Anyone See a Problem...

So I made this IPA extract kit from my LHBS about a month ago, just a few days ago I cracked one open and don't know what I did wrong... Its frustrating but I'm trying to learn a bit from each batch I'm brewing the I.P.A. will be the 3rd extract kit under my belt.

I tasted it and its a "ok" beer but the hop profile is anything but right and tastes odd, I wish I could put my finger on it, but can't. So after going through the instructions my first reaction is the boil is saying 90 minutes

Starting boil with 1.0oz Cascade after 45 minutes add 1/2 oz Cascade 1oz Challenger after 30 minutes add 1/2 oz Cascade, then boil for another 15 minutes remove and cool.

Ferment and dry hop with 1.0oz Cascade

Its a LHMS kit very open ended as far as instructions, but i did exactly what it said. So my only concerns of what could've happened are 1) the boil should have been an hour long boil with additions at 60,45,30,15 instead of the 90 minute boil I had done. 2) I transferred to secondary to dry hop at about day 8 after pitching, i've read that you should transfer to secondary before fermentation fully finishes don't know that because it had finished that I oxidized my beer because it was sitting in secondary with just O2.

Any thoughts?

Sounds like the beer is still green. Give it another week or preferably two and see how it tastes. When I taste a beer too early it normally does not taste right, not bad not wrong just not right.

mb82 said:

Sounds like the beer is still green. Give it another week or preferably two and see how it tastes. When I taste a beer too early it normally does not taste right, not bad not wrong just not right.

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+1 you will be amazed how the flavor will change from week to week. 4 weeks is young. It could take another 2 to 4 weeks to come together. My ipa's generally are ready between 6 and 8 weeks.

phuff7129 said:

+1 you will be amazed how the flavor will change from week to week. 4 weeks is young. It could take another 2 to 4 weeks to come together. My ipa's generally are ready between 6 and 8 weeks.

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+1. Noticed my ipas take a bit longer than others to come around.

If I'm understanding the first post correctly, that's a very odd hop schedule. But also, you should let it ferment longer. I leave most of my beers in primary for at least 2 weeks, preferably 3, and 4 if I'm not dry hopping. Then they need another couple weeks in packaging before consuming.

Have they been in bottles for about 3 weeks at 70 degrees, then chilled for at least 24 hours? If not they are not, or are barely, ready. I have too had beers that were not so awesome early that became very good with a little more age.

I also agree that the hop schedule seems strange.

Transfering out of primary at only 8 days was not a good thing. Some thought that transfering beforwe it's done would fill the head space in secondary with co2 to protect the beer. In reality,the secondary should have a small head space to start with. Gives less room for air to get to it,& dissolved co2 could easily fill what very little head space remains.
Leaving it in primary till it's done would be better,imo. Then giving it 3-7 additional days to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. This also conditions the beer a little bit. then prime & bottle.
Leave bottles in a dark place or boxed up at around 70F or better to carbonate & condition 3-4 weeks on average. Then a week fridge time to settle any chill haze & get enough co2 into solution for decent carbonation & head. 2 weeks gives thicker head & longer lasting,fine bubbled carbonation.
It'll also compact the trub on the bottom of the bottles more.
And I'd have moved the 30 minute hop addition to 20 minutes. A bit more flavor & less bittering. And yes,the 45 minute addition should've been 60 minutes,as the boil should also have been. Some beers benefit from a 90 minute boil. But the average ale is fine with a 60 minute one.

So what your saying is that this hobby requires a whole heck of a lot of patience...... that and 2 weeks primary, week-ish secondary when dry hopping and 3 weeks conditioning in bottles. I'm brewing a Witbeer as of last night (just started fermenting) should I follow that same time line?

csells10 said:

So what your saying is that this hobby requires a whole heck of a lot of patience...... that and 2 weeks primary, week-ish secondary when dry hopping and 3 weeks conditioning in bottles. I'm brewing a Witbeer as of last night (just started fermenting) should I follow that same time line?

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A good baseline for sure. Once you get your pipeline going it won't be as bad waiting, but it still won't be easy! Especially when you brew a gnarly recipe you are excited about! You can always test one at two weeks after a day in the fridge and get a better idea of where you are.

EDIT: still be sure to take hydro readings in primary just to be sure. Depending on style and yeast you may get one that doesn't finish after two weeks.

I don't see why you would condition for so long on a pale ale or ipa? 6-8 weeks seems long to me even with bottle conditioning. If you primary for 3 weeks fermentation is likely done and anything over 4 weeks on the yeast is probably too long. So if you're kegging, I don't see why an IPA won't be super fresh and ready after hitting your target TG and giving a few days to carb up. Especially if you were good with ferm temp control and fermented cool @ say 64* and raised it up in the last week or so to clean up off flavors.

I don't see why you would condition for so long on a pale ale or ipa? 6-8 weeks seems long to me even with bottle conditioning. If you primary for 3 weeks fermentation is likely done and anything over 4 weeks on the yeast is probably too long. So if you're kegging, I don't see why an IPA won't be super fresh and ready after hitting your target TG and giving a few days to carb up. Especially if you were good with ferm temp control and fermented cool @ say 64* and raised it up in the last week or so to clean up off flavors.

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The IPA I have on tap right now I left in primary for 2 weeks, transferred to a keg, dryhopped for 6 days, put it on the gas and it's perfect at 2 weeks. So that's 5 weeks total, I pulled some tastes after 1 week on the gas and it definitely was not ready, clarity-wise or carbonation-wise. I was just speaking from my own experience and what works for me. I start 'em cool then raise them to 67 for the bulk of fermentation, then up to 70 or so for the last couple days of primary.

To the OP, a wit, in general, should only need a couple weeks in primary and then you should be able to package it. But that depends on the recipe. I have a straight forward Bavarian Weizen that I brew that I ferment for 2 weeks then package it. It really depends on the recipe.

hogwash said:

The IPA I have on tap right now I left in primary for 2 weeks, transferred to a keg, dryhopped for 6 days, put it on the gas and it's perfect at 2 weeks. So that's 5 weeks total, I pulled some tastes after 1 week on the gas and it definitely was not ready, clarity-wise or carbonation-wise. I was just speaking from my own experience and what works for me. I start 'em cool then raise them to 67 for the bulk of fermentation, then up to 70 or so for the last couple days of primary.

To the OP, a wit, in general, should only need a couple weeks in primary and then you should be able to package it. But that depends on the recipe. I have a straight forward Bavarian Weizen that I brew that I ferment for 2 weeks then package it. It really depends on the recipe.

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Awesome, that's what I was thinking. Also, this is my first time dry hopping in the keg, HOLY CRAP! I've never gotten nearly as much hop aroma from my dry hops in the carboy. FWIW I would dry hop the last 5 days before bottling, then store at 70 to bottle carb.

2005STi, I started kegging in January and I've experienced the same thing with dryhopping. SHAZAM!