Weak Beer?

[Majikcook]

Hey all,
Just got my first batch of German Alt bottled today. Spent 1 week in the ferment bucket and 1 in the carboy. Everything seems to be as planned except I tasted it and it seems like beer flavored water. Please tell me this is normal, and that the flavor will develop over the next few weeks in the bottle!
Color seems a little light as well. Followed directions to the T, and topped with additional water at 5 gallons when I made the wort. Bubbled fine for 3 days in the bucket. Just worried I'm wasting time with this batch.. Help!

 

[Dark_Ale]

Hey all,
Just got my first batch of German Alt bottled today. Spent 1 week in the ferment bucket and 1 in the carboy. Everything seems to be as planned except I tasted it and it seems like beer flavored water. Please tell me this is normal, and that the flavor will develop over the next few weeks in the bottle!
Color seems a little light as well. Followed directions to the T, and topped with additional water at 5 gallons when I made the wort. Bubbled fine for 3 days in the bucket. Just worried I'm wasting time with this batch.. Help!

When you say beer flavored water do you mean, light in body or just flat. Did you take a gravity before adding to primary? It could be you had too much water, not enough fermentable sugar,....Was it sweet? Did you use canned malt? I dont think your wasting your time, Sometimes recipes can lead you wrong also. where did the recipe come from?

 

[Majikcook]

When you say beer flavored water do you mean, light in body or just flat. Did you take a gravity before adding to primary? It could be you had too much water, not enough fermentable sugar,....Was it sweet? Did you use canned malt? I dont think your wasting your time, Sometimes recipes can lead you wrong also. where did the recipe come from?

I purchased the kit at the brew store where I bought the 2 stage equipment. An all in one bag kit. I did not take a gravity reading as I managed to break the Hydrometer, and was told by my brother he didn't use one so maybe I didn't need one either.. Hmm.. Everything was pre-measured and bagged. 5lb Powdered DME, Malts, hops and irish mossand Saaz whole hops were all the ingredients. Didn't seem too sweet, just watery and weak. I'd say a coors light has more depth.. but not much... Topped off the wort in the ferment bucket to exactly 5 gallons as per instructions, so it shouldn't be too watery I would think. With the 2 stage I left a lot of yeast sediment in the primary when I transferd to the carboy. Was that my flavor? Bottled with 1 1/2 air in bottles so it all seems right except the taste... was expecting a heavier beer taste.

 

[Dark_Ale]

I purchased the kit at the brew store where I bought the 2 stage equipment. An all in one bag kit. I did not take a gravity reading as I managed to break the Hydrometer, and was told by my brother he didn't use one so maybe I didn't need one either.. Hmm.. Everything was pre-measured and bagged. 5lb Powdered DME, Malts, hops and irish mossand Saaz whole hops were all the ingredients. Didn't seem too sweet, just watery and weak. I'd say a coors light has more depth.. but not much... Topped off the wort in the ferment bucket to exactly 5 gallons as per instructions, so it shouldn't be too watery I would think. With the 2 stage I left a lot of yeast sediment in the primary when I transferd to the carboy. Was that my flavor? Bottled with 1 1/2 air in bottles so it all seems right except the taste... was expecting a heavier beer taste.

You should leave as much behind in the primary as possible as this is one of the main reasons you rack it over is to get it off that crud. Not to sure what your problem was unless mabe it was a light beer. Let it go a couple of weeks and try it.

 

[uglygoat]

it didn't have any grain to steep? i think that may be your culprate as far as body and flavor goes.

 

[Majikcook]

it didn't have any grain to steep? i think that may be your culprate as far as body and flavor goes.

Yes, it did have a bag of grain to steep at the end of the boil. Honestly, the instructions left something to be desired, but I think I did it right if "they" were right.. I'll let it go a few weeks and see..
Thanks for your input.

 

[Majikcook]

it didn't have any grain to steep? i think that may be your culprate as far as body and flavor goes.

Going to take a bottle to the brew store and let him tell me what he thinks in a week or 2 if not up to par.
Thanks again

 

[rightwingnut]

Yes, it did have a bag of grain to steep at the end of the boil.

Never heard of steeping grain at the end...I do it first thing, before it gets to a boil...DON'T BOIL THE GRAINS!!

 

[LaFours]

Yea, grains should be added before the boil. The water shouldn't be higher than 165F when you do or you'll suck the tannins out of the grains and create astringent flavors in your beer.

I usually steep at 152F for about 25 minutes.

 

[Janx]

Sounds like you just made a light beer. Next time, buy DME, hops and go with your own recipe. I've yet to taste a kit I liked. You'll have more control and can make as big a beer as you like that way.

Have fun!

 

[Majikcook]

Sounds like you just made a light beer. Next time, buy DME, hops and go with your own recipe. I've yet to taste a kit I liked. You'll have more control and can make as big a beer as you like that way.

Have fun!

Thanks everyone, actually it was the flavoring hops that went in last, not the grains. They went in first... I really did go by the instructions, although reading everything I've posted make me wonder if I'm some sort of idiot!
Bought an IPA from G&G yesterday I'll do this weekend in case the Alt doesn't turn out. I just wonder if I strained all the flavor out of it when it went into the ferment bucket... I guess time will tell. I'll let you know in 2 weeks when I pop the first Alt.

 

[NUCC98]

Thanks everyone, actually it was the flavoring hops that went in last, not the grains. They went in first... I really did go by the instructions, although reading everything I've posted make me wonder if I'm some sort of idiot!
Bought an IPA from G&G yesterday I'll do this weekend in case the Alt doesn't turn out. I just wonder if I strained all the flavor out of it when it went into the ferment bucket... I guess time will tell. I'll let you know in 2 weeks when I pop the first Alt.

Heheh....there are no idiots here....this isn't American Choppers! Hahaha!! We're all entitled to make mistakes....just browse on over to (Mis)Adventures In Homebrewing!!!

 

[rightwingnut]

Yea, grains should be added before the boil. The water shouldn't be higher than 165F when you do or you'll suck the tannins out of the grains and create astringent flavors in your beer.

I usually steep at 152F for about 25 minutes.

Oh, NO!! I've been steeping the grains until just before boil, at about 200-210...am I going to have 15 gallons of shite?

 

[Dark_Ale]

Oh, NO!! I've been steeping the grains until just before boil, at about 200-210...am I going to have 15 gallons of shite?

Send it this way I will drink it.....LOL