First brew ruined?

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stoneyrok

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Hi,
I used to brew wine years ago, but this was my first home brew. I did a few things I should not have and wonder if that is why it is the way it is. First it is a true brew Octoberfest kit. I steeped the malt and sanitized everything so that was not the problem. I pitched the yeast too early, after it was pitched, I found my thermometer and it was about 105. fermentation kicked off quickly, and was done in about 24 hours. The specific gravity before pitch was only 1.032 or so and the kit said should be 1.042 or so. I realized later that temp will affect the SG, but since I didn't research this until later, I added 3/4 cup confection sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar after the first 24 hour fermentation was complete. Immediately it started to ferment again. A day later it was complete and like a dummy, I used my sanitized long spoon to stir the batch and mixed up the sediment in it, but during this I don't fee like I got much oxygen in it. I let it sit for a few more days, then racked it to a carboy. It was very cloudy, but after about a week, it cleared and there was sediment on the bottom again. I moved it to the bottling bucket and bottled it with my priming sugar. My sister was anxious to try one, so I popped one 48 hours later, and it had excellent head and we described it as strong (alcohol wise), nicely carbonated, but it had an obvious yeasty taste. I know it was young and figured it needs to condition more. So, after one week of conditioning total, I popped one more and it is still yeasty flavored. One positive note is when we opened the first bottle, there was a whitish sediment in the bottom, but when we popped the second one a week after bottling, the white had turned to black like what you see in a blue moon, just still yeasty. So my question is, is this going to be yeasty even a few weeks down the road because I stirred up the pot, or maybe because I pitched yeast at 105 or maybe oxygen did get into it when I stirred it after fermentation? Is it normal for a young beer to have a yeasty flavor or is that not normal? Meanwhile, I am brewing a new porter kit and so far it has been flawless and smells great and is sitting in the secondary now. I have a basic beer recipe in the primary fermented now a using a recipe a long time store supply owner gave me.

Thanks and sorry for the long post, i just want to make sure you have all the details. Thanks for taking the time to read this and respond if you choose to.
Regards,
Stoneyrok
 
sounds like it will be fine. when you pop 1, just make sure you pour into a glass carefully. oktoberfests, being malty, also take some time to age, especially when bottled. give it some time, maybe a couple months
 
The impression I have after every question like this (albeit without pitching at 105F or stirring after fermentation has begun):

RDWHAHB.

Or, lacking a homebrew that's ready, drink a micro, let it sit for a few weeks/months, and wait til it's aged out any imperfections. If you like it generally right now, it'll probably be phenomenal in a month or two.
 
O'fests are lagers. What kind of yeast did you use? I'd say that you'll be fine, after letting it condition awhile. What was your fermentation schedule? How low did the temp get in the fermenter? It's not really easy to say based on the info you gave, but I would imagine if will still be ok. The only questions I have are how long in primary and how loing in secondary, what temperature did you ferment at, and what kind of yeast did you use?
 
Wait wait wait. How long did it ferment for? Did you allow it to settle and condition for a week or more after fermentation had stopped?

In general, you need to not fiddle with beer so much. Just pitch the yeast (at a lower temp) don't even look at it for 2 weeks, then maybe you can bottle...but leave it another week or 6 if you like. This will give the yeast time to flocculate and clear, and will give the yeast time to clean up off-flavors.
 
Thanks so much for everyones input! I am about to pass out tired and after 4 micro stouts/porters, but I will get my notes out tomorrow and tell Exactly how long it was in the primary and secondary before bottling. Thanks again so much to all of you! It's nice to know fellow hobbyists are out there and so wiling to give their input from their experience. By the way, belles has a killer stout and that damn flying dog gonzo imperial stout is good also!
 
well, sorry I disappeared on this thread, I checked and the yeast in the kit was Muntons 6 grams Active Brewing Yeast (Ale Yeast). It has conditioned for about 2 weeks and there is still a yeasty flavor and has lost a little body. I think where I messed this up is by stirring the heck out of the beer after the primary fermentation was over because I added a little more sugar. I feel like the sediment must have "stuck" in the flavor some, and that is my lesson learned here. It is still drinkable, but i am not satisfied with it, so I just dumped about a case so I can reclaim some bottles. I bottled a porter (true brew kit) about a week ago, and just put one in the fridge to see where it is for one week, knowing I will let it condition out for another week or two. I just finished bottling a recipe a local brewer gave me. It was his basic recipe but said it is a great beer for neighbors who aren't familiar with homebrew. I used light amber malt 3.3lbs, 3 lbs of dry light amber extract, styrian hops, and safeale yeast. I tasted it just now (before carbonation) and it tastes a little weak and low body, but after conditioning and carbonation, it might be great. I have not had a finished beer yet that I have made. I've done three batches and I am learning a LOT. I hope my porter taste good, it seems to be carbonating very slowly, but I will post back.. thanks for all the input! I hope to turn out a great brew and give some away and get some high fives soon! I want to be great at this!
 
Stirring did not impart any flavor in the beer. You should not stir it though.

You are getting a "yeasty" flavor because you fermented a beer with ale yeast that is typically fermented with lager yeast and generally filtered before it reaches you. Ale yeast typically impart more flavor in beer than lager yeast. You can't compare your beer to a commercial oktoberfest and expect the same result.

As far as body, you may have lost some body as the yeast dropped out of suspension in the bottle, but it is likely also the effect of complete carbonation and conditioning.
 
haha.. thanks man, I want to quit my job working as a network engineer making very good money and brew for the rest of my life, and BBQ using my Big Green Egg. These two things are my hobbies now. I have been slow smoking low and slow for years. I am psyched that brewmasters premiered the other night. That dude, (owner of Dogifsh) has the life man!!!
 
Stirring did not impart any flavor in the beer. You should not stir it though.

You are getting a "yeasty" flavor because you fermented a beer with ale yeast that is typically fermented with lager yeast and generally filtered before it reaches you. Ale yeast typically impart more flavor in beer than lager yeast. You can't compare your beer to a commercial oktoberfest and expect the same result.

As far as body, you may have lost some body as the yeast dropped out of suspension in the bottle, but it is likely also the effect of complete carbonation and conditioning.

thanks man, That is good to know. I was kind of expecting it to taste somewhat like a store bought Oktoberfest, not as good as Sam Adams, but something close. thanks so much!
See, I would have thought this whole time it was my mistake, but sounds like it is not even though I stirred. I will never stir again after it is in the primary..

Following that though, as soon as I put it in the primary, I should stir it really good before I put the yeast in right? To get plenty of O2 in there?
 
thanks man, That is good to know. I was kind of expecting it to taste somewhat like a store bought Oktoberfest, not as good as Sam Adams, but something close. thanks so much!
See, I would have thought this whole time it was my mistake, but sounds like it is not even though I stirred. I will never stir again after it is in the primary..

Following that though, as soon as I put it in the primary, I should stir it really good before I put the yeast in right? To get plenty of O2 in there?

I stir the living hell out of my wort before I pitch and always get a quick-starting fermentation. After that point, however, oxygen is the enemy. I handle the fermenter like it's someone else's baby.
 
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