Grumpys Kilkenny Problem

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Screwtop

Inspectors Pocket Brewery
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Ordered a Kilkenny clone from Grumpy's. When it arrived I put it all together and pitched the yeast then read the OSG, it was only 1030 so called them and spoke to Thomas. He asked if I had used both cans of extract and I explained that there had only been one with the order. He had forgotten to put the second can in the order and advised me to add 1.4kg of DME mixed with water. Had to do this on the following day as the LHBS was closed, Thomas said that adding the DME after the yeast was pitched was not a problem. OSG was 1050 after adding the DME, Fermentation began that evening so into the brew fridge at 20deg. Fermented out in about 5 days racked at 7 then 7 in secondary FSG 1012, racked and bulk primed with 150mg of dex (22L). Tasted it at bottling and it just tasted like lolly water, sweet and flat with absolutely no beer taste at all.

Now I am an amateur but most of my past home brews have at least tasted like beer even at bottling, malty, hops flavours and at least some aroma related to beer.

After a week in the bottle still a plain sweet liquid. Grumpy's have suggested it needs more time. Grumpys have offered to credit me the cost $12 of the DME but thats about all at this stage.

Do you think it will improve THAT MUCH in 3 weeks. Have the bottles in CC 10deg Your suggestions/experience, please. Really Dissapointing!
 
Screwtop said:
Ordered a Kilkenny clone from Grumpy's. When it arrived I put it all together and pitched the yeast then read the OSG, it was only 1030 so called them and spoke to Thomas. He asked if I had used both cans of extract and I explained that there had only been one with the order. He had forgotten to put the second can in the order and advised me to add 1.4kg of DME mixed with water. Had to do this on the following day as the LHBS was closed, Thomas said that adding the DME after the yeast was pitched was not a problem. OSG was 1050 after adding the DME, Fermentation began that evening so into the brew fridge at 20deg. Fermented out in about 5 days racked at 7 then 7 in secondary, racked and bulk primed with 150mg of dex (22L). Tasted it at bottling and it just tasted like lolly water, sweet and flat with absolutely no beer taste at all.

Now I am an amateur but most of my past home brews have at least tasted like beer even at bottling, malty, hops flavours and at least some aroma related to beer.

After a week in the bottle still a plain sweet liquid. Grumpy's have suggested it needs more time. Grumpys have offered to credit me the cost $12 of the DME but thats about all at this stage.

Do you think it will improve THAT MUCH in 3 weeks. Have the bottles in CC 10deg Your suggestions/experience, please. Really Dissapointing!
[post="85416"][/post]​

Maybe a daft question, but there was a bag of mixed grains/hops sent to you?
 
Ross said:
Screwtop said:
Ordered a Kilkenny clone from Grumpy's. When it arrived I put it all together and pitched the yeast then read the OSG, it was only 1030 so called them and spoke to Thomas. He asked if I had used both cans of extract and I explained that there had only been one with the order. He had forgotten to put the second can in the order and advised me to add 1.4kg of DME mixed with water. Had to do this on the following day as the LHBS was closed, Thomas said that adding the DME after the yeast was pitched was not a problem. OSG was 1050 after adding the DME, Fermentation began that evening so into the brew fridge at 20deg. Fermented out in about 5 days racked at 7 then 7 in secondary, racked and bulk primed with 150mg of dex (22L). Tasted it at bottling and it just tasted like lolly water, sweet and flat with absolutely no beer taste at all.

Now I am an amateur but most of my past home brews have at least tasted like beer even at bottling, malty, hops flavours and at least some aroma related to beer.

After a week in the bottle still a plain sweet liquid. Grumpy's have suggested it needs more time. Grumpys have offered to credit me the cost $12 of the DME but thats about all at this stage.

Do you think it will improve THAT MUCH in 3 weeks. Have the bottles in CC 10deg Your suggestions/experience, please. Really Dissapointing!
[post="85416"][/post]​

Maybe a daft question, but there was a bag of mixed grains/hops sent to you?
[post="85418"][/post]​


Thanks Ross,

Yes the masterbrew style bag of grains hops etc. Just finished editing as you replied FSG was 1012
 
Guess, you're just going to have to give it time before making final judgement...

post your question on Grumpy's & I'm sure you'll get some response from guys who have made it...

Cheers Ross
 
Gday Screwtop

The grumpys beers i have made in the past have come with malt extracts that were bittered.
If the can you missed out on was meant to be bittered, then replacing it with an equivelant amount of DME (obviously unbittered) would result in a sweeter tasting beer (as the bitterness balances the sweetness).

