YERSE! BEER!

[Matplat]

So I just took my first hydro sample of my first brew after having it in the fermenter for 10 days.

Now this may sound stupid but I am crazy excited (hence the thread title!) as to how much it tastes like beer!

Seriously, I just didn't expect it to taste that good! I made several mistakes, like pitching the yeast to hot, pouring the wort into the fermenter too hot and generally poor temperature control, so I pretty much expected 23l of vinegar, but it's definitely beer!

Let's put things in perspective, its a fair way from perfect, but I'm pretty pleased for my first attempt...

It does have a slight tang on the finish, is that something that will get cleaned up during conditioning? Or is that just the taste of semi-carbonated, warm beer? Or the result of my imperfect brewing technique?

Cheers, (a very excited) Matt

 

[Stinger85]

Congratulations Matt. I can remember my first too... It wasn't perfect, but it was perfect for me at the time ;-)

The tang could be a combination of all of the above. Enjoy it for what it is, and get a second one on ASAP!

Some pointers for getting started:

Keep everything clean, clean, clean!
Good temperature control will improve your beers to no end!
Make sure you are pitching enough yeast.
Patience pays big dividends.
Don't be disheartened if friends and family don't like a beer you have made, and love. You are making it for yourself first, and if others like it too, then that is great.
Keep good records and notes.
Most importantly, have fun!

 

[TheBigD]

Well done,

my advice is buy two 10 litre spring water containers from woollies and just refill them as needed and refrigerate them a couple of nights before brewing it's the best way to get the temp down before pitching

 

[Matplat]

Yeah, I bought a 19l stock pot to pre-boil my water in and I will just chuck that in the fridge that I got for fermenting... The fridge will also sort out my temp control

Yep got the next one lined up, as soon as this one is bottled on the weekend, the next one will be on! In fact I've got the one after that lined up too!

Here's to hoping that some 'ageing' will smooth out this batch

 

[Pogierob]

G'day mate and welcome.

three things I would recommend to a shiney new brewer..

TEMPERATURE CONTROL.......
Even if you can't get yourself set up with a fermenting fridge right now, I would seriously look into it sooner rather than later.

YEAST.
research yeast, if you are using a tin than has the yeast under the lid then I would absolutely recommend you swap that out for a better quality dried yeast for starters US-05 is a great place to start for ales.

WAIT.
Yeah I know, AS IF..... but if you can manage to let the beer mature correctly you will find a much better result.
By all means try a bottle after a week, two weeks and a month, if you can hold off drinking the whole lot then you will find a better beer in the older ones (but don't leave it too long either, depending on style this also could be bad)

Have fun and good luck...

 

[Grott]

Good one Matt, it is so rewarding to enjoy your first brew. I would imagine this lot won't last long after bottling so it may pay to have a second fermenter so you can keep stocks "rolling" along and allow those bottled to mature a bit.
Cheers

 

[Killer Brew]

Agreed. I am drinking my first brew just now and I already have 3 more sitting in fermenters. h34r:

SWMBO has been seen to walk past the spare room where they are kept shaking her head. She hasn't really complained though, I guess she can't when she surprised me with the starter kit for Xmas!

My tip for your first bottling day is to do anything that can be done (eg, sanitising, priming) up front and lay it all out in an ordered manner (think production line) before you start filling. And if you can do it over an opened dishwasher door it saves plenty of mess!

 

[Bribie G]

Greetings to Dalby.. I still remember my first few kit brews that turned out perfectly. Kit beers do tend to have a bit of a "twang" that you can minimise by using less or no sugar (try Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 for starters) and fermenting cooler, which you are on top of.

If you decide to go into all grain brewing down the track there's a good crew of brewers in Toowoomba who would be a good source of manly love.

 

[TheBigD]

SWMBO has been seen to walk past the spare room where they are kept shaking her head. She hasn't really complained though, I guess she can't when she surprised me with the starter kit for Xmas!

My wife's the same she even asked me why I brew the other night :blink: some of them just don't see the joy and satisfaction of coming home after working like a dog and poring a lovely home made beer from the bar you hand built and after explaining this to no avail she replied" why don't you just buy it"

 

[Grott]

she replied" why don't you just buy it"

Because you can't, they don't make your beer!

 

[Matplat]

Ha ha ha i've got the exact same story, my wife bought me the starter kit for christmas, and now is up in arms about how much time i spend researching/thinking/buying extra bits... and she hasnt got a leg to stand on, you bought it for me honey I have to use it don't I! I am also playing the card that it will be cheap in the long run

 

[paulyman]

Ha ha ha i've got the exact same story, my wife bought me the starter kit for christmas, and now is up in arms about how much time i spend researching/thinking/buying extra bits... and she hasnt got a leg to stand on, you bought it for me honey I have to use it don't I! I am also playing the card that it will be cheap in the long run

Oh I bet she has a leg to stand on. Mine often complains there isn't enough bottled and in the fridge, but the moment I begin brewing I get in trouble because I'm "always" brewing and not doing something useful.

 

[Matplat]

Ha ha ha, my wifes pregnant at the mo so dont have that sharing issue!

Bribe G, are you in Dalby?

 

[Bribie G]

Nope, at Old Bar Beach near Taree in NSW (see my location in Side Bar, that's right nobody has ever heard of Old Bar and we like it that way ) - lived on Bribie Island for ten years until 2012 but familiar with all SEQ as I used to be a Rothmans rep and travelled all over. I was actually at Dalby - (edit visiting - just after the flood of 81.

Wouldn't mind relaxing at a camp in the Bunya Mountains right now with a slab or three :chug: :chug: :chug:

 

[Matplat]

Yep I'd agree with you there, the Bunya's are beautiful, Dalby.... not so much!

 

[Matplat]

Well, I waited as long as I could, but I had my first beer this afternoon after 12 days in the bottle.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! The tangy finish has completely gone all that's left is an easily drinkable beer!

It ain't gonna win any awards, but it is far from a failure and I can't taste any sort of 'home brew flavour' that I have heard people mention. If you pulled it out of a tap at a bar and it was labelled XXXX bitter I could be easily fooled!

It will be interesting to see how the flavour develops over a few weeks.....

 

[Grott]

Pleased it turned out well, trust the fermenter(s) full again?
Cheers

 

[Matplat]

Sure is, an APA of my own design (thanks to Ian H) can't wait for some hoppy goodness....

 

[Matplat]

So this is pretty funny, and illustrates how much emotion can influence the taste of beer...

I finished my second batch two weeks ago and have just started drinking it, it was brewed with proper temp control and an extract recipe rather than k&k. I still have a few bottles left in the cupboard of the above original batch... I drank one after having drank some of the second batch (which was freaking awesome by the way) and it basically tastes un-drinkable!

Just funny to see how your perception can change after your palate has gotten adjusted to tasty beer!

Cheers, Matt

 

[Tr0yza]

I stuffed my first one up aswell, and Australian lager, pitched the yeast to high and fermented to high aswell, from misleading information... But it turned out pretty nice! You learn from your mistakes and can't wait to taste my second batch that has just been bottled