Drank a Beer from My First Batch Tonight

[yearlylesson]

I did my first batch of homebrew recently and just tried it tonight. It's only been in the bottle for a week so I think it's probably a bit too early to be drinking but I couldn't wait to try at least one of them.

It was a Brewers Best Irish Stout and I expected it to tast like a dry stout, like a Guinness. The recipe didn't have a lot of hops in it but this beer is very bitter. I think it's because I screwed up my measurements. I fermented it in a glass carboy and after adding the wort, I thought I had added enough water to take it to the 5 gallon level but I didn't have any kind of markings on the carboy so I just had to eyeball it. I transferred it to a plastic fermentor with a spigot in the bottom to do the bottling. After I finished transferring it the measurements on the bucket showed I only had 3.5 gallons.

I know some of the beer was probably lost from the blow off hose but I can't imagine it was nearly that much. The beer has a nice head and a nice flavor, I am enjoying it but it's not what I expected.

Is it safe to assume that this bitterness I am tasting is because I screwed up and didn't add enough water to the hops? Or is it possible this dry stout is supposed to be this bitter?

 

[LordHedgie]

Probably a combination. Dry stouts should be bitter, but if you used the appropriate level of hops but only used 70% of the water, you're making a bitter beer, well, very bitter.

I doubt you lost anywhere near 1.5 gallons to blow-off; I'd put some marking on that carboy before you brew another batch.

 

[yearlylesson]

Yeah, that's a good idea, I will need to mark it before I do my next batch. I expected some bitterness but this is very bitter so it's probably that there wasn't enough water.

 

[alcibiades]

Is your fermentation bucket marked? why didnt you add water after you put it in the fermenter? That would take the guess work out of it.

 

[FishinDave07]

Once you increment EVERYTHING, it will be easier to put out consistent brews. Good on ya for having a great first brew!

 

[brandong]

I saw it suggested online somewhere to mark carboys with electrical tape to clearly identify where your 5 gallon mark is. Easily visible and you will always be able to remove it since it holds together better than other kinds of tape. I did this after having the same issue as you the first couple of times and it is handy.

Cheers.

 

[Pezman1]

I saw it suggested online somewhere to mark carboys with electrical tape to clearly identify where your 5 gallon mark is. Easily visible and you will always be able to remove it since it holds together better than other kinds of tape. I did this after having the same issue as you the first couple of times and it is handy.

Cheers.

Electrical tape is what I use, just as you say.

If your beer has only been in the bottle a week, the hop bitterness should mellow out some in two or three weeks. Probably not enough if your beer is way over concentrated, but maybe enough to be drinkable for you???

Pez.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

It's only a week old. It has a long way to go yet.

The bitterness will age out, and the flavours will blend. It's hard to not drink it all when it's the first batch, but at least try to save a bottle or two for a couple of months. The difference will surprise you.

 

[yearlylesson]

Hehe, yeah, I was a bit anxious but, I only chilled 2 bottles to try. The rest are going to sit, I will probably try one each weekend but that will still only amount to a couple of bottles.