I have been brewing for a couple of years now, but still consider myself a noob. I have not found anyone in my area to talk to about brewing and ask questions. I usually buy my kits from Austin Homebrew. I like using them because I can call and ask them questions. They have always been nice and treated as a good customer. They have never been short or rude. With each kit, i have found that my kits turn out on a 50/50 ratio. Half the time, they turn out good. The other half, i have off flavors. All of my brews, the numbers turn out. I have good gravities. As I talked with Austin Homebrew, they said the off flavors may be more driven by the yeast that is used. I have been following the directions to the letter that they send with the kits. As I talked with them on my latest brew, Flat Tire Amber Ale clone, I am using a Nottingham dry yeast. The instructions have fermentation at 72-75. I have been fermenting between 65-68. Also, being the noob that I am, i thought maybe the off flavors come from the time the beer stay on the yeast cake. They say you can move the beer to secondary between 5 to 7 days. I have to move it while it's still fermenting. Today is the 6th day. I still have activity in my air lock. Still think I'm fermenting. But I'm going to move to secondary to get the beer off the yeast cake. Anyway, i look forward to some of you sages and what you guys think about preventing off flavors.
thanks for your advice.
thanks for your advice.