Fidgety New Brewer

[happycrabster]

Greetings,
My first batch is 1 week into the secondary (Brewferm Christmas Beer, 2 cans, 1 packet of supplied dry yeast, 5 gallons altogether), OG was 1.05 if I read correctly, down to 1.02 when I transferred. All seems to be going well, SG is still 1.02 or 1.019 (curse these tri-focals). I couldn't resist tasting from the last reading sample, and while it was slightly yeasty (like a good dinner roll), it didn't gag me. I can actually taste the elements of good things to come, I think. Still bubbling once a minute. Temp down to 70 F.

Does this all sound normal? The SG's, the taste, the impatient brewer?
How long does a dark beer like this typically take? I've read other peoples threads about beers being ready in 3-4 weeks, but it doesn't seem like this one is going to be one of those.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[todd_k]

just give it the full 2 weeks in the secondary and then check again. Welcome and good luck!

 

[trinitone]

Relax.
Don't worry.
Have a craft brew (until your homebrew is done).

Everything sounds fine. Including the impatient brewer.

 

[g0dolphins]

OG seems low...
but let it ride. the first batch or two or three is all about learning. Believe me, as a newb, each time you'll realize something to do better, all the while enjoying homebrew!

 

[Orfy]

Very normal for a noob,
Just be patient.

 

[happycrabster]

Fidgety batch Number One is finally in the bottle! Well, most of them, anyway. Important Lesson Number 1; Remember to top up when required.
Even More Important Lesson Number 1; Learn non chaotic siphoning methods. The Missus strolled by and said, "Did I just hear an explicative?" "No",said I, "you just heard at least Two explicatives!"
SG was 1.02, as predicted by the instructions that came with the mix, smelled like beer, tasted like beer, a little bitey, sorry I don't know the right adjectives yet. There's something about it that doesn't taste quite like good beer. I'm guessing that's what everyone means by "green"?
Anyway, having it bottled is a huge weight off, followed by a not quite so huge cleanup. Chaotic.
Thanks for all the reassurances, it looks like if I didn't contaminate it during bottling, Number One might just turn out OK.
Tony

 

[RichBrewer]

There's something about it that doesn't taste quite like good beer. I'm guessing that's what everyone means by "green"?
Anyway, having it bottled is a huge weight off, followed by a not quite so huge cleanup. Chaotic.
Tony

You will learn not to judge your beers based on how they are before they are fully conditioned. It's amazing how carbonation and some aging improves your beer.

 

[happycrabster]

You will learn not to judge your beers based on how they are before they are fully conditioned. It's amazing how carbonation and some aging improves your beer.

Consider me amazed! Six days after bottling, no grenades, moved to a cooler room for conditioning. I sampled one, and the difference between now and bottling is, well, amazing! Not that I doubted the collective wisdom, but every time I looked back at my equipment I wondered if I cleaned this properly or sanitized that long enough... I guess I did.
I guess now I'll just have to keep on patiently sampling, purely for documentation purposes, of course...

 

[Evets]

Actually, what you need to do now is to forget about that batch for awhile and brew another right away! Really, I mean it! Ev

 

[homebrewer_99]

Well, so far what everyone has said is perfectly correct.

Unfortunately, you have to wait until Christmas to enjoy your beer. Why did you brew a Christmas beer in Jan?

I bet you'll want to brew an Oktoberfest beer in Sep. huh? Well, an O'fest beer is brewed in March and lagers all summer. Did you know that? You'll have to learn to plan 3-6 months in advance...

As you may or may not know, but have come to realize is that darker, heavier brews take longer to ferment and condition.

I kind of remember my first brewing experience, but what wisdom I have to add is start brewing another batch right away. This will take your mind off of the last brew.

Be sure to take good notes. They can help you in the future.

As for drinking your sample...we all do that because you don't want to pour it into the fermenter.

Question: You mentioned topping off. When did you do that? You should never add anything to fermenting beer. Do all your topping off prior to adding the yeast. The only exception would be to add a hop tea to too sweet beer. I've done this in the past. As a matter of fact I am drinking one right now. I'm glad I added the tea. The brew is superdili...tastes really great!

...and welcome!

 

[ayrton]

I disagree with the sentiment that the OG seemed low...I've had beer come out around 1.050 a few times. It sounds like you had a successful first! Congratulations!

