1st brew

[RJBanks]

Hello all. My wife bought me the deluxe kit from Northern Brewer for Christmas and the American Wheat kit came with it. Brewed it a few weeks ago and everything went good. OG was 1.045 and FG was 1.010 after two weeks. I bottled it last Thursday and have been letting it sit.

I decided I wanted to follow the progression during the bottling so I knew how the flavor would change throughout the process. So last night was day 5 and I chilled one and opened it. Was pleasantly surprised with how much it seemed to have carbonated already. Poured into a glass and it also looked pretty clear.

When I tasted it is when I started to become a little concerned. First taste didn't seem to have a whole lot of flavor to it. Also, it had what I can only describe as a banana type flavor. Did not necessarily taste like eating a banana, just the best way to describe it. Another thing that concerned me was it seemed to have a "heavy" mouth feel. It seemed to linger on the tongue and roof of the mouth even after swallowing multiple times.

Is this things I should be concerned with or does everything seem to be normal for the point I am at. So far I have really enjoyed the process and started an Apricot Blonde Ale the day after bottling. Thanks for any info.

 

[MindenMan]

Is sounds like your fermentation temps may have gotten too high. Odd feeling in the mouth, and banana fragrance are generally caused by temperature

 

[solbes]

Its a process and I would bet everyone's first brew was not their favorite. Agree on the fermentation temps; you will learn that is a critical thing to control, especially within the first 48 hours or so.

Now just because your beer carbed up, doesn't mean its really ready to drink. I totally get sneaking a few on the first batch to see how it changes and progresses. The yeast had to eat some more sugar during the carbing process and have yet to clean up again. So try to reserve judgement until you give it another 2 weeks at room temp and chill the bottles for a few days.

For an American Wheat, 2 week fermentation is probably about right. They usually are best when young.

 

[RJBanks]

Thanks. Fermentation temp stayed between 66-72 degrees. Everything I read says that is in the normal range. Is that right or do I need to shoot for something different?

 

[solbes]

Ambient and beer temp are two different things. Usually if your fermenter is sitting in a 65 degree room, the beer temp during vigorous fermentation is often 4-8 degrees warmer due to all of the yeast activity. Once the really active fermentation finishes up, the beer will drop closer to ambient. They sell stick on thermometers, or you can tape a digital temp probe to the side of your fermenter (insulate the outside of the probe so you are getting most of the input from the side of the fermentor).

If it started at 66F beer temp and got to 72 somewhere after the first day or two of fermentation, I think you will have a great beer in a couple of weeks. If it started at closer to 72, you may have had a fair amount of early fermenation ester formation (i.e. banana).

I always pitch yeast into wort that is near the bottom end of the yeast's working range. Then control to low temp if I want it clean, or let it rise if I want esters. Cheers!

 

[RJBanks]

Okay, thanks for the info.

 

[Snowblind258]

For whats it worth I too got a NB kit with American wheat for Christmas. I tasted the beer 7 days bottled and to me it was thin , Almost BMC thin. Almost Zero head retention. A week later the beer had changed noticeably in taste and carbonation. Head retention is way better as well. I am on my last 10 bottles and it keeps getting better.

I never had any banana taste but it does have a slight off taste on the finish (this is due to being a newbie, not the beer) When was brewing the beer I sanitized the bucket up to the 5 gallon mark with starsan to soak my gear but completely forgot to add the lid and shake it around to sanitize the top part of the bucket. Although I did soak the lid. Needless to say after aerating the brew I thought for sure i would get an infection. I never saw anything viable in the beer after fermentation but there is this slight taste i cant nail down. The beer is still amazing nonetheless, very happy with it.

 

[RJBanks]

Thanks for the info Snowblind. Going to try it on Friday at the one week point. Then again at the two week mark.

 

[solbes]

Snowblind,

If you're bucket lid had complete contact with the Star-San, you should not have picked up any infections from it. Assuming the surface is clean to begin with, the surfaces just need to be wetted and allow the Star-San to work for a minute or two. I don't think any soaking is necessary. I usually use a pint or two to sanitize most things. And just make sure everything gets covered a couple of times.

 

[Snowblind258]

The lid was sanitized but there was a 5inch ring between the lid and the 5 gallon mark that was not wetted or soaked for the most part. Pouring out the starsan maybe sanitized half of that area. I have since moved to better bottles. Mainly because I was to see the fermentation