Should I turf it?

[Matplat]

Morning all,

I recently put down a batch of the blushing blonde from the coopers website. I thought, i used to like fruit beers, that seems like a cheap bottle filler, lets give it a crack.

I steeped some citra to amp it up then combined all in the FV, but the bloody BE1 wouldn't dissolve. I thought, nevermind, carbonation drops dissolve by themselves it'll be fine.

Anyway i took a hydro sample the other day, and looking at the FV i cant tell if the sediment at the bottom is yeast or BE1. I tried to stir it up with a spatula, but couldn't rouse it, which makes me think its sugar? ? ?

So im paranoid about bottling bombs, and add to that the sample tasted crap, seriously like really watery cordial, the fruit has done its thing but there is no beer backbone behind it.

So for these two reasons im thinking it is a risky waste of time and bottles, unless anyone can tell me this is what comes before excellent beer?

Cheers, Matt

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

The BE1 will eventually get disolved and used as the yeast do its thing.

What was your FG. ?

 

[Matplat]

I dont think it has reached FG yet, it was down to 1.012 after a week...

 

[Matplat]

I am concerned that it will reach 'apparent' FG, then extra sugar will be stirred up during bottling.

 

[TehCrucible]

I am concerned that it will reach 'apparent' FG, then extra sugar will be stirred up during bottling.

I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure if there's sugar there somewhere, the yeast will find it. I'd just give it time.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

check them in 2 weeks

 

[Blind Dog]

Or bottle in PET if you think it might be at FG but are worried. Check them every so often (weekly?). If they're hard, they're carbed so try one cold. If it's a gusher, release the pressure on the others and recap (best done cold if you can).

Probably not you're best option and personally I'd keep it in the FV as Stu suggests for a couple of weeks, but if you have to free up the FV...

 

[panzerd18]

Anyway i took a hydro sample the other day, and looking at the FV i cant tell if the sediment at the bottom is yeast or BE1. I tried to stir it up with a spatula, but couldn't rouse it, which makes me think its sugar

The stuff that settles down the bottom is trub.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trub_%28brewing%29

Its not a good idea to disturb trub by stirring it up from what I have read.

1.012 is pretty good. If it doesn't go any lower than this after one more week then bottle.

 

[Matplat]

Probably not you're best option and personally I'd keep it in the FV as Stu suggests for a couple of weeks, but if you have to free up the FV...

Yeah, i dont have any PET bottles anyway. By the sounds of things the risk should be mitigated by leaving in the FV for an extra week.... its just whether it is even going to be worth the wait when i've got more exciting things to put in the FV.

From previous brews ive learnt that the hydro samples are a pretty good indicator of the final flavour.... and this sample was rubbish.

I guess il leave it until the weekend at least....

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Yeah its a bumber to go to the trouble of bottling a crap beer. I've done this with (not sure brews) and because I have quite a lot of bottles and the fact that I keg most I have many stored to age. they will improve but a crap beer never really become anything good with time. The bottles are better used for better beers. If the FG taste test doesnt pass then....
I give it strict judgemnt. When in doubt, Chuck it out. Its better than wasting your time and efforts. Just my opinion.

 

[Matplat]

Yeah thats pretty much what im thinking.... i just want to get on with making good beer than wasting FV time on beer that will end up crap.

 

[Grott]

Tastes from hydro checks always give a fairly good indication that things are ok, if it tastes like real crap I'd say it will end up
crap, sometimes tough decisions have to be made, but not all bad, the garden will love it.
Cheers

 

[panzerd18]

From previous brews ive learnt that the hydro samples are a pretty good indicator of the final flavour.... and this sample was rubbish.

Well if you stirred up all the trub and tasted it, it will probably taste rubbish.

 

[Matplat]

Well if you stirred up all the trub and tasted it, it will probably taste rubbish.

I stirred it after i did the hydro...

 

[panzerd18]

I stirred it after i did the hydro...

There can be some weird off flavours before the yeast has had a good time to clean up after themselves.

The question remains though, was it trub down the bottom of your fermenter? If so then you have nothing to worry about, and the fact that its at 1.012 means that the yeast has been doing its job.

 

[Matplat]

Yeah, it wasnt that the sample had off flavours, just that it had almost no flavour!

To confirm whether its trub at the bottom, i would need to sanitise a glove or something so i can get a spoon to reach the bottom.... although if i chuck it out that won't be an issue! Either way, il feed back the info as to what occured for future reference.

 

[panzerd18]

...., just that it had almost no flavour!

What was the kit you used?

 

[Matplat]

It was a canadian blonde, with 1kg BE1, then 600g of berries.

 

[Mickcr250]

I would just run with it mate. I have had a few beers had weird tasting hydro samples and have ended up fine once carbed up and cold. I'd also be willing to be that the stuff at the bottom is trub, just make sure you give it about two weeks in the fermenter and bottle away. At worst you have only lost an hour and a half of your time bottling.

 

[Mickcr250]

I also wouldn't expect too much of a beery backbone with that recipe. remember that be1 is mostly dextrose with a little malto dextron. I still think its worth bottling though

 

[Grott]

The Coopers Canadian Blonde is not a strong flavoured beer (excellent refresher on a stinking hot day) and you would have been better off with Enhancer 2. That being said I would now not chuck it but bottle after 14 days in the fermenter and leave for late spring/summer. I'd say it will be ok.
cheers

 

[yum beer]

Add a box of LDM and give it another week.
You aren't going to get any beery flavour from a Blonde kit and BE1.
A bit of malt will punch it up a bit and at least give you some flavour.

 

[Matplat]

Yeah, il have to see what the FG sample brings... i aint optimistic though!

 

[Matplat]

I did just take delivery of 20kg of LDME... maybe its worth throwing 500g at it? Just sprinkle it in?

 

[Grott]

I wouldn't sprinkle it in, likely to "clump" and not dissipate through the brew. I'd gently take about a litre out with a sanitised jug, warm it up and dissolve the malt. Then gently pour back it the fermenter as to not add oxygen.
Cheers

 

[Matplat]

Well i bottled this yesterday, the FG sample had just enough flavour in it to save itself from the lawn, and the gravity had been stable with no further airlock action for several days... also changing my expectations of the beer made it slightly more acceptable. Its not gonna be great but when carbed and cold it might just be ok... needless to say blushing blonde doesn't come high on my list of reccomendations!

 

[Grott]

Glad its not wasted, wait for a hot day, think you will enjoy it. Did you add the extra malt?
Cheers

 

[Matplat]

No i was too impatient! I want to get my english IPA going, plus i didn't want to spend more on a beer that was never going to be spectacular.

 

[panzerd18]

I think when its nicely carbonated and cold it will be very nice. Give it a month and it will be great.

 

[Matplat]

I think when its nicely carbonated and cold it will be very nice. Give it a month and it will be great.

Thanks mate, will let you know of the verdict when the time comes