1st brew - what to expect

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OBX

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I made my 1st batch last week and after 10 days in the fermenter I bottled last Saturday. I couldn't wait any longer to try one so I chilled down a bottle and gave a test. I used a malt extract, hop pellets, seeped grain for color and followed the directions. The OG was 1.041 and the ending was 1.004. The test today yielded a little hiss when opened, but the taste was not what I had hoped for. It was a mild thin tasting liquid, more like watered down beer than the dark heavy micro brews I like. Will time improve this? What would improve this??

I used the kit http://www.homebrewers.com/product/NORTHFACENUTBROWNKIT

I sure am looking for some help to improve any future brews. :confused: :(
 
In general, time will not improve this problem.

To address it, use more adjunct grains or brew all-grain like the microbreweries that make the beers you like. Malt extract generally ferments too completely and results in a thinner beer.
 
I hate to contradict the knowledgable Mr. Janx, but I had the same thing happen with my first batch, so lookie here.

After a week in bottles, my first kit (a Bass-style ale made with steeped grains, liquid and dry x-tract and pellet hops) tasted, um, Lite. Poor body, weak flavor-- as far as I could tell.

A week or so later, it tasted like beer. Good beer. I drank the hell out of the rest of that batch with joy.

So patience. Try it in a week. Try it again in two. It may be better. It may be a lot better. Or it may still suck. If so, please disregard this post.
 
What a difference in the beer after 12 days. I tried a bottle after about 5 days and it was like drinking flavored water with not much flavor. I took the forums advice and waited another week and tried another bottle tonight (having it now). What a difference!! ;) ;) :p It still isn't great or even very good but it is a mile higher on my meter than a week ago. The carbination is very obvious on my tongue and while it still needs a lot more body for me to enjoy it and call it a success, it is drinkable.

Question: Will the body develope more over time? It is suppose to be similiar to a Newcastle Brown ale. It isn't there yet but it is a lot closer this week than last week.

Next is a Roubust Porter - I guess I can plan to drink that around July.

Thanks Swervo Maneuver for the encouragment. :p
 
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