My worst brewday yet

[RobInOre]

I set out to brew 5 gallons of Kolsch tonight.
Wyeast 2565 (stored in a refrigerator for 8 months)
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
1 oz. Cascade

I smacked the pack and laid out the other ingredients. After two hours the yeast still wasn’t swelled up but I had already set the hops to boiling. I’ve never made a Kolsch before and I really didn’t know what to expect for flavors but I expected the yeast to do the work and flavor the brew. However, now I can’t trust my expired yeast.

The other yeasts I have on hand are Safale05 and Safbrew33. I’ve used 05 dozens of times but haven’t tasted 33 yet. I know what 05, Pilsen and Cascade will taste like; I’ve had hundreds of bottles of it. It’s good but I want something new.

Spices! The voices in my head suggested nutmeg. The spice drawer yielded a nut of meg and I found one of SWMBO’s graters. While grinding the nutmeg into the chilled wort I dropped it. Crap. The only thing I can think of is to rinse my hairy arm and fish out my nutmeg. I finish adding nutmeg but it still doesn’t seem right.

Color! I add 3 lbs. of Sparkling Amber DME for color. Of course this also bumps the gravity a bit further than I like.

More spices! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to go with the nutmeg.
Since the gravity is too high I also add more water.
The finished recipe is this;
Safbrew33
½ lb corn sugar
6lbs. Pilsen DME
3lbs. Sparkling Amber DME
1 oz. Cascade
1 teaspoon nutmeg (approx)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 gallon batch

So, I know I made beer. I’ll drink it because I made it. This is the first time I’ve ever had a brew day go so wrong though.

Did the voices in my head steer me wrong? Since I (eventually) tried to make a holiday spice beer, are these spices enough? Too much?

BTW when I opened the expired yeast it smelled like an MRE entrée. I’d eat it but I won’t put it in my beer!

 

[JoshuaW]

Id try it. Its going to be... Different? But I doubt it will be awful. Well, unless the spice levels are too intense. Blending or age can always fix that.

As far as your expired yeast, I would have done a starter, or just pitched the yeast and waited. Chances are it would have rebounded and been fine, just started slow. Live and learn though. Thankfully its hard to ruin beer.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Remember, fresh ground spices have more intense flavors than ground bought. Be sure to note that in your records so when your beer turns out to be nectar of the gods you can recreate it!!!

 

[kombat]

I wouldn't worry about it, Cinnamon Nutmeg Imperial Kolsch's are the next big thing in craft beer.

 

[poptarts]

Sounds like one more reason to always make a starter.

 

[Foosier]

Planning is your friend. A common theme in the "worst brewday ever" posts is when folks start free-styling or lose track of what they are doing. I highly recommend setting up a checklist which details your recipe, the steps you need to complete with expected measurements and timing. This really helps you avoid mistakes or missing something important.

Note: I am not an overly organized brewer, I do just what I need to. Checklists and brewing software can help limit issues so I use them where I can.

 

[poptarts]

Planning is your friend. A common theme in the "worst brewday ever" posts is when folks start free-styling or lose track of what they are doing. I highly recommend setting up a checklist which details your recipe, the steps you need to complete with expected measurements and timing. This really helps you avoid mistakes or missing something important.

Note: I am not an overly organized brewer, I do just what I need to. Checklists and brewing software can help limit issues so I use them where I can.

Cant agree more, I make a starter a few days before brewing to make sure my yeast is alive and get the right yeast count. Prep water and grain the night before brewing. Then I can wake up, mash in, weigh out hops and everything is smooth sailing.

 

[Foosier]

Cant agree more, I make a starter a few days before brewing to make sure my yeast is alive and get the right yeast count. Prep water and grain the night before brewing. Then I can wake up, mash in, weigh out hops and everything is smooth sailing.

Agreed, I am an early morning brewer. I have everything set up and ready. Water is measured, treated with campden and acids, grain and hops ready, starter ready to pitch. All planned out so I get up, load the kettle fire up the burner and then get my coffee on. The goal is to be done by lunch time. Couldn't do it without planning.

 

[poptarts]

Agreed, I am an early morning brewer. I have everything set up and ready. Water is measured, treated with campden and acids, grain and hops ready, starter ready to pitch. All planned out so I get up, load the kettle fire up the burner and then get my coffee on. The goal is to be done by lunch time. Couldn't do it without planning.

Yup I use my ghetto herms system to heat up water while I sleep so at 5AM i zombie walk out the garage, dump in grain then have an hour to grab breakfast and wake up.

 

[cernst151]

Wow, that's your worst brewday? You're doing AOK my man. It's not going to be the kolsch you were planning on but there's no reason that won't be a perfectly acceptable beer.