Fresh Wort Ipa Not All It's Made Out To Be!

[beers]

Hi Guys just to add my few cents worth.

I did an Ezybrew APA & had similar problems added 5L water + supplied yeast. OG 1.044 FG 1.022.
Emailed Garry and basically we couldn't come up with a reason.

Temps were all OK , airation was good as per my normal method. The only thoughts I have are either the yeast isn't very good ( Garry suggested stirring the wort mid fermentation ) or it had something to do with the amount of trub in the cube , gee there was a lot of muck compared to my clean filtered wort.

Lagers

Mine was an APA too. & I used a fresh satchel of US05. Diluted to around 21-21.5L.

 

[thrustyrusty]

About 3 weeks ago i received a 'Brewers selection' (ND brewing) wort kit for a present from family, this kit was labeled a 'SUMMER ALE'. The bloke at the brew shop supplied a pack of Safale US05 yeast (which was packaged by the brew shop). I thought It was going to be a tasty refreshing summer ale tasting beer. Suprise suprise when I tased it after fermenting, it had a burnt charcoal, smokey taste.
Upon research I think this was labeled wrong and actually is a Czech styled Black Lager or Cerny Pivo which was ready for deleviry from july 5th 2007. Bloody hell this beer has been sitting around for 8 months or so & their still selling it.
Not only the wrong beer but the wrong yeast for that beer! Now i got 19lts of crappy beer. I won't be buying any fresh wort kits for a while.

 

[Franko]

About 3 weeks ago i received a 'Brewers selection' (ND brewing) wort kit for a present from family, this kit was labeled a 'SUMMER ALE'. The bloke at the brew shop supplied a pack of Safale US05 yeast (which was packaged by the brew shop). I thought It was going to be a tasty refreshing summer ale tasting beer. Suprise suprise when I tased it after fermenting, it had a burnt charcoal, smokey taste.
Upon research I think this was labeled wrong and actually is a Czech styled Black Lager or Cerny Pivo which was ready for deleviry from july 5th 2007. Bloody hell this beer has been sitting around for 8 months or so & their still selling it.
Not only the wrong beer but the wrong yeast for that beer! Now i got 19lts of crappy beer. I won't be buying any fresh wort kits for a while.

The cerny pivo is a great beer surely you would have noticed that it was black when you poured it into your fermenter...........

 

[thrustyrusty]

Didn't look too much at the colour, it seemed like a average colour for the ales i normally make. Although I didn't realise till I tasted it. I'll prob get used to it in time.
(My mistake I got it about 4 weeks ago). Just tasted it a few nights ago. But the 'fresh' wort has still been sitting around for 8 months, that can't be good, can it?

 

[quadbox]

shouldnt make a difference really, they're airtight containers, and they appear to squeeze out all headspace before sealing the lids.

The "fresh" refers to it not being concentrated, not to a particular timescale

 

[sponge]

i tried a norwest ale i bottled on the 31st last nite. i know its a little premature, but curiosity got the better of me

it was quite nice indeed. nicely bitter, and a little darker then expected (but u get that with APA's), but looked great and held a good head for being so young


Bottled that summer ale you were talking about on the 11th, so in a few weeks ill give it a go and see how its coming along.

Thats my little FWK spree over. I dont think ill buy another one for a while (dont get me wrong, they taste great, i just prefer to 'make from scratch'), unless im really strapped for time.


Sponge


PS. i used the same s04 yeast for both of them

 

[thrustyrusty]

It will probably grow on me in time. I suppose its not that bad, i' havnt' really got into that style/flavour of beer. I'll still drink it, sacrilege to waste beer!

 

[OzBeer_MD]

thrustyrusty, out of curiosity where was the small white label placed on the cube? The last 3 or so that I have made have had the type label on one of the little flats on the corners. I think that they have realised that they wont rub against other cubes there and fall of in the truck. Last years had them somewhere near the main coloured label as I recall.

I have just done the norwest, nice drop. Still like the amarillo though :icon_cheers:

MD

 

[dc59]

Hey brewers

I just put the Norwest FWK down today, added the recommended 5L of water to the wort and got an OG of 44 which I think is great considering the only other FWK I did, which was the lager, came out at 40.

Just wondering what type of ale it's suppose to be? (not sure what a Norwest ale would be referring to!!) I was given US-05 so I'm guessing an APA, but I think someone said they were given S-04.

