So, I've had to dump my last four batches. Yes, I'm quite certain they were flawed beyond salvage, and frankly I'd rather not drink than drink crappy beer I already paid for. They were not for nothing, though because I learned a lot! Here's a few things I've learned:
1) For some grains, amylase is not enough. You (probably) need other stuff, like glucanase and endoprotease, to get useable wort out of stuff like flaked quinoa and instant oats. I learned this the hard way by mashing four pounds of various flaked grains (rice, oats, quinoa, and amaranth) trying to make some variation on a white IPA, and ended up with wort so thick (after a nightmarish BIAB experience) that I couldn't even get it through the filter into the carboy.
2) Brewing with tea is tricky. I tried to make a smoked porter using lapsang souchong (pine-smoked chinese tea), and I should have compensated by reducing the IBUs substantially. The resulting beer was harsh and tannic, and despite two pounds of candi syrup and a half-pound of molasses, there was no sweetness at all.
3) Honey and maltodextrin are more important than I thought. I left them out of the smoked porter and an IPA, and both beers were thin and very very dry.
4) Lime zest can be very over-powering. And does not mix well with chamomile.
Another thing I learned, not directly related to brewing, but rather related to my 3-week vacation, is that if you're going to drink 3-4 beers a day for three weeks straight, they had better be light low-alcohol beers, and you better replenish your electrolytes! I gained 15 pounds and suffered acute dehydration thanks to the diuretic effects of alcohol, and even developed a temporary hormone imbalance...so no booze for me for a while, doctor's orders!
Right now, all my carboys are empty, but I'll hopefully be brewing again soon. I'm gonna do some "safe" recipes, a hopped session-strength mead, and then a couple more experimental mini-mash recipes.
1) For some grains, amylase is not enough. You (probably) need other stuff, like glucanase and endoprotease, to get useable wort out of stuff like flaked quinoa and instant oats. I learned this the hard way by mashing four pounds of various flaked grains (rice, oats, quinoa, and amaranth) trying to make some variation on a white IPA, and ended up with wort so thick (after a nightmarish BIAB experience) that I couldn't even get it through the filter into the carboy.
2) Brewing with tea is tricky. I tried to make a smoked porter using lapsang souchong (pine-smoked chinese tea), and I should have compensated by reducing the IBUs substantially. The resulting beer was harsh and tannic, and despite two pounds of candi syrup and a half-pound of molasses, there was no sweetness at all.
3) Honey and maltodextrin are more important than I thought. I left them out of the smoked porter and an IPA, and both beers were thin and very very dry.
4) Lime zest can be very over-powering. And does not mix well with chamomile.
Another thing I learned, not directly related to brewing, but rather related to my 3-week vacation, is that if you're going to drink 3-4 beers a day for three weeks straight, they had better be light low-alcohol beers, and you better replenish your electrolytes! I gained 15 pounds and suffered acute dehydration thanks to the diuretic effects of alcohol, and even developed a temporary hormone imbalance...so no booze for me for a while, doctor's orders!
Right now, all my carboys are empty, but I'll hopefully be brewing again soon. I'm gonna do some "safe" recipes, a hopped session-strength mead, and then a couple more experimental mini-mash recipes.
