irish red ale

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Edpietrzak

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So I tried my first brew tonight, an extract irish red ale, and it tastes a little watery and flat. Followed the instructions to a t. 2 weeks primary 2 weeks secondary, 2 weeks bottle and 3 days in fridge. Any thoughts or suggestions.
 
A few questions:
1. did you take any gravity readings?
2. what temps are your bottles conditioning at?
3. what were your fermenting temps?
 
I put the whole batch in the fridge after the 2 weeks suggested time on the instruction sheet (NB). If I take half out and rouse up would that lead to any problems?
 
Maybe try taking a few out first and trying it with those before taking too many out. For future batches (because there will always be future batches) only put a bottle or two in the fridge as testers; see how the conditioning/carbonation is going. If you leave them conditioning at ambient temps longer it will give the beer more time to finish. When I bottle I always leave at least six bottles to condition over months to see how they develop, and I'm never disappointed.
 
If they aren't fully carbonated, take them all out of the fridge. Keep them warm and make sure they are fully carbed before refrigerating them. The times on kit instructions should be looked at as mere guidelines. A beer is ready to move to the next step when it is ready - the yeast do not abide by your timetable.
 
I should add, since Revvy's not here to do so...

3 weeks at 70°F is the minimum you should give your beer for carbonation. Some beers will take longer. At cooler temps it will take longer.
 
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