My First Kit / Extract Home Brew

[Beerisyummy]

I believe that the 'homebrew' taste may actually be a few different things depending on the person's taste. I've never had someone point out what 'extract twang' actually is, so I'm not sure what it tastes like. During my first few brews, a few of my mates (who had tasted homebrew before) pointed out a flavour which they described as a typical 'homebrew flavour', which I can taste but it's hard to describe. Had them around on the weekend to taste a simple Coopers kit and they were amazed that I was able to produce beer without this flavour. The only thing I'd done, was to buy a brew booster (or enhancer) which had less corn syrup in it. So if you can taste a 'homebrew flavour', you could try buying a different brew booster pack, or get some Malt Extract, etc. to sub in for the booster.

Good luck with it! By the sounds of it, you'll have a good drop there :icon_cheers:

+1 on the LDME and a little dextrose. It will make the lighter kits more than drinkable for the average punter.
That's my experience anyway.
The twang is just the taste of something out of a can. If you brew the beer well and leave it to condition the taste will be less obvious.
Try smelling/tasting all of your ingredients on brew day and you'll soon start to notice the different flavours in the finished beer. The yeast plays a massive part in this also.

I bought my Bro one of the lager cans with some LDME, dextrose and a fermenter recently. While not the most exciting beer, it was definately very drinkable.
Best of luck with yours.

 

[robbiep]

Hi guys,

After 7 days i took my first reading after pitching the yeast, which was about 1019. Seems a bit a bit high but I'll take another reading in 2 days time.

The beer actually tasted pretty decent.. very drinkable. I think a few more days in the fermenter, plus some time in the bottles, add some carbon drops and drinking it ice cold.. it will be well worth the effort

Regards,
Robbie

 

[Beerisyummy]

Hi guys,

After 7 days i took my first reading after pitching the yeast, which was about 1019. Seems a bit a bit high but I'll take another reading in 2 days time.

The beer actually tasted pretty decent.. very drinkable. I think a few more days in the fermenter, plus some time in the bottles, add some carbon drops and drinking it ice cold.. it will be well worth the effort

Regards,
Robbie

Hi Robbie,

Good to hear things are coming along.

Don't stress too much about constantly taking readings. I know it's hard when you make your first few batches but it's usually unnecessary. Try leaving the beer for another week before doing another reading and the gravity should be closer to what you want.
It's not a perfect science but I'd imagine the finishing gravity would be around the 1.010 mark. What was your original gravity reading?

 

[manticle]

Don't worry about days - make sure it's finished before bottling. I'd agree that 1010 with those ingredients is a reasonable expectation (providing there was no dry enzyme that hasn't been mentioned).

Read this: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showarticle=130

 

[robbiep]

The OG reading was at about 1038, maybe slightly higher.

Will take another reading in 2 days time.

 

[robbiep]

hydrometer reading after day 8 is about 1015.

 

[yum beer]

Looks like its coming along nicely, few more points to drop before its finished, then 5 days before bottling.

Without a doubt will be the best beer you've made this year.

 

[robbiep]

i must admit, yes.. it was kit beer (coopers lager) with a german lager enhancer.. but it tasted GOOD!

 

[robbiep]

After 10 days in the fermenter, the hydrometer is reading is 1013.

So even after 10 days in the fermenter, the reading is dropping gradually.

Must just decide when to bottle, will probs give it another 3 days or so.

 

[wbosher]

After 10 days in the fermenter, the hydrometer is reading is 1013.

So even after 10 days in the fermenter, the reading is dropping gradually.

Must just decide when to bottle, will probs give it another 3 days or so.

Sure I already saw this somewhere else...anyway I'll say again, don't bottle until it has stopped dropping robbie, especially if you're using glass bottles. There are some nasty pictures around here of people that have had a bottle bomb go off in their hand.

 

[robbiep]

Im using plastic PET bottles, but will take another reading in a few days time.

 

[wbosher]

Im using plastic PET bottles, but will take another reading in a few days time.

Ok, bloody horror scene averted.

But seriously, there's no rush to get it out of the fermenter. One of mine took almost three weeks a little while back, it stalled and took a while to get it going again.

Just be patient mate.

 

[bradsbrew]

Hi Robbie,

Good to hear things are coming along.

Don't stress too much about constantly taking readings. I know it's hard when you make your first few batches but it's usually unnecessary. Try leaving the beer for another week before doing another reading and the gravity should be closer to what you want.
It's not a perfect science but I'd imagine the finishing gravity would be around the 1.010 mark. What was your original gravity reading?

I disagree, as a new brewer I think it is good to taste the hydro sample of the beer along the way during fermentation. I found it helped to learn the different flavours that develop and disappear.
These days I generally dont sample until I think it is finished and/or at kegging time. Unless its an experimental brew and i will taste it every second day.

Main thing is to keep the orifice in the tap clean both before and after sampling.

Cheers

 

[JDW81]

I disagree, as a new brewer I think it is good to taste the hydro sample of the beer along the way during fermentation. I found it helped to learn the different flavours that develop and disappear.
Main thing is to keep the orifice in the tap clean both before and after sampling.

Cheers

I always sample. Aside from falling gravity I find it one of the best methods for keeping an eye (or mouth in this case) on the brew and how it is progressing.

 

[robbiep]

Day 12 and gravity reading is 1012, so a small drop since the last reading 2 days ago (which was 1013)

 

[robbiep]

My first brew and im enjoying the tasting every few days, all part of the learning experience

Its been great to taste the changes as time goes on.

Just had a taste now and it was slightly more bitter and smoother than the last taste.

Seriously, this beer tastes good and is something i would happily buy in a bottle shop

Definitely cant taste any sort of 'home brew twang' people talk about.

 

[carniebrew]

Definitely cant taste any sort of 'home brew twang' people talk about.

And you never will, as long as you use fresh LME/DME, the right amount of quality yeast and temperature controlled fermentation. Home Brew Twang (or "Extract Twang" as the AG guys like to call it) is produced by mistakes, not by extract.

EDIT: And I could probably have left the yeast bit out, as even old yeast, kit yeast or too little yeast isn't going to produce 'twang', but you'll get better beer with the right amount of good fresh yeast.

 

[robbiep]

Day 13 in the fermenter and the reading dropped another 2 points and is now down to 1011 (previously 1013 two days ago).

I will bottle it in the next few days, no real rush.

 

[carniebrew]

I will bottle it in the next few days, no real rush.

Robbie, please stop saying that...you're killing the experienced brewers around here....you shouldn't "bottle in the next few days", you should bottle when your gravity readings are at the expected FG over at least 2 consecutive readings 24 hours apart!!

 

[Boogaone]

you shouldn't "bottle in the next few days", you should bottle when your gravity readings are at the expected FG over at least 2 consecutive readings 24 hours apart!!

Lets say I have reached the same FG readings twice in 2 days but I have a life and can't keg it for another few days...is there any issue with that?

Cheers,
Boogs...