Am I just paranoid.

[Jeffs-a-brewin]

I know you are all thinking, Just chillax and all will be good. But seeing how this is my first brew and i have no idea what things are supposed to look/smell like i'm paranoid all to heck. I've been hanging my sniffer over the air lock one sniff i tell myself, Smells like beer. Then i'll sniff again and think it smells sorta sour. But still like beer. Is there any sure way to tell if things are Infected. I dont see any mold growth so we're alright there. wish I just had someone elses nasel opinion here. The brew is approaching its first week in secondary. When i tasted a portion of the brew when racking to secondary it didn't really have an undesireable taste to it, but it was a little harsher then beers i've previously drank. keeping in mind that the sample was from tye bottom of the bucket

 

[Dude]

I think you are fine. That sour (like green apples, maybe?) smell is completely normal for it. Mine have smelled like that and came out great.
Acetaldehyde is the word for what you are smelling--I think. Thanks Charlie Papazian.

I'm learning the importance of being patient though. I tried my brown ale after 2 weeks in the bottle and it was odd. It had a very strong alchohol influence to it. Its mellowed nicely. It's now 6 weeks from the brew date and now its one of the best beers I've ever tasted.

You'll be fine bro!!!

 

[Jeffs-a-brewin]

I think you are fine. That sour (like green apples, maybe?) smell is completely normal for it. Mine have smelled like that and came out great.

I'm learnign the importance of being patient though. I tried my brown ale after 2 weeks in the bottle and it was odd. It had a very strong alchohol influence to it. Its mellowed nicely. It's now 6 weeks from the brew date its one of the best beers I've ever tasted.

You'll be fine bro!!!

The Green apple smell is perhapes a good description. My roommate said it smells like wine brewing. So atleast it smells like something. thanks for the reply its set me at ease. I guess patients is something i should learn. I've been staring at the bottle and tapping my foot, looking at my watch and crossing the days off the calender. Typical Newb things to do.

Has anyone ever brewed a Cream Ale. thats my next project. Looking for some hints and tips for that perfect beer.

 

[Dude]

The Green apple smell is perhapes a good description. My roommate said it smells like wine brewing. So atleast it smells like something. thanks for the reply its set me at ease. I guess patients is something i should learn. I've been staring at the bottle and tapping my foot, looking at my watch and crossing the days off the calender. Typical Newb things to do.

Has anyone ever brewed a Cream Ale. thats my next project. Looking for some hints and tips for that perfect beer.

LOL...no prob, I was the same way, but I'm learning a craft like this definitely demands patience!
I'm a bigtime airlock sniffer. I could stand in front of that thing 24/7!!! LOVE THAT SMELL. This hobby is SO awesome.

 

[Uncle Fat]

Am I just paranoid.

In short... YES. Relax..... Don't worry... . have a homebrew!. In absence of a homebrew (since this is your first batch), have a craft brew (no American macro-pils). It'll make you feel better.

 

[lostintexas]

just sit back and relax, i am on my second batch and it does create some intersting formations in the fermentor and some interesting sounds as well as smells. you will never know how it will taste untill it comes out of the finished bottle in a couple of weeks. my friend got me into it and brews some great stuff, i just hope mine compares.

 

[crum]

I was laughing reading your post. Thinking back to the first batch that I did and was so worried if I did everything correctly.
Don’t worry a bit. There is hardly anything ever wrong with the first batch since every thing is clean and only needs to be sanitized.

 

[rightwingnut]

Be sure to bring patience after bottling. After a week or two of my first batch being bottled, I tried it and was dissapointed. Another week, and it's quite good. It does take time, but it works!!!

 

[NUCC98]

I think you are fine. That sour (like green apples, maybe?) smell is completely normal for it. Mine have smelled like that and came out great.
Acetaldehyde is the word for what you are smelling--I think. Thanks Charlie Papazian.

I'm learning the importance of being patient though. I tried my brown ale after 2 weeks in the bottle and it was odd. It had a very strong alchohol influence to it. Its mellowed nicely. It's now 6 weeks from the brew date and now its one of the best beers I've ever tasted.

You'll be fine bro!!!

I just bottled my Vanilla Almond Brown Ale on Saturday. Mine tasted the exact same way your's did. I'm wondering though if miine has to do w/ the Almond Extract I used.....