Screwed up my first batch but I will NOT be discouraged...

[jpar345]

My first brewing experience was a batch of cider, which I ended up using british ale yeast for and it came out tasting a bit yeasty/beery for cider. Still drinkable. My first beer brewing experience was my last batch, American Pale Ale from Brewer's Best. It came out with a bitter, grainy dry astringent aftertaste, which I now know is an off-flavor attributed to steeping grains too hot or too long. I steeped for an hour per the instructions, however I just read on "How to Brew" that 30 minutes is what he recommends. Either way, I know I steeped too hot, I believe around 170 degrees or thereabouts. I guess now I will not steep any hotter than 162 or so, because this batch is just about undrinkable to me. I will not give up, my next batch is either a Fat Tire or Moose Drool clone and I'm not discouraged in the least. Onward and upward!

 

[Erroneous]

I'd steep at 150 or so. 162 is where you get more tannin extraction. 30 minutes should be fine. Welcome to the wonderful world of brewing!

 

[MisterOJ]

I screwed up my first batch too. Didn't know about keeping oxygen out after fermentation, so I poured it through a strainer from the fermenting bucket and into the bottling bucket. That was a little over 2 weeks ago. I've been drinking the beer while it was green before the wet cardboard taste sets in. So far it's been fairly drinkable, but I think I started detecting a hint of wet cardboard on the one I had last night.

Luckily, I have only about 12-13 bottles left. I'm bottling my second batch this weekend and you can bet I have learned from my past mistakes!

 

[jpar345]

I'd steep at 150 or so. 162 is where you get more tannin extraction. 30 minutes should be fine. Welcome to the wonderful world of brewing!

Really, so 150 is the target for steeping? Why do my instructions say to steep in the mid-160's? This is good to know for my next batch, that grainy bitter off-flavor is the worst.

 

[Krane]

My first was the brewers best pale ale and I had the same taste you described. I steeped 30 minutes and never went over 160. Not sure what it is with that kit but it seems like I have seen quite a few complaints. I was pretty bummed but pressed on. Try not to worry about it, keep working to improve your process, and good luck on your future brews!

 

[Erroneous]

I did 3 extract/steeping brew before I started going all grain and did about 150 each time. This is close to mashing temperatures. The goal of steeping is to extract color and flavor, and the higher the temp the easier it is to do that but you run into tannin extraction. Mash temps are good provided you do about a half.

 

[jpar345]

My first was the brewers best pale ale and I had the same taste you described. I steeped 30 minutes and never went over 160. Not sure what it is with that kit but it seems like I have seen quite a few complaints. I was pretty bummed but pressed on. Try not to worry about it, keep working to improve your process, and good luck on your future brews!

Interesting... good to know it wasn't all my fault.

I did 3 extract/steeping brew before I started going all grain and did about 150 each time. This is close to mashing temperatures. The goal of steeping is to extract color and flavor, and the higher the temp the easier it is to do that but you run into tannin extraction. Mash temps are good provided you do about a half.

Thanks for the info, I'll try steeping at 150 for 30 minutes next batch and see how it turns out.

 

[Sixpak]

I steep my grains at 160 - 163 with no issues at all. I believe 170 is the magic number to avoid. Make sure that the water you are testing is thoroughly stirred as you might be measuring a hotter or cooler spot depending on where you put the temp probe.