Also any ideas what hops have been used, just so I know what to expect.

Thanks, Dave.

 

[dmcke109]

The main gripe I have with them is I can't get the ales and lagers to clear, even if I use finings, rack, lager etc etc.
However, I am more than pleased with their taste.

Use polycar and buy yourself a filter. Since I've done this my brews (either AG's or Fresh Worts) come out clear as.

 

[sponge]

Hey brewers

I just put the Norwest FWK down today, added the recommended 5L of water to the wort and got an OG of 44 which I think is great considering the only other FWK I did, which was the lager, came out at 40.

Just wondering what type of ale it's suppose to be? (not sure what a Norwest ale would be referring to!!) I was given US-05 so I'm guessing an APA, but I think someone said they were given S-04.

Also any ideas what hops have been used, just so I know what to expect.

Thanks, Dave.

From http://www.ndbrewing.com.au/...

"Norwest Pale Ale (American Pale) - This Pale Ale is all about big Cascade hopped flavour, well-balanced with a big zesty citrus hop aroma, full malt character with a big bitter finish. Try it with the DCL US-56 Dried yeast or White Labs WLP001. Comparable Commercial Beer Little Creatures Pale Ale"


This was my first FWK and turned out pretty nice. Still not as good as making your own though...

Sponge


EDIT: forgot to turn off the italics... me scuzzy

 

[dc59]

Thanks sponge, I guess I'll found out what it's like in about two weeks.

I love my APA's so it looks like I've got something to look forward to.

Looking back on it Sponge, do you recommend any dry hopping with cascade, or leave it just is?


Dave

 

[sponge]

Well i havent had one in a couple of weeks, but i do remember the one i had being fairly hoppy. i have one in the fridge i think, which i should get around to drinking tomorrow night and ill let you know

PS. you may need to remind me, when it comes to little things like this, i fail very badly . maybe bump this thread sometime tomorrow night....

Sponge

 

[Gerard_M]

OK I know a little bit about this topic, have done a few batches, bit of trial & error with some pretty good results. I am not a salesman or retailer anymore so this is not going to help my bank account, but if you follow what I have to say it might just help your beer. Some of you may have noticed that I rarely spruik advice on here, but this is an exception. I have had a gut-full of the crap band-aid cures that get sold off as the latest essential, must have brewing ingredient. polyclar, finnings, filters, they are all just crap. Chuck em in the bin & get some flavour & character back in the glass. Please feel free to put them on eBay, you only have to find somebody as gullable as you were the day you bought them!

Get a liquid yeast, Wyeast or White Labs it doesn't really matter. Pick out a good flocculator. This little animal is now your new best friend so be nice to him. Liquid yeast are great fun. Yeast propagation is like another hobby inside a hobby. I like to use a few different strains for lagers, but when brewing Ales at home I prefer the WLP005. If you are brewing Lagers the WLP838, is great. Good little floccer with little to no sulphur. (I don't have any experience with Wyeast so go ask a Wyeast retailer what they have that is similar) Oh & when you build a starter, use some AG wort, not that crappy DME, this yeast is your friend, you wouldn't want this yeast to think you are a tightarse on your first date!

Get some control on your fermentation temps. Go at about 18 degrees for an Ale, after you have reached your FG, rack it to a keg & get the @#$%er in the fridge @ about 2 degrees C for a couple of days. Rig a transfer line with 2 disconnects(Out through the liquid out & back in through the liquid out) & push the beer from this keg, using CO2, to another keg that has CO2 in it. Allow it to settle for a couple of hours & then put a head pressure on it. 48 hrs @ 200kpa works in my fridge, I am sure you have got your own ritual. Now go have a look in the racking keg & you will see that the residual yeast is still painted to the bottom of the keg & not in your serving keg. Don't use a freezing cold glass, just a good clean beer glass at room temp works best.

Dried yeasts have their place, it is not in a FWK or an AG brew, I don't even use them to make bread with. Apart from the W34/70 lager, which apparently is no longer available in 11g packs, they are all a waste of money.

OK thats about it, my cuppa tea is stone cold, but worth the sacrafice. If just one person stops using PolyClar & the other clearing agents I will be happy enough.

Cheers
Gerard

 

[T.D.]

