New Home Brewer saying hi!

[TheExpat]

Howdy guys!

Started reading a little while ago after putting down a first kit brew (Coopers lager basic kit).

Started reading a bit too late however as could have done a better first brew!
I cracked my first beer open after two weeks in the bottle and it tasted pretty awful! Three weeks in the fv, two weeks in the bottle.

Obviously I just followed the instructions, pitched at 26 (oops) dropped down to 21 on day two and between 18-20 for the rest. Carbonation is getting there but yuck! Cidery almost sour at the first smack in the mouth, after that, just tastes like blandish beer!

I'm going to leave it for a few weeks and hope it improves! I don't think it's infected just pitched too hot, don't think the dried kit yeast was much good!

Think I'm going to go ahead and try the Coopers Fruit Salad recipe anyway and maybe by the time that's done my first batch will be a shade more drinkable!

On the plus side stopped in at the Australian in Sydney's Rocks and tried a few nice beers at a festival(ish) on Sunday! Really liked the Illawarra brewery Apocalypse and Murrays Icon 2 IPA!

Tom

 

[lobedogg]

Hey Tom,

First one's never much chop in my experience anyway.

I'd say you've hit the nail on the head with causes of 'sour' taste. Definitely pitched a bit high and the supplied yeast in kits is generally frowned upon around these parts. Look at sourcing an actual lager yeast for your next lager (S-23 maybe) and adding in some Brew Enhancer and/or hops and you should end up with a much more-balanced lest tangy beer.

Having said that, leave it in the cupboard for a few months and you might be pleasantly surprised.

LD.

 

[shacked]

Hey Tom,

Welcome mate!

The kit lagers are a little bit... meh... in my experience. They are generally supplied with ale yeast and lagers are fermented at low temps (12 to 15C) - usually in a fridge with a temp controller. Having said that, often the last beer in the batch tastes best!

I'd stick to ales to start off with and as lobedogg said get a kit, add some light dry malt extract (or brew enhancer), use an better yeast (US05 is great for pale ales) and get some hops.

The fruit salad coopers recipe looks like the ticket. Grab some US05 yeast from your home brew shop and switch it out for the kit yeast.

Cheers!

 

[HBHB]

Well, you're in the right place to find out how to make the second brew a lot better.

Check out topics like:

Cleaning and sanitising
Temperature controlled fermentation
Steeping grains

That'll get you started on better. Decision time will come soon enough on whether to continue with kits or to go to extract or grain brewing.

Welcome to the best little hobby around.
Martin

 

[Curly79]

Gday Tom

Mate I'm still new to brewing myself, my only advice would be to check out my thread " Wine Taste". Start from the first page and read the advice everyone gave me. It helped me heaps!! Good luck mate.

 

[TheExpat]

Cool thanks for all the responses!

So I am a bit gung-ho anyway and I'm picking up a free fridge at the weekend and ordering an STC1000! My wife just rolls her eyes that the simple kit she bought me is obviously turning serious immediately lol!

I'm probably a bit crazy but going to try and rehydrate and make a starter from Coopers commercial yeast! (Might get some US-05 in case it doesn't take). This will get me those slight banana flavours and apparently is ok to brew at 18-20 degrees which is where I'll pitch and ferment if I can.

Funnily enough I left half the bottle of beer in the fridge another night and ...well maybe it's just me but I think the cider taste is already subsiding?! I'm gonna stick a couple of bottles in the fridge for a week or two and just see what happens.

I'm feeling positive! I recently made friends with a pro-brewer in a totally unrelated capacity and he reckons that'll sort it right out too.

 

[shacked]

It's all downhill from here mate!!!! You'll be buying stir plates, converting eskys into mash tuns and will have multiple brews on the go in no time...

 

[chrisluki]

I'm new too mate!

Jumped straight into All Grain Brewing...failed with my first one, tipped down the drain...but jumped straight back in and my second brew is now happily fermenting.

Cheers

Chris

 

[andrewl]

The missus has no one else to blame but herself then!!!!
I'm sure the beer will get better... If not, you get to make more!