A few questions...

[Super_Coo]

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and also quite new to the hobby. I just did up my 3rd batch of Brew Canada Canadian Light. I'm still doing it the simple way... through a kit... add sugar/water and only single stage in a plastic fermenter. I have a few questions though.

What would be the optimum temperature during fermentation???
The guy at the store says between 70-80'F basically like the instructions.
But what do you guys prefer from your past experiences. Is constant temperature important or can it go up and down throughout that zone?

I had a slight cidery flavor, but definately not bad enough to stop me from drinking the 11 dozen brews. What might I try to eliminate the cidery taste?
I'm mixing the 1.9kg Malt Kit with 1kg Corn Sugar and the rest water to 23L.
I add 1tsp to each bottle individually for carbonation priming.

What is to be gained from doing a 2 stage operation? I'm contemplating turning this one I just did tonight into a 2 stage. I was told 7 days in primary and then 7 days in the glass carboy?

Thanks guys!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

If I had to guess (and I do), I'd say your cidery flavor problem is two-pronged. One, you get somewhat questionable advice at your HBS. The optimum temperature is most likely, depending on what strain of yeast you're using, ~68-70F. High fermentation temperatures can contribute to cidery off-flavors. However, I don't think that's really the culprit here.

The most likely cause would be the 1kg of corn sugar which can most definitely result in cidery off-flavors during fermentation. A better recommendation would have been to add some malt extract as opposed to corn sugar which would have resulted in more body to your beer, as well as lessened/eliminated your cidery taste. So next time reserve the corn sugar for priming only, and use some malt extract in place of the 1kg corn sugar in your recipe.

Furthermore (that sounds lectury, but isn't meant to be), 1tsp of corn sugar per bottle, if we're talking 12ozers, would be a bit much for me. I'd say more like 1/2 to 3/4. By far the easiest way to prime is to boil about a cup of water with enough corn sugar for the entire batch (probably ~3/4c-1c), add it to a bottling bucket with your beer, stir, and bottle. Note that you need to use a separate bottling bucket for this method as you would not want to stir up the trub in the bottom of your fermentor.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Good reply.

 

[david_42]

The secondary fermentation tends to mellow the brew and clarify it. Many people don't bother. I go directly from the primary to cornies, but let them sit for a few weeks.

 

[JillC25]

I like the secondary for a couple reasons: 1 I have been brewing a lot of fruint/herb beers. The secondary is a good place for the beer to just hang out and get rid of any unsettled stuff. Second- sometimes I don't get around to bottling right away. Knowing that my brew is off the trub of the primary and is mellowing out makes me feel better about being lazy.

About the cidery taste- Is it like a cider vinegar? I've tasted this in some homebrews before and it can mask a lot of the great beer flavors. Here's what I found: Sour or Acidic – This character profile has a sour aroma, accompanied by a tart or sharp-vinegar sensation on the sides of the tongue. The use of high levels of refined sugar, citric or ascorbic acid may cause bacterial growth, as does improper sanitization. Usual cure or prevention: Clean and thoroughly inspect equipment, kegs and bottles; avoid the use of wooden utensils on cooled wort; inspect plastics for surface scratches.

Congrats on starting a great hobby!