Gday Gerard,

Each to their own and all that, but I must say I agree entirely with your comments. I have used a few good floccing yeasts in the past and this really is all you need if clear beer is important to you. Like you said, something like WLP005 is a great way to go. Whenever Ive used this yeast (or similar) Ive ended up with crystal clear beer, with no artificial aids whatsoever (despite having a heap of whirfloc at home, I invariably forget to use it). Not only do you get the advantages of using a good liquid yeast (ie flavour), you also avoid wasting your hard-earned on fads and gizmos like polyclar and filters. From my experience in the wine industry I can say without question that these things DO affect flavour. When producing wine or beer commercially though, aesthetics are important, and this is why they do it. For home brewers its much different. Personally, Id rather retain some genuine character in the beer instead of stripping it bare, all in the name of making it look good. Whats more, its effectively mimicking the processes of the very same commercial producers who we so often criticise and use as a justification for brewing good beer at home in the first place! I find it all a bit contradictory :huh:

 

[RetsamHsam]

OK I know a little bit about this topic, have done a few batches, bit of trial & error with some pretty good results. I am not a salesman or retailer anymore so this is not going to help my bank account, but if you follow what I have to say it might just help your beer. Some of you may have noticed that I rarely spruik advice on here, but this is an exception. I have had a gut-full of the crap band-aid cures that get sold off as the latest essential, must have brewing ingredient. polyclar, finnings, filters, they are all just crap. Chuck em in the bin & get some flavour & character back in the glass. Please feel free to put them on eBay, you only have to find somebody as gullable as you were the day you bought them!

Get a liquid yeast, Wyeast or White Labs it doesn't really matter. Pick out a good flocculator. This little animal is now your new best friend so be nice to him. Liquid yeast are great fun. Yeast propagation is like another hobby inside a hobby. I like to use a few different strains for lagers, but when brewing Ales at home I prefer the WLP005. If you are brewing Lagers the WLP838, is great. Good little floccer with little to no sulphur. (I don't have any experience with Wyeast so go ask a Wyeast retailer what they have that is similar) Oh & when you build a starter, use some AG wort, not that crappy DME, this yeast is your friend, you wouldn't want this yeast to think you are a tightarse on your first date!

OK Clever Clogs, what if you want to brew a style which requires a low flocculating yeast and you want your beer to be bright?? I'd say finings have a place in this case..

Maybe there is a reason you are no longer a salesman/retailer...

 

[gap]

OK Clever Clogs, what if you want to brew a style which requires a low flocculating yeast and you want your beer to be bright?? I'd say finings have a place in this case..

Maybe there is a reason you are no longer a salesman/retailer...

No "Clever Clogs" just happens to be a commercial brewer !!!

 

[Gerard_M]

OK Clever Clogs, what if you want to brew a style which requires a low flocculating yeast and you want your beer to be bright?? I'd say finings have a place in this case..

Maybe there is a reason you are no longer a salesman/retailer...

Great point. I just had a look at the White Labs chart hanging in the laundry & they have 4 low-floccing yeasts. 3 of these are Hefeweizens & the other is a Belgian Golden Ale. I can't see how any of these styles would benefit from a clearing agent. If you require a low floccing yeast for your Hefe why do you want to clear it? It is a hefeweizen! If it is a Krystal that you are after, then you can achieve the same by simply giving them a little longer in Cold Conditioning.
I found the Belgian Golden Ale settled out beautifully in the keg, not my preferred style of beer, but nice for a change.
Oh how did that Cerny Pivo turn out in the end? Always has been a fav beer of mine, I might make it again if a get a chance

Cheers
Gerard

 

[Kai]

The numero uno low-floccing yeast that springs to my mind is 001 / 1056 / US-05, and that's hardly uncommon. Sure it clears in time but I'm always happy to give it a helping hand.

kai, unprepentant gelatin user.

 

[Brewer_010]

If I was going to add anything useful to this thread I'd suggest an ingredients list in each FWK (on the web if need be) to give the fermenter an idea of what ingredients to add, to either make the fwk "to style" or just personalise it a little. I've used these FWK heaps of times when pressed for time and think they're great, but having little idea what's in them makes it hard to tinker with.

And BTW who cares about a little haze....turn your lights down and save on electricity if it's bothering you B)