So, I can finally claim victory on my first batch of brew. I was worried at first as I intended it more of a "dry run" than actually planning for anything drinkable.
I brewed on 7/25. One week after, I took a peek in the fermenter to see what was going on and man did it smell sharp! Cider doesn't even begin to describe how sharp the smell was. Now, I did expect that as I used corn sugar instead of DME. I did this on purpose for two reasons. One, I wanted to see what a "cidery beer" actually tasted like, and I wanted to put to task the "just wait it out" advice I saw all over the place. Also, since I don't have a good fermentation chamber built yet, I was only able to keep it between 71 and 77.
After two weeks in the fermenter I put it to bottles. I took a small glass out of the fermenter just to see what I had in my hands, and I couldn't even finish it the taste was so bad.
Then another week past. I cracked a bottle. Made me cringe, but I was able to muster it down the hatch, thanks to a few Schafly's IPA's along the way.
Then another week past and I cracked another bottle. That was the first time that the woman, myself, and my dad honestly said "that kind of tastes like beer". Finally a glimmer of hope.
Tonight, after another week of waiting, I cracked another bottle. I pulled them up in the fridge on Sunday, so they've been there for ~3 days now. I'm on my second bottle. With just LME, corn sugar, no hops, and high ferment temps, we have a beer that is drinkable. I wouldn't put it to any competitions, but now that I've gone through the process, the wait, and the anxiety we all go through with the first batch, I'm proud to say, this is BEER!
I brewed on 7/25. One week after, I took a peek in the fermenter to see what was going on and man did it smell sharp! Cider doesn't even begin to describe how sharp the smell was. Now, I did expect that as I used corn sugar instead of DME. I did this on purpose for two reasons. One, I wanted to see what a "cidery beer" actually tasted like, and I wanted to put to task the "just wait it out" advice I saw all over the place. Also, since I don't have a good fermentation chamber built yet, I was only able to keep it between 71 and 77.
After two weeks in the fermenter I put it to bottles. I took a small glass out of the fermenter just to see what I had in my hands, and I couldn't even finish it the taste was so bad.
Then another week past. I cracked a bottle. Made me cringe, but I was able to muster it down the hatch, thanks to a few Schafly's IPA's along the way.
Then another week past and I cracked another bottle. That was the first time that the woman, myself, and my dad honestly said "that kind of tastes like beer". Finally a glimmer of hope.
Tonight, after another week of waiting, I cracked another bottle. I pulled them up in the fridge on Sunday, so they've been there for ~3 days now. I'm on my second bottle. With just LME, corn sugar, no hops, and high ferment temps, we have a beer that is drinkable. I wouldn't put it to any competitions, but now that I've gone through the process, the wait, and the anxiety we all go through with the first batch, I'm proud to say, this is BEER!
