Comment & Question Regarding Fermentation

[davidamerica]

Comment: I posted something a couple of weeks ago about a (home brew) type taste and how to get rid of that taste. Many have told me to leave my beer in the fermentation bucket longer than 1 week. I took that advice and to my surprise it actually tasted much much better. I left it in there for 2 weeks rather than 1.

I always drink a beer a week after I bottle it to taste the progress and document my findings and what I have noticed that this particular beer (and I know it is only 1 week) is very sweet. so my question is....

Question: Although it tasted much better I must add....Why is my beer sweet? Is it because the corn sugar used in bottleing has not had time to fully carbonate my beer? I have not had this sweet taste before on any of my previous 5 beers.

I am wondering if it is also that my yeast in fermentation did not eat all of the sugars and may have gone dormant during the fermentation process therefore leaving sugars behind.

It is very frustrating. I am on batch number 6 this year and have yet to produce a really good beer. I sanitize, I follow the instructions but so far am not happy with the home brewing thing. I won't give up but would be nice if I wasn't pissing my money away.

 

[wonderbread23]

Did you take hydrometer readings? The hydrometer is your friend and will tell you if the beer underattenuated (and hence the sweet taste).

 

[jppostKW]

do you have OG and FG readings? these are very important to seeing if a beer is done what was the recipe etc. some info always helps

edit wonder bread was quicker on the draw.

 

[starrfish]

post your recipe(s).

I've done extract kits.... up to all grain... my best advice for a noob is leave colored liquid malt extract behind. use light dry malt extract and color and flavor by steeping of specialty malts. (intermediate brewing)

you may be experiencing extract twang... OG/fg ( original/ final gravity) may help.

2 weeks in primary is usually good but 3 weeks may help clean up bad yeast by products (depending on yeast)

2 weeks or more for bottle conditioning is normal... how is your carbonation? I usually get my best after 2 weeks in bottle (some brews don't fully reach their peak until a month or more after bottling)


age can be your friend...

post recipe/ yeast used may get more definitive answer. style... etc.

6 brews is still noob they will get better! post recipes and we'll help!

just off cuff your using liquid malt extract probably hopped.... no extra hops, no steeped specialty grains.... If i'm correct... I can help