 

[happycrabster]

...Why did you brew a Christmas beer in Jan?...

It was my first, I asked the shop keeper what he had that was dark and he still had a few cans of Christmas extract left over, so...

"I bet you'll want to brew an Oktoberfest beer in Sep. huh? Well, an O'fest beer is brewed in March and lagers all summer. Did you know that? You'll have to learn to plan 3-6 months in advance..."

Well, ordinarily, that would be my M.O., but I'm trying to change my ways, really I am...


"Question: You mentioned topping off. When did you do that? You should never add anything to fermenting beer. Do all your topping off prior to adding the yeast..."


Sorry, poor wording on my part. I was supposed to check the volume (gallons) after boiling and adding the "remaining" water, before adding the yeast. Looking back, I neglected to do that. Result; I got 40 bottles out of the batch instead of 48, and bottle 40 was just a bit short.

Oh, and I did add a special Brewing Only notebook to the work area!

Thanks!

 

[happycrabster]

Actually, what you need to do now is to forget about that batch for awhile and brew another right away! Really, I mean it! Ev

I'm open to any suggestions for a second batch! If dark beers take longer to condition, what would the other end of the spectrum offer? I'm reading How To Brew right now, but I'm in just far enough to be overloaded and not quite to the Aha! stage.

 

[Evets]

When I first started brewing I made a lot of Brewers Best kits. They all turned out great, and they include steeping grains which will give any extract brew more character. Plus it's another bit of brewing "fun" to have. You might try a pale ale or a scottish ale, perhaps. Ev

 

[Pat_Sajak]

SG was 1.02, as predicted by the instructions that came with the mix, smelled like beer, tasted like beer, a little bitey, sorry I don't know the right adjectives yet. There's something about it that doesn't taste quite like good beer. I'm guessing that's what everyone means by "green"?
Anyway, having it bottled is a huge weight off, followed by a not quite so huge cleanup. Chaotic.

I just bottled my creepy cooper's stout that I thought for sure was totally contaminated, after all the airlock and feral airlock water peed into the fermenting brew about 2 times. It actually fermented on Christmas day and the temps ranged from 80 deg to like 50 in a one month settling period. After a very messy bottling process, I managed to fill 31 18.5 Oz Sam Smith bottles. Well, I just tipped the whole ale pale right into my face and tried a good mouthful or two. And man, I thought it was band-aids for sure. Had a very weird "tounge-numbing" bite I thought all was lost. Well after letting the bottles sit one week, I decided to try one. And you know what? It doesn't taste half bad now! I couldn't believe it! I can't wait to taste it after 3 weeks! I thought sitting around in the secondary for a month woulda been enough, but it's in the bottles with the corn sugar where the magic happens apparently!

 

[Steelshooter]

When I recently finished my first brew, a porter, I just had to give it a taste and it wasn’t very pleasant. I was sure that I had screwed it up somehow and asked the board what they all thought. I was told to just leave it alone and all would be good. Well last night I finished my kegerator and poured my first homemade brew and that very same porter was wonderful. A Belgian and an IPA are bubbling along nicely in the basement.

Take your time, be patient, and enjoy a homebrew.

 

[Brewpilot]

IMHO, you can brew any style, at any time... if you want a Christmas beer in May... you are the brewer, brew it! You arent running a pub, you are enjoying a hobby, dont let "rules" govern what you do. Being a great craft brewer is a little bit rouge, so do what you like.

Brewpilot

 

[Mozongo]

IMHO, you can brew any style, at any time... if you want a Christmas beer in May... you are the brewer, brew it! You arent running a pub, you are enjoying a hobby, dont let "rules" govern what you do. Being a great craft brewer is a little bit rouge, so do what you like.

Brewpilot

here here....

 

[PicoD42]

It's amazing what some time in the bottles can do for a homebrew. I tasted my first batch (an amber ale) at bottling, then after about 2 weeks in the bottle. I thought it was terrible. I was hoping it might get better, but I was eager to start my next batch, so I dumped half the bottles. Dumbest thing I have ever done. About a month or so later, I gave some to a friend and warned him that it wasn't very good. When he returned the bottles, he said "So what didn't you like about it?" I tried it again and, needless to say, I wished I had 24 more!

I haven't made one that good since.