Problem With First Brew

[bluejay]

Definitely give re-hydrating a go next time. I don't ever bother proofing or making a starter for dry yeast. Just a simple re-hydration.

It should still go down. What temp is it currently on? If its above 18, it should definitely still be fermenting. The yeast has to work a little harder to eat those last few points of sugar so be patient. Remember it won't hurt your beer to leave it a little longer... in fact it will most probably make it better.

What was the kit again? was there a use by on the can/pack of yeast?

How many days was it from the start until the krausen dropped?

Thanks for the advice.

The temp is at a steady 20

The Kit is Morgan's Australian Lager. Can't remember if the yeast had an expiry date, but the can has an expiry of the 15th April 2012

The foam Kraussen dropped very quickly, pretty much not much longer than a day or 2 after it started fermenting. Basically it started fermenting within 12 hours of being put in the fermenter, bubbled and foamed for a day or so then stopped bubbling and the foam subsided.

 

[Siborg]

Thanks for the advice.

The temp is at a steady 20

The Kit is Morgan's Australian Lager. Can't remember if the yeast had an expiry date, but the can has an expiry of the 15th April 2012

The foam Kraussen dropped very quickly, pretty much not much longer than a day or 2 after it started fermenting. Basically it started fermenting within 12 hours of being put in the fermenter, bubbled and foamed for a day or so then stopped bubbling and the foam subsided.

Sounds like a bloody rigorous ferment! Just leave it for a little longer, it should drop a couple of extra gravity points. But if the yeast isn't going to ferment out that last little bit in the fermenter, it probably won't in the bottle so you may not get bottle bombs. You will have quite a full-bodied beer though.

 

[bluejay]

Sounds like a bloody rigorous ferment! Just leave it for a little longer, it should drop a couple of extra gravity points. But if the yeast isn't going to ferment out that last little bit in the fermenter, it probably won't in the bottle so you may not get bottle bombs. You will have quite a full-bodied beer though.

Ahh that might not be so bad, I do enjoy full-bodied beers. Though it won't be much good to me if it's really low in alcohol content.

I'll be happy as long it's drinkable- there's always the next brew!

Cheers for the help

 

[bluejay]

Just did my bottling, took a little under 2 hours- not too bad for a first go. Will get one of those bottle cleaners to make the sanitizing easier for next time though.

Thanks for telling me to leave it in fermenter for longer- it lost that fruity green apple flavour now. It also lost most of it's carbonation- previously it had quite a lot. My only worry now is that tasted a bit weak and watery. I expect it to be fairly weak because of the high finishing gravity. Does that also explain the wateryness, or is that just a general feature of flat beer?

 

[Brown_hound]

Just did my bottling, took a little under 2 hours- not too bad for a first go. Will get one of those bottle cleaners to make the sanitizing easier for next time though.

Thanks for telling me to leave it in fermenter for longer- it lost that fruity green apple flavour now. It also lost most of it's carbonation- previously it had quite a lot. My only worry now is that tasted a bit weak and watery. I expect it to be fairly weak because of the high finishing gravity. Does that also explain the wateryness, or is that just a general feature of flat beer?

All done mate? Congrats on bottling your first! It's a big day... You're only a little while away from the fizzy stuff now!


Maybe wateriness has been caused by a low alcohol content in the beer?

I can't recall what you said, but did you get an OG reading?

 

[bluejay]

All done mate? Congrats on bottling your first! It's a big day... You're only a little while away from the fizzy stuff now!


Maybe wateriness has been caused by a low alcohol content in the beer?

I can't recall what you said, but did you get an OG reading?

Hmm that might make sense, but someone else on here said a the high FG would make it more full bodied. If it's relevant the guy at the brew shop swapped the dextrose for an ultra pack which from memory was 500g malt extract 250g dextrose and 250g maltodextrin.

No I wasn't using the hydrometer properly at the start so I couldnt get a measurement.

Thanks, it is pretty exciting- can't wait till I can start opening bottles!

 

[Brown_hound]

Hmm that might make sense, but someone else on here said a the high FG would make it more full bodied. If it's relevant the guy at the brew shop swapped the dextrose for an ultra pack which from memory was 500g malt extract 250g dextrose and 250g maltodextrin.

No I wasn't using the hydrometer properly at the start so I couldnt get a measurement.

Thanks, it is pretty exciting- can't wait till I can start opening bottles!

Well the proof is in the reading itself really... the high FG you got does indeed indicate a higher body, and that brewpack would lean to the higher body side FG. Your beer certaoinly does have body..


Pretty sure it's the alcohol content mate! Tasted light? :icon_vomit:

Anyway, great effort! Keep perusing and picking up the tidbits as you go!


No matter how your beer tastes, sit back and relish in the glory of having made it yourself!


You're only going to improve from here!


James.

 

[bluejay]

Couldn't wait the two for it to sit in the bottle so I tried it last night. Was surprisingly ok. Bit thin bodied and lacking in head, but it had a decent bitterness (although no aroma). Today however I went and brought a few over to my mates and they all had the fruity appley taste to them. Drinkable but not that good. Don't understand why they were so different to last night!

Do you think the appley taste will go with time?