If this isnt the case then just let your beer mature and good luck!

adam
 
adam said:
Gday Screwtop

The grumpys beers i have made in the past have come with malt extracts that were bittered.
If the can you missed out on was meant to be bittered, then replacing it with an equivelant amount of DME (obviously unbittered) would result in a sweeter tasting beer (as the bitterness balances the sweetness).

If this isnt the case then just let your beer mature and good luck!

adam
[post="85442"][/post]​

good point Adam, i'm guessing that grumpys should have directed you to an equivilant can of extract rather than plain malt...
 
adam said:
Gday Screwtop

The grumpys beers i have made in the past have come with malt extracts that were bittered.
If the can you missed out on was meant to be bittered, then replacing it with an equivelant amount of DME (obviously unbittered) would result in a sweeter tasting beer (as the bitterness balances the sweetness).

If this isnt the case then just let your beer mature and good luck!

adam
[post="85442"][/post]​


Thanks Adam,

I did wonder what extract was supposed to be included and if it was hopped. The single can which came with the order was a cleanskin. The previous Grumpy's was a Classic English Draught, it was so good I could have guzzled it down on bottling day, tasted great even though flat and green. The response though has left me a little flat and unsure about making future orders.
 
Screwtop what a pain :angry: in the a..., When you come around for your new keg very soon :D you can taste a Kilkenny I did from Grumpys ages ago, for a partial, not bad but did have the required extract etc. Have one of your GREAT rums and relax, we will do a AG at your place soon :chug: .
 
Grumps Kilkeny is an Extra Brew, which comes with un-hopped tins of extract.

Did you add the 30min boil hops ?

If not then it will be rather sweet.
 
My first impression is that cc-ing the bottles at 10c will not mature your beer at any noticable rate. Store them at 20c for better and faster results.

Cheers - Snow
 
Snow said:
My first impression is that cc-ing the bottles at 10c will not mature your beer at any noticable rate. Store them at 20c for better and faster results.

Cheers - Snow
[post="85592"][/post]​

Good to see someone reads the posts properly :blink: Spot on Snow :D
 
Hi Screwtop,
maybe I can give you a phone call and we can go through the finer details of your brew rather then expecting non-Grumpy employees attempt to explain.

All the extracts that are added in a Kilkenny Extrabrew are unhopped, the bitterness is extracted from the bittering hops that are supplied (did you boil the wort for 30 minutes?).

I did say that we will gladly send you another Kilkenny brew and that your beer after a week will still be flat and have the added sweetness of your priming sugar.

All beer needs to be in the bottle more than a week (and with the bottles warmer than 10*C) to get a better impression.

You just need to wait at least until the beer has carbonated and then for the flavour to mature.

Regards,
Thomas at Grumpy's Brewhaus
 
Ducatiboy stu said:
Grumps Kilkeny is an Extra Brew, which comes with un-hopped tins of extract.

Did you add the 30min boil hops ?

If not then it will be rather sweet.
[post="85563"][/post]​


Sure did, all as per the instructions. However the instructions do not mention two cans of extract, otherwise I would not have gotten to the point of no return. My fault for pitching the yeast before reading OSG. Would have lost the yeast but that's all as I had the culture going before starting the boil. Had been drip feeding it and by the time pitching temp was reached the culture was really going.
 
Ross said:
Snow said:
My first impression is that cc-ing the bottles at 10c will not mature your beer at any noticable rate. Store them at 20c for better and faster results.

Cheers - Snow
[post="85592"][/post]​

Good to see someone reads the posts properly :blink: Spot on Snow :D
[post="85594"][/post]​

Was under the impression that CCing (or stable temp control) was best for maturation, is that not the case? Could remove them from the CCing fridge. Just not to happy to let them mature in my shed where the temp swings from about 17 to 31 degs lately. Am happy to give them 4 or so weeks at 10deg. Please advise.
 
tdh said:
Hi Screwtop,
maybe I can give you a phone call and we can go through the finer details of your brew rather then expecting non-Grumpy employees attempt to explain.

All the extracts that are added in a Kilkenny Extrabrew are unhopped, the bitterness is extracted from the bittering hops that are supplied (did you boil the wort for 30 minutes?).

I did say that we will gladly send you another Kilkenny brew and that your beer after a week will still be flat and have the added sweetness of your priming sugar.

All beer needs to be in the bottle more than a week (and with the bottles warmer than 10*C) to get a better impression.

You just need to wait at least until the beer has carbonated and then for the flavour to mature.

Regards,
Thomas at Grumpy's Brewhaus
[post="85608"][/post]​

Absolutely, this is not the forum for discussing customer relations issues. You can call or email me you have my information.
Michael
 
CC'ing is done in the secondary or a 'cube' and carbonation is done at the same temps that the yeast works at (~15-25*C) so that a small fermentation can take place in the bottle.

tdh
 
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