Homebrew Twang

[DU99]

3 kit beers at 25-30C ferment temp/fermented at 25-30+C

18-20 for ale..look around for black rock malt kits unhopped light and wheat some us 05 mosiac hops bit of speciality grain and you have a beer

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

What happened if, within that 5 degree (assumed) range, there was a significant variance (one did 25, one did 30)? Did you use temp control to determine consistency of temperature (or some other means)? Even if you didn't have temp control, did you measure the fermentation temperatures of each beer on a regular basis and take results?

If you didn't, then you have more than one variable, at best, and the results could be challenged.

Edit: And no mention of yeast. Given yeast is what converts wort into beer, it is singly the most important aspect of brewing (not priming ingredients). If you were using "under the lid" yeast from two different makers, there's another variable.

 

[SnakeRider]

Think you missed what I was saying... I am starting to test differences by using the same batch.

I used a single batch, and bottled with different priming mediums... wrote down results as i tasted over 4 weeks.
I used another single batch, and bottle with different priming mediums... wrote down results, just tasted the first 3 of different priming mediums...

the consistent finding between both batches (of identical recipe) when testing the 3 different priming mediums from the same batch, was the same. brown sugar = less twang... yep.. on the same batch. I also did not add my first batch (different recipe) in the findings.

Edit: OK. I see what I said now... I was comparing the 2nd and 3rd batches... not the 1st and second. My bad.

Edit 2: I should have stated I disregarded my first kit, I am pretending I never made that swill.

 

[AndrewQLD]

It's possible that the molasses flavour in the brown sugar primed bottles actually helped hide some of the twang whereas the flavor neutral carb drops and sugar didn't.
What would be better would be to brew the beer at a reasonable temp of 20° and then prime the same way again and see if the sugar or carb drops gave a twang, I would also force carb a few bottles with a carbonation cap and some co2 to give you a sugarless base to compare them too.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Just read this, going to revive as I have done 3 kit beers at 25-30C ferment temp, and done the following experiment on them all...

I bottled 12 330ml bottles, 4 primed with carbonation drops, 4 with caster sugar, and 4 with brown sugar....

my first beer was horrible... rocket fuel... didn't take notes but holy hell, never doing a mangrove jacks blonde again...

my second 2 were identical coopers sparkling ale with a 'cold pack'/brew enhancer fermented at 25-30+C primed the same way.

I just had the first taste of my second batch (at 10 days),
drank a 330 of each carbonation drop, caster sugar, and brown sugar primed bottles... and here is my conclusion for both batches (took notes on the first batch)..

The carbonation drops have a definite twang in comparison to both other priming methods... its terrible, I can even smell the twang.
The caster sugar is slightly better, not as much fruity punch on the tongue, and less smell
and the brown sugar is actually quite enjoyable, but still there is a twang (at 10 days no surprise)

now... before I jumped to this conclusion, on separate days on the last batch I drank them in different orders to eliminate the 'pissed now, its all good, keep em coming' variable off the table. I still came to the same conclusion.

*shrugs* I believe priming medium does make a difference, as a result of this controlled experiment, even though I am a complete novice, I have proven to myself that this is not a myth as stated above.

my 2C :chug:

SR

Mate your ferment temp wil add more bad flavours than any thing else.Forget the brown sugar, the other two sugars are the same.
If you're just starting then you only need to worry about two things: cleaning your equip. and ferment temp.then its a matter of FG if your bottling .

Ive found that there is so much info out there that its easy to get confused.
Change only one thing at a time.
That should be FERMENT TEMP.

"my first beer was horrible... rocket fuel... didn't take notes but holy hell, never doing a mangrove jacks blonde again..."
Brewed at anything above 16/18c i dont doubt it.
[SIZE=11.818181991577148px]Lifes to short to invest time in making rubbish,get your temp correct your beer will be better![/SIZE]

 

[SnakeRider]

Mate your ferment temp wil add more bad favors than any thing else.Forget the brown sugar, the other two sugars are the same.
If your just starting then you only need to worry about two things cleaning your equip. and ferment temp.then its a matter of FG if your bottling .

Ive found that there is so much info out there that its easy to get confused.
Change only one thing at a time.
That should be FERMENT TEMP.

"my first beer was horrible... rocket fuel... didn't take notes but holy hell, never doing a mangrove jacks blonde again..."
Brewed at anything above 16/18c i dont doubt it.
[SIZE=11.818181991577148px]Lifes to short to invest time in making rubbish,get your temp correct your beer will be better![/SIZE]

my temps are already sorted dude... 5 days in to my first controlled temp ferment. that was not the point of the experiment. as for 1 thing at a time... changing ONLY THE PRIMING MEDIUM is a pretty good representation of that.... not sure how much of a small change I could do on a single batch. but i am very open to suggestions

I will do the same experiment for the next 2 batches under same conditions.

