Brew Slightly Flat

[reveler]

Hi,

I put down a lager for my first brew and followed all the instructions. However I am looking to improve the taste of my beer. It has been bottled for 2 weeks and is slightly flatter than i'd like. Its still very drinkable so its not that bigger deal.

Reading your FAQ, it appears that I should of kept the brew at the same temperature that I fermented at.

I am looking for ways to improve my brewing style for the next time around.

I am aiming for a Tooheys New/Carlton Draught style beer as this is what I drink regularly. Once I master that, then I may delve into some Pale Ale's and Pilsner style beers, but I'll try and keep it simple to start with.

So my questions are..

What is a good Kit to buy
Is there any extra's I should add. (malt ect.)

What is a good temperature to ferment at (i did it at 26 degrees before as the instructions said too, kept the temperature constant using a water bath with fish tank heater.)

I plan to keep the fermenter in a water bath, then after bottling put the bottles in the water bath too, to maintain temperature. Since I am using PET bottles i beleive it will also have to be in a dark place too. Then after 10 days move them to a cool dark cupboard?

thanks for any tips! :beer:

 

[Adamt]

Hi and welcome to the forum! There's a huge wealth of information on this forum for experienced grain brewers to inexperienced kit brewers such as yourself.

Best thing to do first would be to fill in your location so we can direct you to a quality local home brew store (HBS) in your area. _Good_ HBSs are invaluable for advice on ingredients, brewing tactics and equipment.

There are many people here willing to help out and give opinions on all aspects of brewing, though I find it's much more helpful to ask specific questions to save our fingers from dropping off by typing essays That is unless you catch PistolPatch on a good night

Specifically regarding your questions: The instructions supplied with most of the cans you can get are in essence, a load of crap. Most normal ale yeasts (your lager kit wouldnt have been supplied with actual lager yeast) are best fermented around 18-20C. Fermenting at higher temperatures can create different compounds such as heavy alcohols (which are thought to cause hangovers) and some fruity esters. However if youre drinking it and enjoying it, good on ya!

-- It is important to notice whether the beer is actually flat, or if it just has poor head retention. Flat beer is not properly carbonated, and is caused by either not enough priming sugar in the bottles, not enough time maturing in the bottle, not enough yeast left in the beer to carbonate it (doubt this would be a problem), or the bottles were matured at a temperature too cold. If all your bottles are flat, store them at room temperature and maybe roll them around a bit to get the yeast moving again! --
Edit: Just read your last line, don't worry too much about keeping the bottles in a water bath, just put them in a cupboard or something, as long as its not too cold. Leave the bottles for another week or so and check the carbonation then.

-Adam

 

[Tyred]

In regards to the carbonation problem. If you followed the instructions then you probably used ~7g (teasooon) of sugar per bottle which should be sufficient. As said before, give it a couple of weeks at room temperature and see how it goes.

To try and make better beer.
Don't use a kilo of sugar, use dextrose or something else, like malt or brew enhancers (there are two main types).

I'll let Canberra brewers inform you on which home brew shops are likely to be more helpful.

Probably lots more stuff as well. Have a read of John Palmers' How to Brew (http://www.howtobrew.com), That will hopefully help and give you some more ideas.

 

[reveler]

Thanks for your comments.

I used carbonation drops (2 per PET bottle).

Living in Canberra, I have stored them in my laundry, which isn't the warmest place on earth (between 0-15 most days, normally between 0-10). I don't have lots of storage places, so this was the most convienant.

When I made the brew, I used the brew enhancer that came with it, rather than sugar.

Its only just been two weeks, so I may roll them around, and move them out into the living room, where i know there is a heater on for quite a while and its a bit warmer.

To keep me occupied, I'll put another brew down and go again

I know of a brew shop near me so I might go see them.

However, since i am making lager kits, would it be wise to go buy some lager yeast and get rid of the ale stuff?

 

[Adamt]

Brewing true lagers are different to brewing ales (most kit lagers are actually ales).

Lagers are brewed with special lager yeast, that is to be primary fermented from 14C down to 10C, and hence takes longer, are usually secondary fermented too, (that is, moved off the dead yeast cake from the primary to a fresh new fermenter), and then "cold conditioned", or "lagered" in a jerry can or similar container at 0-3C to clear and condition beer.

Lagers are much more difficult to perfect as a kit brewer, due to its required crisp flavours, there is "less space" for minor infections, errors and imperfections to hide. I've found the kit ales I have made are much much more rewarding than the lagers. The distinctive "homebrew" twangs are still there sometimes, but the bigger bodied and flavoured ales seem to mask it a bit more.

I'm sure the brew shop staff will have some sort of advice for you

 

[Weizguy]

Reveler,

I reiterate, Welcome 2 da forum. :beerbang:

Can U tell us which lager you brewed. If it's Coopers, no disrespect, but Cooper's Lager has a unique flavr that's an acquired taste. I'm still not sure how my cousin and his mate knocked backed a 2 litre bottle each in short order, before going out on the town. I also can't see why, either.

I have brewed a beer with a Supermarket can, brew booster (my own mix) and a lager yeast. It was quite acceptable to the megaswill crue, and will be again (one day, I'm sure).

Back to the big Q: I reckon that you need to leave the beer for a little while to carbonate at ambient temp. I might start a flame war, but I reckon U get a finer carboonation at cooler temps; and at warmer temps U get big bubbles that don't hold a head.

Again, to back up other forum netizens, lager is a delicate beer which is "clear" in flavr. That means that you see (or should see) only the malt and hops (water treatment and acidification not withstanding), so any imperfections will stand out like the proverbial dog's testes on a cat.

Welcome dude, and feel free to pm any of our helpful coontributors, and lok me up when ur in Newcastle.

Beerz
Seth

P.S. Let me know when U get keen for a wheat beer and I'll pm you a simple extract recipe (or U could prob search it on the forum).

 

[Brewtus]

Go on Sunday morning to Kambah Village at 11am to Brew your Own At Home for lessons......