First batch of extract brewing tastes astringent at 7 days

[DoctorKatz]

Hello all, I'm new to the forums (though I've been lurking for about a month now) and have found all the information quite helpful so far.

I got a Mr. Beer kit back in December and I recently went to my LHBS and bought the ingredients/recipe for a Newcastle Brown Ale knockoff.

Today's the 7th day in the primer and I tasted some to see how things are going (the actual fermentation seems to have finished a few days ago). The beer has a very astringent taste, overpowering any flavors that might be there. Is this normal at 7 days and should I just wait it out until it's been fermenting for 2 weeks.

Here are some possibilites for error:

I neglected to consider that I'd need a much larger setup than the Mr. Beer kits to make the equivalent of a 2.5 gallon batch (my largest pot is 5qt.) so I had to cut the recipe into a 1/4. When I looked up the yeast amount, most posters mentioned using all of the liquid yeast when cutting the recipe to 1/2 so I used 1/2 the yeast when I cut the recipe to 1/4. Is this too much yeast? I noticed that that can cause fusel alcohols so that's my worry.

My other fusel alcohol possibility is that I fermented at around 78 degrees (which is what the recipe itself suggested :/ ) Now i'm reading that going above 80 can cause fusel alcohol.

Finally, I bought the 1% alcohol boost and added it into the brew right after adding my extracts. Could this be the culprit?

I don't think that I messed up any of the recipe as I was very careful to cut everything (besides the yeast) down to a 1/4. Maybe I'm just freaking out as I want this to turn out awesome and I'm being impatient. Any tips, thoughts or comments would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long windedness but thanks for this community full of helpful insights.

 

[ScottG58]

I have had some astringent taste settle out as beer ages. Seven days and the beer will be immature. I like to think about bottling at three weeks. The yeast will clear up some flavors. Proteins, tannins get a chance to settle.

Astringency can be a tea-like puckering flavor at the back of the tongue. If you used steeping grain at a temperature and PH were too high, you can get true astringency.

Sometimes the hop material can stay in suspension before settling and give a bitter flavor.

Bottom line is my beers that had similar flavor young ended up ok.

 

[PhelanKA7]

Judging a beer that has been in the bottle 7 days is folly. Have patience.

 

[Yooper]

Here are some possibilites for error:
My other fusel alcohol possibility is that I fermented at around 78 degrees (which is what the recipe itself suggested :/ ) Now i'm reading that going above 80 can cause fusel alcohol.

Finally, I bought the 1% alcohol boost and added it into the brew right after adding my extracts. Could this be the culprit?

Too much yeast is NOT an issue, and would at most cause a yeasty flavor (but you probably didn't use too much yeast anyway) so that's not what's causing the astringency. Too much yeast does NOT cause fusel alcohols.

It's early yet, so it might fade a lot. Sometimes dark roasted grains have a definite astringent taste that mellows.

But yes, I do think that fermenting at 78 degrees (yowza! way way too hot!) is a big part of the problem, depending on which yeast strain you used.

The alcohol boost may make the beer taste even "hotter" along with the fusels from the high fermentation temperature, but not give it astrigency.

 

[Behemoth]

Your about 2 weeks too early For a Brown ale, possibly 3. What was your OG?

 

[thood6]

Too much yeast is NOT an issue, and would at most cause a yeasty flavor (but you probably didn't use too much yeast anyway) so that's not what's causing the astringency. Too much yeast does NOT cause fusel alcohols.

It's early yet, so it might fade a lot. Sometimes dark roasted grains have a definite astringent taste that mellows.

But yes, I do think that fermenting at 78 degrees (yowza! way way too hot!) is a big part of the problem, depending on which yeast strain you used.

The alcohol boost may make the beer taste even "hotter" along with the fusels from the high fermentation temperature, but not give it astrigency.

+1 to wayyyy to high of temps. If that was air temperature, your beer could have been near 85 degrees fermenting. It could be rocket fuel.