First Home Brew Completed - A Few Questions

[12SCooke]

Hi,

Just completed first ever homebrew, overall really impressed but I have a few questions that I hope you can answer

First of all it was a extract kit, golden ale. It was fermented for 9 days (as per instructions) then bottled and left for 3 weeks. Followed all instructions to the word.

For the first brew I was really impressed but:

1. There was still a slight yeasty flavour to the beer, how can this be eradicated?

2. Head retention wasn't amazing, after around half a pint the head had gone. How can head retention be improved?

Any help would be great!

 

[ol-hazza]

With extract kits there isn't anything I know of that you can do for head retention other than ensure you have clean glassware that is also free from detergents and rinse aids.

The yeast flavour can probably be best removed by changing to a different yeast (US-05 is a good one), controlling fermentation temps (65° for us-05), as well as helping to flocculate yeast (fancy term for drop it out of suspension) by giving it more time in the fermenter, adding gelatin (or other finnings) or cold crashing (where you drop the temperature on the entire fermenter down near 32°)

 

[Bellybuster]

One word answer..... Time.
You'll find that the last bottle will be the best.
Start brewing and get ahead of your drinking habit by a few batches

 

[mattv21]

Disregard if you’ve already read this somewhere… As for the yeasty taste, did you pour the entire bottle out into a glass or leave a little bit (1/4” or so) of beer in the bottom? You’ll find a thin layer of yeast settling out in the bottom of your bottles as you condition them, and if you empty the entire bottle, you mix that sediment back into your freshly poured beer. If you poured out the entire bottle, try leaving a little bit behind next time and see if that improves the yeasty taste to something more in line with what you're looking for. There’s nothing wrong with drinking it but some people (myself included) prefer to leave it behind with most styles.

 

[Biscuits]

Disregard if you’ve already read this somewhere… As for the yeasty taste, did you pour the entire bottle out into a glass or leave a little bit (1/4” or so) of beer in the bottom? You’ll find a thin layer of yeast settling out in the bottom of your bottles as you condition them, and if you empty the entire bottle, you mix that sediment back into your freshly poured beer. If you poured out the entire bottle, try leaving a little bit behind next time and see if that improves the yeasty taste to something more in line with what you're looking for. There’s nothing wrong with drinking it but some people (myself included) prefer to leave it behind with most styles.

^This...and give your beers a few days in the fridge before drinking them. Letting them chill in there for 3 or 4 days will settle out whatever little bit might still be in suspension after conditioning. If this doesn't work, they may simply need more time conditioning....like someone else said...TIME is almost always the answer.

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

Yes, time and patience are two of the most important ingredients. Nine days in the fermenter is not a lot of time to let the yeast finish their work. I usually go with 3 weeks. The only times I've gotten that yeasty flavor were the times I rushed it. The good news is that time in the bottle will help lessen it.

 

[mrgrimm101]

As stated previously, 9 days is not long enough in the fermenter (IMO). I go 2-3 weeks, depending when I hit final gravity and depending on the style. Those damn kit instructions give awful advice sometimes and can make it even more confusing for a new brewer to learn the process.

 

[CA_Mouse]

To aid in head retention, you can add 4oz of carapils to your steeping grains. These add unfermentable proteins that help with head retention, note that these add very little in the way of sugar or flavor.

The yeasty taste, most likely it is the yeast that was carbonating your bottle. Cold crashing your fermenter for 36 hours prior to bottling will help get a large amount of the yeast out of suspension as noted by other commenters. Chilling your bottles, as mentioned, for 3 or 4 days and not disturbing the 'cookie' of yeast on the bottom of the bottle will make that taste go away.

 

[frydaddy81]

To aid in head retention, you can add 4oz of carapils to your steeping grains. These add unfermentable proteins that help with head retention, note that these add very little in the way of sugar or flavor.

The yeasty taste, most likely it is the yeast that was carbonating your bottle. Cold crashing your fermenter for 36 hours prior to bottling will help get a large amount of the yeast out of suspension as noted by other commenters. Chilling your bottles, as mentioned, for 3 or 4 days and not disturbing the 'cookie' of yeast on the bottom of the bottle will make that taste go away.

