Brew Advice? Amber Ales

[junior06]

Hey Fellas,

As a begginer 'kit' brewer I was after a few recipe ideas that maybe would help produce something drinkable rather than the sewage i seem to be churning out. I really like james squires amber ale. I've looked around on sites and cant seem to find a recipe for this beer or something similar? anyone brewed this type of beer or something that produces similar characteristics & flavour?
Also i'm fermenting a brew at the moment (5 days so far) and just took a test sample, it doesn't smell to great, is this normal?

cheers

 

[DrewCarey82]

Sounds like your not sanatising and cleaning properly what steps do you do for cleaning equipment? - and what r u using to clean with?

Also whats your brewing temperature generally?

Also your bottles are a possible problem have these been sanatised?

 

[junior06]

Picked up sanitiser from HB shop came with the starter kit. Using So2 (Sodium Metabisulphite - Apparantly) Put like 4-5 tbls of this into fermenter along with about 5-6L of water closed the lid and gave it a good shake... did this a few times and dumped the equipment in the solution as well then gave it all a rinse with tap water. Not ready for bottling yet although it smells alot different than when i first brewed it... will it be worth bottling if it smells bad?

 

[Steve]

junior - what are you brewing and what does it smell like?

 

[junior06]

cascade porter can with a brew enhancer... hard to describe the smell... smells almost like if you would mix beer and cheap champagne together?

 

[Steve]

It'll be fine junior. Let it do its thing. As long as it doesnt smell AND TASTE like vinegar it'll be good. Have you tried Morgans Royal Oak Amber Ale? Thats kind of along the lines of the JS Amber ale. Have a look on:

www.hbkitreviews.com

This will give you some ideas on different brews and how people have made them.
Cheers
Steve

 

[apd]

junior06,

I've brewed the Cascade Porter. It was my first ever brew. I wasn't too happy with it. I've done about 10 kit brews and only a couple have been vaguely ok. The better ones were better because I didn't use dextrose - replaced it with dry malt extract.

The smell can be a bit off putting but from memory, it was just during fermentation. A lot of beers give sulphur smells during fermentation.

A good way of improving kit beers is adding some grains (as well as ditching the dextrose). Check out this Grain and Grape recipe: http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/BeerOTMont...gers_entire.htm

 

[junior06]

Nice one... cheers, I think i picked the wrong can anyways...
The Cascade Porter seems to have really bad reviews on the site steve sent me...

Looks like i'm back to the drawing board again.

 

[Steve]

Junior
Have you tried the ESB Fresh Worts? Give the Irish Red a go. Easy as, and taste great.
Cheers
Steve

 

[junior06]

No, i've only done 2 brews (3rd in progress) i'll be on the lookout for that or the royal oak.... thanks for the advice!

cheers
junior

 

[Beer]

Juniour..

I am doing an amber ale at the moment, see this thread http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/Jame..._Ale-t7345.html

My recipe is this:

1.5kg Muntons Premium Blonde
1.5kg Morgans Unhopped Amber Malt Extract
250g Maltodextrin
1 Brew Bag Cluster Finishing Hops
Safale Yeast S-04

Expected SG 1050
Expected FG 1016

Now some say to ditch the maltodextrin, but its up to you. Prob better without it.

My brewing method:

Boil 2 litres water..
Add both cans (and malto if using)
Boil lightly for 20mins.
Boil hops for 8-10 mins (if using pellets, strain with a fine mesh strainer after boil)
Add all to fermenter, and top up with cold water (add hop here)
Temp should be about 20-25, if so either sprinkle the dry yeast straight on top, or rehydrate it first then pitch it.
Small light stir..
Done..

Ferment at 18-20 deg... rack near end of ferment and wait another 7 days or so.. rack and batch prime..

All done.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Beer

 

[Lebowski]

I heard someplace you should leave your fermenter to dry for about an hour after you've poured out the SMB solution. The drying of the stuff aparently lets off gas that does the sanitising. (Works for me anyway). Then rinse.

I got a recipe pack from local HBS for amber ale that was
Muntons Blonde beer
1.7kg amber malt
golden cluster hops
us-56 (sorta red/pink packet) safale yeast

Is one of the better beers I've made (rest of family all likes it)