I do understand twang is amplified by high ferment temps, this fact alone, and the differences between the drops, caster sugar, and brown sugar should be an even bigger reason for this experiment to be conclusive.

 

[SnakeRider]

It's possible that the molasses flavour in the brown sugar primed bottles actually helped hide some of the twang whereas the flavor neutral carb drops and sugar didn't.
What would be better would be to brew the beer at a reasonable temp of 20° and then prime the same way again and see if the sugar or carb drops gave a twang, I would also force carb a few bottles with a carbonation cap and some co2 to give you a sugarless base to compare them too.

excellent idea with the forced carb caps. never heard of them but will ask at my home brew shop

 

[JDW81]

What brand are your carb drops? I'm not going to get into the debate about whether they leave a twang or not, but I had a bag of drops recently that ruined my beer's head retention. Might have been a crappy batch of drops.

 

[SnakeRider]

What brand are your carb drops? I'm not going to get into the debate about whether they leave a twang or not, but I had a bag of drops recently that ruined my beer's head retention. Might have been a crappy batch of drops.

copper tun

 

[fletcher]

i've always used coopers JD. never had a problem with head retention or any kind of twang

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

I wasn't trying to enter the twang argument. Just stating that ferment temp is a major cause of flavor issues. I always ferment cool at the start (ales 15c) then ramp up to 18c. That I feel is a sweet spot. As well it allows for a deviation of +-1.5/2c. Anyway it's been done before. Look it up mate and good luck.


Before I saw this I didn't understand the "search for it"or use Google? But I've found it helpful hope you do as well.


PSS. Not trying to be a smart ass mate just trying to help.

 

[SnakeRider]

Forgive me guys,

I will not post my findings on a controversial topic ever again.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

All good mate. It's hard to get across ideas like this. I thought it was a ferment temp issue causing the "twang" I didn't mean for into read as "look it up" or "search for it". Just that if you start with a hot ferment it may be hard to pinpoint the flavour issue. All good it's a learning thing,as I've never done a kit brew nor bottled I shouldn't have said anything.

 

[Bribie G]

I find that when fermenting at 36 degrees, a touch of Amarillo hop tea definitely makes a difference between two batches.

 

[manticle]

Forgive me guys,

I will not post my findings on a controversial topic ever again.

Mr sensitive.

Take a breath mate. They're hardly the most rigourously scientific findings and getting temp to a good point will help you make much more accurate assessments about the beer.

 

[okie1]

Well, this topic is disheartening, I have been studying for the last month or so before I make my first kit brew, so I could be spot on and make a fine beer. I have invested in a good system and premium ingredients, now I have to venture in knowing it won't be all that good & have a Twang, no matter what I do, then why bother, this sucks. I may just wait a while longer or just give up..Jeez!!

 

[GalBrew]

Well, this topic is disheartening, I have been studying for the last month or so before I make my first kit brew, so I could be spot on and make a fine beer. I have invested in a good system and premium ingredients, now I have to venture in knowing it won't be all that good & have a Twang, no matter what I do, then why bother, this sucks. I may just wait a while longer or just give up..Jeez!!

What you only thought it would take one month of research??

 

[pk.sax]

Premium ingredients? Like what?
I've tasted kit brews made by other that are quite nice, tarted up with hops, better yeast and some steeped grain basically. It is possible to make a good one, just gets expensive considering the kit is supposed to be can + BE.

Rather buy a fresh wort kit and ferment with supplied yeast or buy good yeast with. Lot less fogging about.

 

[okie1]

Well, I bought the Coopers DIY Kit, came with Coopers Lager tin that included BE 1 & Coopers drops, I bought Briess DME to add also hops top dry hop and Safale US05 yeast. I have checked my recipe and it looks good. I have a shop refrigerator & have ordered a temp controller, I think that should cover it, but will it make a good beer? Why would it have a homebrew Twang?

 

[rehabs_for_quitters]

compared to commercial mega swill yes I think you'll be pleasantly suprised, you ticked off the majors i.e. yeast and temp control which is a great start,
I used to make kits quite a while back and with a few added bits like you hops and dme yes you can make some bloody good beers that could fool some of the more brew hardy into thinking it was AG,
once you get your controller on the fridge let her rip and as each brew goes by you'll notice improvements, its well worth the journey