Monday Morning Quarterbacking my Christmas beers

[Mitch S]

I'm throwing this into the Beginners Forum since I think that a lot of the feedback will be helpful to many just starting out. This year, I made 2 small batches (1 gallon) for my in-laws Christmas Eve party/get-together/listen to screaming kids event. Just something to get a few of us through the whole thing. Anyways, the 2 batches I made were extract kits from NB. They were the Festivus Miracle Holiday Ale and Brickwarmer Holiday Red Ale. Here's what I experienced with both:

Festivus: I brewed this one first. The only issue I encountered (I think) was when adding mulling spices at flame out. Not sure if that's the best way to do it. Another mistake I made was... transferring to secondary. Now I know that if anything, a whirlpool would have been better and let in less O2, and I'd have had more bottles. Taste was... off? I thought it was too spicy or had a medicinal taste to it. I believe it was the secondary or the spices that caused it. I have a few left so I plan to do more taste testing Friday, just to see if the taste is off.

Brickwarmer: Second brew, but did it AFTER I came here and learned more about secondary and how it's an old technique. I did an overnight cold steep with grains on this one. I could tell it would have a coffee taste to it right away. Did not whirlpool or secondary. Still came out with low sediment due to taking care during the transfer to bottle bucket and a new autosiphon. Taste was good for an extract and was a hit with those that tried it. The debate was whether it was closer to a stout or porter than a red ale. The only request was for a way to be able to drink from the bottle without sediment. My thought was Keezer with a bottle wand while my uncle said through a coffee filter.

Any suggestions or questions are welcome!

 

[RPh_Guy]

Bottle carbonated beers have sediment; that's completely normal for those of us that bottle.

Pour it into a glass if the yeast bothers you.

 

[azmark]

Medicinal taste could have been from chlorine.

 

[Jag75]

I did a spiced hard cider . I used mulling spices right when the fermentation was finishing up . Man I could have used less . Mulling spices go a long way . Lesson learned

 

[Mitch S]

Bottle carbonated beers have sediment; that's completely normal for those of us that bottle.

Pour it into a glass if the yeast bothers you.

It wasn't that it bothered me since this is my 6th or 7th batch overall, it bothered them since I was taking time to pour carefully into the glass. I was thinking ways of making it easier on them. From what I've read hear, bottling will always have a small amount regardless of the methods you use.

 

[Mitch S]

Medicinal taste could have been from chlorine.

I used only Distilled water. Never tap, or RO. My cleaning regimen involves PBW and Star San, which takes about two days for me to complete with drying and work.

 

[Mitch S]

I did a spiced hard cider . I used mulling spices right when the fermentation was finishing up . Man I could have used less . Mulling spices go a long way . Lesson learned

Since it was a NB extract kit, the spices came "pre-measured". Instructions stated to dump in and then flame out. I say "pre-measured" as there could have been less of one item and more of another. I think the mix NB uses is orange peel, coriander, clove, star anise, and maybe a little bit of cinnamon. It is a spiced ale and I had the Brickwarmer before; maybe my taste buds were off?

 

[RPh_Guy]

It wasn't that it bothered me since this is my 6th or 7th batch overall, it bothered them since I was taking time to pour carefully into the glass. I was thinking ways of making it easier on them. From what I've read hear, bottling will always have a small amount regardless of the methods you use.

LOL, if pouring your handcrafted homebrew into a glass takes too long for them, just give 'em a case of Natty Light. Everybody wins.

 

[Mitch S]

just give 'em a case of Natty Light. Everybody wins.

I actually like this uncle though... I let it slide this time since he was trying to give honest feedback without much knowledge.

Now my father in law who called the spiced holiday ale too dark on the other hand...

 

[Mitch S]

Latest update on the spiced ale:

Tried it again. This time I didn't get the weird medicinal taste. I'm thinking it just didn't pair well with the food I was eating.