I've been brewing using kits and extracts for a few years now and I've made some excellent brews in that time, but just lately I've been really disappointed with every brew I make and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
The last three brews I've made (a Cooper's Pale Ale, a Morgan's Amber Ale and a Little Creatures extract have all turned out very dark and with a strong molasses or maybe hops undertaste. They are drinkable, but only barely.
The two ales I struggled with getting the yeast to fire up. The Coopers I had to heat up to 30 degrees before it fired up. The Morgans yeast seemed to fail completely and I had to dig through my box for another yeast to add in. It then fired up for one day (on the bench at 24 degrees) and pretended to be finished. The Little Creatures had no problems, but still came out similarly too dark and too hoppy. All three had final SGs that indicated 4-5% alcohol content.
I'm just not sure where to go from here.
I thoroughly wash my fermenters before and after each brew and I throw in teaspoon of Coopers powdered sanitiser and a litre of water to rinse out before I add my brew. I do the same with the kegs after brewing.
The only real difference in my brewing technique this year is that I'm not brewing in the fridge, which I was doing last year (12 or 18 degrees depending on the brew). My wife has taken over my temp controlled fridge for nefarious domestic purposes. But for my first year as a brewer I only brewed on the counter top so that should not be the cause.
Please, any ideas or suggestions would be most welcome.
The last three brews I've made (a Cooper's Pale Ale, a Morgan's Amber Ale and a Little Creatures extract have all turned out very dark and with a strong molasses or maybe hops undertaste. They are drinkable, but only barely.
The two ales I struggled with getting the yeast to fire up. The Coopers I had to heat up to 30 degrees before it fired up. The Morgans yeast seemed to fail completely and I had to dig through my box for another yeast to add in. It then fired up for one day (on the bench at 24 degrees) and pretended to be finished. The Little Creatures had no problems, but still came out similarly too dark and too hoppy. All three had final SGs that indicated 4-5% alcohol content.
I'm just not sure where to go from here.
I thoroughly wash my fermenters before and after each brew and I throw in teaspoon of Coopers powdered sanitiser and a litre of water to rinse out before I add my brew. I do the same with the kegs after brewing.
The only real difference in my brewing technique this year is that I'm not brewing in the fridge, which I was doing last year (12 or 18 degrees depending on the brew). My wife has taken over my temp controlled fridge for nefarious domestic purposes. But for my first year as a brewer I only brewed on the counter top so that should not be the cause.
Please, any ideas or suggestions would be most welcome.