Hi all,
I am new to hombrewing having only done a few batches so far.
A couple of months back I brew an oats stout that turned out really nice and have left everybody wanting more.
There is something I am not satisfied with and would like your opinion.
I tend to pour vigorously to create a big head which I usually let sit for 1-2 minutes so it becomes dense and creamy.
Now, if I stick my nose right there after pouring, as the head is forming up, I get a "home-brew" smell I don't get in commercial beers. If I had to qualify it, I would say yeasty, rich, sweet.
Once the beer has settled, the smell is no longer there and the taste is very clean with no detectable off-flavours / aromas.
This beer has a lovely hops flavour, not overwhelming and a subtle hop aroma. It feel layered and well balanced without much perceivable sweetness despite the rather high FG. It finishes on the bitter side, right there on the back of the palate.
What do you think this first smell coming out is? Why does is it there and dissipates away once the foam has stopped growing?
For what is worth, the recipe included (aprox) Maris Otter (70%), Light Crystal(10%), Flaked Barley(7%), Rolled Oats(5%), Roasted Barley(5%) and Carafa II(2%). OG 1.053 FG 1.018. WLP004 1 ltr starter. Wort aerated by splashing only. Fermented at 18C (64F) and up a couple of degrees towards the end. Hops were ~32 IBUs Magnum first wort and ~10 IBUs from Fuggle and EKG at flameout and steeped for 10 min. My water is quite hard and has a fairly balanced so4 and cl at around 60 ppm. I had no means to test pH at the point of brewing but the estimation was 5.2. I did not acidify the (batch)sparge water, which has an alkalinity of ~200 ppm as CaCO3. The beer does not feel astringent though.
Thanks
I am new to hombrewing having only done a few batches so far.
A couple of months back I brew an oats stout that turned out really nice and have left everybody wanting more.
There is something I am not satisfied with and would like your opinion.
I tend to pour vigorously to create a big head which I usually let sit for 1-2 minutes so it becomes dense and creamy.
Now, if I stick my nose right there after pouring, as the head is forming up, I get a "home-brew" smell I don't get in commercial beers. If I had to qualify it, I would say yeasty, rich, sweet.
Once the beer has settled, the smell is no longer there and the taste is very clean with no detectable off-flavours / aromas.
This beer has a lovely hops flavour, not overwhelming and a subtle hop aroma. It feel layered and well balanced without much perceivable sweetness despite the rather high FG. It finishes on the bitter side, right there on the back of the palate.
What do you think this first smell coming out is? Why does is it there and dissipates away once the foam has stopped growing?
For what is worth, the recipe included (aprox) Maris Otter (70%), Light Crystal(10%), Flaked Barley(7%), Rolled Oats(5%), Roasted Barley(5%) and Carafa II(2%). OG 1.053 FG 1.018. WLP004 1 ltr starter. Wort aerated by splashing only. Fermented at 18C (64F) and up a couple of degrees towards the end. Hops were ~32 IBUs Magnum first wort and ~10 IBUs from Fuggle and EKG at flameout and steeped for 10 min. My water is quite hard and has a fairly balanced so4 and cl at around 60 ppm. I had no means to test pH at the point of brewing but the estimation was 5.2. I did not acidify the (batch)sparge water, which has an alkalinity of ~200 ppm as CaCO3. The beer does not feel astringent though.
Thanks