Hello everyone,
My first post here but I have a little problem that hopefully you can help me with?
Me and my boyfriend love to get pissed so we thought we would make some beer. My bf thinks that the beer is excelent but i dont relly like it that much and it seems to make him fart. We did get pissed but it wuld be better if it tasted better.
What is the best way to make our beer taste better. We used tap water and followed the kit but it tasted sorta like cider but not really.
TYIA
Chantele
G'day Chantele,
welcome to the awesome world of beer production!
When you say you followed the kit instructions, what kit was it and what did you add to it? Used the kit yeast i assume?
Just a couple of things that will improve the next batch out of sight:
1. Get rid of the kit yeast and use a better quality one. The ones that come with the can are generally not too flash, and quite a small quantity to pitch aswell. This makes the yeast have to work harder to get the job done (initially) and this in turn is one of the causes of some weird beer tastes.
2. Ferment ales at around 18, and lagers around 11/12.
Following the instruction on the can - coopers for example often recommend fermenting at around 24/26 or something like that. Not a good temp to ferment beer at, unless your doing a specialty style.
For what it's worth, the label on the can very rarely indicates accurately what style of beer you'll be making. There are only a couple of cans (through all makes and models) that actually contain a lager yeast. Most coopers cans for example are ale yeast (even the lager cans). Some of the exceptions to my knowledge are: coopers international series lager (heineken knock off), Morgans blue mountain or something like that i am sure is a lager yeast too....There's not many of 'em...
If you like beers with flavour, read up about adding some hops and malt to the can.
Generally, most cans, plus a kilo of sugar will produce an awful tasting brew which contradicts the instructions from the makers. I reckon sometimes that they want new brewers to try homebrewing and fail, therefore taking them back to buying commercial beer instead...It's my theory anyway..
Best of luck with the next one, and if you try the tips above, your next batch will improve on a huge scale.
Cheers,
Nath