seasum
Member
So me and my roommates decided to get a homebrew kit last semester. A really awesome and expensive one. We researched and researched and got help from our local homebrew store and brewed up our first batch. However, it ended up tasting like Keystone light with a bitterness that was not supposed to be there.
We used a Coopers Real Ale precanned Malt Extract thing and used corn sugar as a primer. I know things went wrong at a few places, but nothing major that I am aware of.
1. A small amount of wort boiled over. We are battling having 5 gallon batches but boiling the wort in a 16 qt pot when 20-24 would be much more ideal. It didn't seem like it actually got burned at all.
2. We had issues with the siphon at first in the bottling process. I didn't know it was a big deal to have air in it at first. However it was sorted out after the first couple of bottles.
3. We only used one can of the extract. Looking around on the internet, I found out later that it is usually advisable to use two. I'm hoping this is the main source of the problem since an extra would add a lot of flavor to the beer.
Other than that, I can't think of what would've gone badly. We sanitized like crazy people and followed multiple sets of agreeable instructions, cross-checking that we didn't screw it up too bad. The cooling of the wort was fine, we added yeast at the exact right temperature after the right amount of time. Gravitys were good, though the beer was only like 3.8%
For the second batch, we are going to try to go with a precanned again until we get a batch that is at least okay. After that we will upgrade to partial mash or higher technique wise. We are also using a 1-stage fermentation instead of a 2 even though we have equipment for 2.
For the extract, we were thinking of the Coopers Irish Stout, since the heavier flavor of that should help cover up mistakes. I'm a little worried though because I hate bottled Guiness, even though I love it on tap.
That's all I can think of for now. I just really want to fix this so that we can start making and drinking better beer, and so the initial investment won't go to waste as my roommates get frustrated by ****ty beer. Should I just dive head in, and figure out hops and grains so I can follow recipes? Keep going with the precanned? Thanks for any help in making this not suck.
**Tl;dr** Made a meh first batch of beer with one precanned malt extract. Bumping it up to two probably. Looking for tips of any kind on beginner brews.
We used a Coopers Real Ale precanned Malt Extract thing and used corn sugar as a primer. I know things went wrong at a few places, but nothing major that I am aware of.
1. A small amount of wort boiled over. We are battling having 5 gallon batches but boiling the wort in a 16 qt pot when 20-24 would be much more ideal. It didn't seem like it actually got burned at all.
2. We had issues with the siphon at first in the bottling process. I didn't know it was a big deal to have air in it at first. However it was sorted out after the first couple of bottles.
3. We only used one can of the extract. Looking around on the internet, I found out later that it is usually advisable to use two. I'm hoping this is the main source of the problem since an extra would add a lot of flavor to the beer.
Other than that, I can't think of what would've gone badly. We sanitized like crazy people and followed multiple sets of agreeable instructions, cross-checking that we didn't screw it up too bad. The cooling of the wort was fine, we added yeast at the exact right temperature after the right amount of time. Gravitys were good, though the beer was only like 3.8%
For the second batch, we are going to try to go with a precanned again until we get a batch that is at least okay. After that we will upgrade to partial mash or higher technique wise. We are also using a 1-stage fermentation instead of a 2 even though we have equipment for 2.
For the extract, we were thinking of the Coopers Irish Stout, since the heavier flavor of that should help cover up mistakes. I'm a little worried though because I hate bottled Guiness, even though I love it on tap.
That's all I can think of for now. I just really want to fix this so that we can start making and drinking better beer, and so the initial investment won't go to waste as my roommates get frustrated by ****ty beer. Should I just dive head in, and figure out hops and grains so I can follow recipes? Keep going with the precanned? Thanks for any help in making this not suck.
**Tl;dr** Made a meh first batch of beer with one precanned malt extract. Bumping it up to two probably. Looking for tips of any kind on beginner brews.
