Hello from St. Louis

[St. Louis Brews]

Hi all!
I just got done sampling my first batch of beer. Less than enthusiastic about the results. It was one of those $30 "Brew your own Beer" kits. The idea was a low investment to see if I would like brewing my own. This way I don't invest $300 in equipment that I'll never use again. Anyway not much carbonation. Kinda flat on flavor. It was supposed to be an amber ale. Tasted more like a cheap pilsner. Not a very encouraging beginning.
So I went online and looked for a forum so I could read ideas from other people. And here I am. I hope to learn a lot from everbody. But right now, I'm rather wondering if I'll ever get where I want to with my brewing.
Well, that's my introduction and I'm sticking to it.
Cheers...

 

[RichBrewer]

Welcome to the forum!
Don't get discouraged. Please tell us about the equipment, procedures, and ingredients you used to brew your first batch of beer. With this information we will be able to assist you in brewing good beer. Believe me, if I can do it any one can.
This hobby is truly fun and rewarding. Hang in there.

 

[rewster451]

St. Louis, I'm from Columbia, and I sometimes go to St. Louis to see concerts...maybe we'll run into eachother.

But concerning your introduction, you'll be making great beer in no time. Sometimes those kits you buy come with really lousy instructions, which is probably part of the problem you've had. St. Louis has a few homebrewshops, I think, and you should be able to find much higher quality ingredients to use. Also, this site is great for answering questions that you have about brewing. Your persistence is the most crucial part right now. It can be discouraging to brew a batch you don't like that much, but for the most part, your homebrew will be the best beer you've ever had. Fresher than storebought, and you know what went into it. Stick to it, and good luck.

 

[Mr_Turtlehead]

Welcome aboard St. Louis Brews. This forum is loaded with knowledge, ask away as I often do! It's good to see someone else from STL here.

 

[Darth Konvel]

Welcome aboard! As Rich said, if you'd like to post a breakdown of the procedure and ingredients used, we might be able to do some troubleshooting. Or just stick around and do plenty of reading. Either way, you're sure to make better beer the next time around

 

[Rocker]

Welcome aboard. I am only on my 4th batch, so I'm relatively new as well. I've been lucky in that my first 3 batches turned out drinkable. But, my day is coming. Definitely don't get discouraged. The guys here on this forum are very helpful and knowledgable. I doubt a problem exists that someone here can't help you fix. Get some more ingredients and give it another shot. It is loads of fun and feels like a huge accomplishment when you drink that first beer from the batch and it tastes so damn good.

Good luck on your next batch.


Dave

 

[Blender]

Welcome to the Forums. Stay with it for a few more batches. My first batch is barely drinkable but the 2nd is much better. For 30.00 you should easily be able to make a pretty fine beer so read the forums and ask questions before you do the next batch. I grew up in St. Louis and still have a relative or 2 there.

 

[Brewpastor]

I've been making beer for years and it still is flat and disappointing...

Oh, that isn't very encouraging. I mean, YOU'LL BE MAKING GREAT BEER IN NO TIME!

Actually, you will. Welcome. Say hello to the Arch for me!

 

[St. Louis Brews]

UGH!!! I just typed the whole method, went to post it, and my web browser crashed!!! (Insert four-letter tirade here)

I guess before I get started, (again) what kind of detail do you need? Do you want every step? Every measurement? What will help, what is unecessary information?

 

[RichBrewer]

UGH!!! I just typed the whole method, went to post it, and my web browser crashed!!! (Insert four-letter tirade here)

I guess before I get started, (again) what kind of detail do you need? Do you want every step? Every measurement? What will help, what is unecessary information?

Just the basics will work for now.
What equipment do you have?
What ingredients did you use?
What were your procedures?

 

[St. Louis Brews]

OK, Here goes:

It is a kit. Comes with a soft plastic cube shaped container for the wort while it is fermenting. it has hops, yeast, dextrose, a clarifying agent, amber dry malt and light dry malt. I chose amber for my first batch. I cooked the wort in a stainless steel pot, poured it into the "cubitainer" as it is called filled it to 2 inches from the top put the airlock on it and let it sit seven days. Added more dextrose, and let it sit for another seven days. Bottled it and let it sit for 15 days, put it in a dark closet and let it sit for another 10 days. Refrigerated it for 24 hours and drank the first bottle.

That's the high points. What else can I tell you that might help? When I was transferring the wort into the cubitainer it stipulated 68-75 degrees for the wort before I pu th the yeast in. I didn't have a thermometer for that range, so I went by touch. I don't know if that killed the yeast or not.

Thoughts?

 

[St. Louis Brews]

Someone else on this forum used the same set up I did, they transcribed the directions, so for a mor edetailed explanation, here they are:

STEP I: In a large enamel or stainless steel pot, place 3 quarts of bottled or filtered water. Place on stovetop and bring almost to a boil. Prepare the wort by pouring 1/2 cup of dextrose and 1/4 cup of dry malt into your pot of hot water. Stir with a long handled spoon until well dissolved. Store dry malt in plastic food bag in cool, dry place. Heat the wort to boiling and add 1/4 teaspoon of table salt and the 5 heaping 1/4 teaspoons of hops. Simmer the hopped wort for a half hour. Stir occaisionally to prevent excessive foaming. Set wort aside to cool slightly.

Using a sterile funnel, carefully pour the cooled wort into the cubitainer (their name for the container where primary fermentation takes place), leaving behind any sediment, which has settled out of the wort. Add two cups of room temperature bottled/filtered water. Make sure the wort has cooled to between 65*-70* F. Now add the yeast starter to the wort. Fill the cubitainer to within 2 inches from the top. Fill the air lock halfway with water, and place it on the cap and screw it into the cubitainer. Place the cubitainer where it will be undisturbed at room temperature. Bubbling should begin within 12 to 24 hours and continue for 5-7 days.

STEP II: At the end of 7 days, whn the fermentation has slowed, add an additional 1/2 cup of dextrose and enough room temperature bottled/filtered water to fill the container to one inch from the top. Place the cap and air lock back on the cubitainer, making sure air lock is half filled with water. Allow to ferment for 7 days more. Fermentation is complete when bubble cease

 

[rewster451]

For a kit, this is actually not a bad set of instructions. You should probably get a beer out of it, which is more than most kits can say. But if you end up with less than satisfactory results, I would blame it on your equipment rather than your abilities. Ther'e is no reason to think that the only way to brew good beer is by buying hundreds of dollars worth of equipment, but 25-75$ could make all the difference in the world. One way or the other, stick around here and you'll soon see a lot of low budget ways to make your beer better. Just keep brewing and you'll be in the black before you know it.