As I sit her enjoying a mug of raspberry wheat I created I just can't help thinking I want to dump my first batch. This raspberry wheat is truly great. I followed the advice from this forum and had patience. I would put it head to head with Purple Haze any day. So, at least I can brew a good beer that I like.
My first batch however is sitting next to the raspberry wheat in a corny keg. I only have room for two kegs and my next batch will be ready Sunday. So I am contemplating dumping about 3gl of beer. It is an "Arizona IPA" purchased at my lhbs with the following 5gl recipe:
7 lbs Lt DME
.75 lb Crystal Malt (Grain)
.25 lb Flaked Barley
2 oz Centennial Hops
1 oz Kent Goldings
1 pk Nottingham Dry
The only variation to the recipe was 1 oz of cascade hops added continually during the 60min boil. I guess I thought I was Sam from DFH or something.
Everything went well during brew day, the only mistake I made was that I only bought 5gl of water and I did not account for the boil off. I ended up with 4-4.5gl in the 6.5 carboy. In hindsight I should have just topped it off with tap water but I didn't. OG was within 2 or 3 points of the recipe.
Early the next day my wife went to put the baby down and noticed the water had drained from the bathtub and the temp on the carboy was 79. She said this only lasted 1 or 2 hours max since she had checked it in the morning. This happened during the peak fermentation. She got temp back down to 72 and it stayed pretty much 70-72 for two weeks.
After two weeks I was impatient and racked to a 5gl carboy and kept it at 70-72 for about a week before kegging. I force pressured it and in 2 days had my first pint. At the time I thought it was wonderful. However I was already drunk and not really a good judge at that moment. The next day I tasted it sober and it could taste an alcohol taste that I normally don't taste it beer. It was bearable for about half a pint before I just poured it down the drain. It also gave me quite a buzz and I not looking to black out, that's why I drink beer only. (Taking a sip of my raspberry wheat, mmmm)
I keep it at around 38 for about a week and it still has the same taste. So I took it out of the freezer and let it set in the keg at 70-72 for another two weeks.
Then last week my in-laws flew in from the mountains of North Carolina and my father-in-law wanted to try my beer. The raspberry wheat was still in the secondary and there was NO WAY I was going to rush it.
I chilled and recarbed it for a couple of days then poured him a pint of the IPA. He loved it. As I was trying to describe the taste I was getting he said, "Ya know, it kinda taste like Colt 45". I literally LOL and he kept drinking it. I haven't had OE since high school and I'd like to keep it that way.
Now it's a week later and I tried it again just now and it tastes exactly the same. So, should I dump the 2-3gl left so I can reuse the keg for my patiently brewed IPA I'm racking on Sunday. Or should I take it out of the freezer again, let it sit for 2-50 months, and buy another corney for the rack on Sunday. I hate to spend the extra $30 when I don't really need it but I also don't want to be the guy who dumped his first batch. Thanks for taking the time to read and helping me in my decision.
Also, do you think it was the 79 degrees for 2 hours that did it, or racking too soon, or not accounting for the boil off, or all of the above?
My first batch however is sitting next to the raspberry wheat in a corny keg. I only have room for two kegs and my next batch will be ready Sunday. So I am contemplating dumping about 3gl of beer. It is an "Arizona IPA" purchased at my lhbs with the following 5gl recipe:
7 lbs Lt DME
.75 lb Crystal Malt (Grain)
.25 lb Flaked Barley
2 oz Centennial Hops
1 oz Kent Goldings
1 pk Nottingham Dry
The only variation to the recipe was 1 oz of cascade hops added continually during the 60min boil. I guess I thought I was Sam from DFH or something.
Everything went well during brew day, the only mistake I made was that I only bought 5gl of water and I did not account for the boil off. I ended up with 4-4.5gl in the 6.5 carboy. In hindsight I should have just topped it off with tap water but I didn't. OG was within 2 or 3 points of the recipe.
Early the next day my wife went to put the baby down and noticed the water had drained from the bathtub and the temp on the carboy was 79. She said this only lasted 1 or 2 hours max since she had checked it in the morning. This happened during the peak fermentation. She got temp back down to 72 and it stayed pretty much 70-72 for two weeks.
After two weeks I was impatient and racked to a 5gl carboy and kept it at 70-72 for about a week before kegging. I force pressured it and in 2 days had my first pint. At the time I thought it was wonderful. However I was already drunk and not really a good judge at that moment. The next day I tasted it sober and it could taste an alcohol taste that I normally don't taste it beer. It was bearable for about half a pint before I just poured it down the drain. It also gave me quite a buzz and I not looking to black out, that's why I drink beer only. (Taking a sip of my raspberry wheat, mmmm)
I keep it at around 38 for about a week and it still has the same taste. So I took it out of the freezer and let it set in the keg at 70-72 for another two weeks.
Then last week my in-laws flew in from the mountains of North Carolina and my father-in-law wanted to try my beer. The raspberry wheat was still in the secondary and there was NO WAY I was going to rush it.
I chilled and recarbed it for a couple of days then poured him a pint of the IPA. He loved it. As I was trying to describe the taste I was getting he said, "Ya know, it kinda taste like Colt 45". I literally LOL and he kept drinking it. I haven't had OE since high school and I'd like to keep it that way.
Now it's a week later and I tried it again just now and it tastes exactly the same. So, should I dump the 2-3gl left so I can reuse the keg for my patiently brewed IPA I'm racking on Sunday. Or should I take it out of the freezer again, let it sit for 2-50 months, and buy another corney for the rack on Sunday. I hate to spend the extra $30 when I don't really need it but I also don't want to be the guy who dumped his first batch. Thanks for taking the time to read and helping me in my decision.
Also, do you think it was the 79 degrees for 2 hours that did it, or racking too soon, or not accounting for the boil off, or all of the above?
I say you get another freezer for your kegs, and use the one you have now as a ferm. chamber...
