Fermented at 25 degrees

[InterCooL]

Hi guys

This is my first post, my first brew too.

I convinced myself that I could do a home brew and got some gear off a friend. I thought I'd start with something simple, Cooper's pale ale, be2, supplied yeast, starsan and just follow the instructions.
The Cooper's kit said to ferment between 21-27 degrees, so when my mix stayed solid at 25 I thought I would be fine. I knew other sources said at a lower temperature, but I thought it would be best to follow the instructions and just leave it at 25.

After doing more research, I can't find anyone that would brew an ale at such high temperatures. Have I ruined this batch? Or is there a reason coopers allow up to 27 degrees?

I sampled my beer before bottling, it tasted like beer, but I don't think it was that great. Should I expect an improvement in taste over time while it's in the bottles?

Thanks for any help. Sorry if this has been covered before, I'm finding the search function a little hard

 

[brewermp]

Hey mate. Ferm Temperature is calculated on beer type and yeast types. If it taste likes beer then it should be fine. But to make better beer you need to throw away that kit yeast and get some from your LHBS it will be much better and fresher.

 

[Ciderman]

I'm a novice too, but the best advice you could get ferment at a lower constant temperature. Quite simply your beer will taste like beer instead of homebrew. I'm an AG brewer but I've tasted plenty of kit beers that tasted alright because of fermenting conditions. If you bargain hunt you could pick up a fridge already fitted with a thermostat.

 

[leighaus]

your beer will be fine. It wont have held 25 degrees for very long. temps do play a part and can give off some 'off' smells/aroma. Leave them in the bottle, they will 'bottle condition' and taste far better than your sampler at bottling time. Try one in 2 weeks and youll be amazed at how much its improved. The good (or bad) part is, the beer will continue to get better.

The most important part about homebrewing is to relax

 

[GalBrew]

I would say it is even more important to NOT follow the instructions you get on a kit beer. They are of little help.

 

[Nizmoose]

Keep in mind that coopers yeast is a bit more tolerant of slightly high temperatures when it comes to off flavours but you'll notice big improvements at 20, I would try a bottle at two weeks but not start drinking them till they are six weeks in the bottle, you'll notice a big improvement

 

[TheExpat]

My first brew was the coopers lager. I pitched at 26 - it tastes like very appley beer! You might be luckier. If you have a very cidery taste it won't ever leave fully as far as I can tell.

Best thing to do is... Get another brew on ASAP! Let the first one have some time. Even Worst case sounds like it will be ok but not amazing if it tasted ok at bottling.

 

[InterCooL]

Thanks for all the replies

I just opened my first bottle this afternoon, 13 days after bottling. To my suprise, it looked like beer and tastes like beer, and it's not that bad either I actually think it's pretty good. I'm very happy with the results.

Can't wait for my next brew. I have some foam boxes lined up to cool down the fermenter. I think I'll try a fresh wort kit and have a crack at dry hopping

 

[Nizmoose]

Well done mate, brewing can be fairly forgiving! Nothing is more motivational than being happy with how a batch turned out and wanting to go one better

 

[gazzagahan]

Nice work, matey. I found heaps of things to worry about when I first started. And almost every solution involved relaxing and letting the beer do its thing. Good luck with your next brew.

 

[Grott]

Well done, it will be even better at about 6 weeks. A suggestion:- makes some notes of your tasting at 13 days in the bottle, then 20 days and so on to appreciate and understand how your brew is "bottle conditioning". (If you have the urge to drink them all now, put away 6 for the tastings.)
Cheers

 

[InterCooL]

You know, I wouldn't know how to describe the beer. When I read people describing wine. beer and fancy foods, I really don't get it. I just taste "good" / "bad" / "great". Give me a nice heavy wheat beer and I'll love it but I can't describe it. I really struggle to understand flavours :unsure:

 

[Nizmoose]

You know, I wouldn't know how to describe the beer. When I read people describing wine. beer and fancy foods, I really don't get it. I just taste "good" / "bad" / "great". Give me a nice heavy wheat beer and I'll love it but I can't describe it. I really struggle to understand flavours :unsure:

I definitely think that's an experience thing. I'm 21 and have been brewing 8 months and really cannot describe beers well at all. After 8 months of fairly heavy galaxy use I can pick it out in commercial beers I don't know the ingredients list to but describing it just isn't something I've got yet. The most I can distinguish is fruity, floral, yeasty, sodic, chocolate, unfortunately green apple, and bitter and sweet. Other than that it's anyone's guess. I think it takes a lot of conscientious tasting and time to be able to distinguish certain components.

 

[dave81]

If you can spare the space try pick up a free fridge off gumtree for fermenting.its only $20 a stc1000 off ebay plus some for extras bits outlets, enclosure etc to make a temp controller. Happy brewing
Ps your gonna need a lot more money when you really get into it

Edit spelling grammar : )

 

[Grott]

You know, I wouldn't know how to describe the beer. When I read people describing wine. beer and fancy foods, I really don't get it. I just taste "good" / "bad" / "great". Give me a nice heavy wheat beer and I'll love it but I can't describe it. I really struggle to understand flavours :unsure:

I was not meaning fine tasting detail. More like:- gas on opening (good, poor, didn't gush ?), smell (good, bad?), how it poured (poured well, gushed, do slowly?), head (good, flat, ?), carbonation (lots of bubbles, fast, slow,) lacing (yes, no, all the way ?), taste (nice, bad, excellent, no off flavours, bitter, sweet, top beer for me etc?), head retention (good, poor, disappeared quickly?), amount of sediment left in the bottle...
These are the sort of notes I meant, some will change, some will stay the same over time in the bottle but it is interesting to noet changes within batches and other brews.
IMOP this is a good start for those new to brewing.
Cheers

 

[Nizmoose]

Edit accidentally posted

 

[InterCooL]

I was not meaning fine tasting detail. More like:- gas on opening (good, poor, didn't gush ?), smell (good, bad?), how it poured (poured well, gushed, do slowly?), head (good, flat, ?), carbonation (lots of bubbles, fast, slow,) lacing (yes, no, all the way ?), taste (nice, bad, excellent, no off flavours, bitter, sweet, top beer for me etc?), head retention (good, poor, disappeared quickly?), amount of sediment left in the bottle...
These are the sort of notes I meant, some will change, some will stay the same over time in the bottle but it is interesting to noet changes within batches and other brews.
IMOP this is a good start for those new to brewing.
Cheers

Thank you, that is excellent help for me. I have a brew diary I will start today and this infomation is just what I needed