I have brewed a lot of batches of beer but I have never cold crashed primary or secondary. #1. will this hurt the yeast in the fermenter if you plan to wash a reuse? #2. does it even make sense to cold crash a secondary?

 

[CA_Mouse]

I have brewed a lot of batches of beer but I have never cold crashed primary or secondary. #1. will this hurt the yeast in the fermenter if you plan to wash a reuse? #2. does it even make sense to cold crash a secondary?

I cold crash everything. Cold crashing just drops the heaviest yeast cells and un-bonded protein.

It will not hurt the yeast in any way. It will make it easier for you to collect more of the healthiest yeast.

Cold crashing is just a way to ensure that your beer clears completely. When you bottle or keg, you are cold crashing anything left in suspension and that provides a cleaner looking beer.

 

[frydaddy81]

Thanks!

 

[Calder]

I've had lots of problems when I started. I expect I had yeast flavors initially (I can't remember), lack of body, 'extract' twang, and other flaws in the beer.

I'm not sure how I got over them, but I sure don't have any of those things now. I partial mash, but the grains are usually 80+% of the fermentables or more, occasionally it's a real all-grain batch. But sometimes I do an extract batch and it turns out fine.

Just keep at it and it will get better.

Maybe it is the kit or the yeast. Try creating your own recipe, or using 'tried' recipes, and buying a decent yeast rather than using the an unknown yeast from the kit. Make sure you know what yeast you are using.

Some advice, which may or may not get rid of your problem, but it will make better beer:

- Don't rush to secondary. Or even use secondary - if you don't know why you are using secondary, then you don't need to use it. And you can dry hop in the primary with no issues.

- Leaving beer in the fermenter longer will make for a clearer beer in the bottle. Unless it is a really hoppy beer, I don't bottle until at least 6 weeks. My sediment is about the same as you would find in a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

- Ferment temps are probably one of the most important things to pay attention to in producing quality beer. In general ferment at the lower end of the recommended range of the yeast (Belgians are different, and I'd advise fermenting at the high end or even higher). NOTE: high temps produce fusel alcohols and 'strange' flavors.

 

[12SCooke]

This is my first brew. As you can see. It isn't a thick head

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

That head is fine. Don't sweat it. It also looks pretty clear. Good job. Have a beer!

 

[12SCooke]

Yeah the initial head is good but once I'm half way down it, it just disappears. Any tips?

 

[CA_Mouse]

Ideally the head won't stay the same way all the way down while you drink. I wouldn't worry too much about it from those pics.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Yeah the initial head is good but once I'm half way down it, it just disappears. Any tips?

I understand your concern, but IMO it's not really an issue. I've had only a handful of beers that kept a thick, full head until the end (or close to the end even) of the glass. Not that I've ever taken notice, but probably 95% of the beer I drink (commercial or homebrewed) has a nice full head for only a few minutes after the pour (depending how I pour) and it usually settles after I start sipping on it. IMO it's probably overcarbed if it keeps a head for that long (unless the style requires higher levels of carbonation). I've never really thought about this as a problem. If the beer tastes good, who cares if the head doesn't stick around for long?

 

[N4teTheGreat]

I understand your concern, but IMO it's not really an issue. I've had only a handful of beers that kept a thick, full head until the end (or close to the end even) of the glass. Not that I've ever taken notice, but probably 95% of the beer I drink (commercial or homebrewed) has a nice full head for only a few minutes after the pour (depending how I pour) and it usually settles after I start sipping on it. IMO it's probably overcarbed if it keeps a head for that long (unless the style requires higher levels of carbonation). I've never really thought about this as a problem. If the beer tastes good, who cares if the head doesn't stick around for long?

This, I was starting to feel self conscious (ok, not really, but, curious) about the seemingly minimal head on my stout (also my first brew). After paying more attention to commercial brews my head isn't far off from most other dry stouts. Then I thought about it more, other than a little foam after the pour to give allow for a nice sniff, I prefer less head so I can get a nice big mouthful of beer

-- Nathan