my next starter going now. Brewing next batch on Wednesday. Patience is building in me.

 

[BigusD]

Pulled my first full glass today. A little (a lot) chunky, but tasty tasty!!! Plan to secondary my next batch to reduce the floaters.

 

[brewcat]

Pulled my first full glass today. A little (a lot) chunky, but tasty tasty!!! Plan to secondary my next batch to reduce the floaters.

It should just be in your first one. Possibly second. After that you will have pulled most of what settled. That means clear beer for the rest of the keg.

 

[BigusD]

Second was way more clear! Yum!

 

[m00ps]

i wouldnt drink the first glass or two. That much yeast can cause some digestive....incidents