Brewing some ale this weekend, some general questions

[skinnyb1981]

This weekend I decided to make some more ale. This is my second batch, and I'm still on extract brewing. My brew kit came with some recipes and I saw one that I figured I'd try out. It's a cherry ale. From what I've read on the forum it's more of a hit or miss kinda brew. I'm hoping that it won't taste like cough medicine. Since it's day-light savings weekend I think an appropriate name for it would be "Fall Back Cherry Ale". From what I saw in the recipe book, it listed to add 1/4 oz of hops at the last... Yeah no time, some recipe huh? I decided to go with it at the last 5 minutes of the boil as it seemed similar to a light recipe that it had in there. My first batch, I'm told, has/had more of a bite of hops as you drink it. The guide also said to add 3 qt of cherry juice at flame out. From what I've read online racking it into the secondary seems to be the way to go. I guess this gave me several questions and I didn't have time dig deep into the forum to get the answers I'm seeking.

What's the difference in hop addition at 5min / 10min / 30 min / 60 min?

When taking the gravity readings, I grabbed it from the wort prior to adding the yeast, planned on grabbing it as I rack it, also after I rack it, and before I bottle. What would be the best OG and FG to use?

 

[aryoung1980]

A general rule of thumb is that early hop additions add bitterness (your 60 minute) and as you add them later they contribute more flavor (30 minute addition) and then they give more aroma ( 5 minute). Again, this is a generalization.

OG should be taken before the yeast is pitched. FG is before you bottle. Make sure your FG is stable for consecutive days before packaging.


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[skinnyb1981]

So racking the juice won't make a difference in the gravity?

 

[j1n]

So racking the juice won't make a difference in the gravity?

If your going to add juice to the secondary, add it to the secondary first then rack the beer on to it. Also if there is fermentable sugars in the juice (there most likely is) the yeast will eat through it in the secondary vessel.

 

[kh54s10]

Since it is juice (no fruit) you do not necessarily need to do a secondary. I would add it at about 10 days then wait to about day 21 to take your final gravities then bottle.

I imagine you will get some further fermentation after adding the juice. I would not concern myself with the gravity after adding the juice.

OG depends on the recipe and FG depends on the recipe and yeast used. It will be different with every brew.

The answer of the hop timing effect has been answered well. Timing and amounts at each time will change the amount of bitterness, flavor and aroma.

 

[skinnyb1981]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the responses. I planned on adding the juice to my secondary first and then racking the beer on top of it about a week from now, then letting it sit another two weeks before really taking my final gravity. I'm glad I added the hops at the last 5 min then, I really didn't want another beer with a bite to it. Just time will tell how it turns out.