First brew gone haywire

[AndyBrewer]

So I brewed a beer for the first time with a Brooklyn brew kit. This one to be exact called "Everyday IPA" ( ) or the literal address http://brooklynbrewshop.com/beer-making-kits/everyday-ipa-1-gal-kit

A: At first I was feeling good with the instructions they gave me but
I ended up drying up the grains at first and it looked like they weren't being cooked like it said so I added more water.

i. But now thinking about it, is that fine? Possibly it would just make less water needed once it was filled or would it add more flavor possibly too much?



B: Later on in the recipe process I used a cooler full of ice to cool it down but I ended up leaving it there for several hours until later that night. I read online in response to that I should try shaking up the gallon jug some after it was room temp to make up for the yeast not being very active the first day or so. I ended up doing this several times.

i. Is the shaking of the jug going to do anything wrong because when I do some of the stuff (looked like a silt of grain or hops in a very dense 1/2 inch or less) on the bottom of the jug is partially mixed back in the jug.

ii. Secondly was the temperature when it was left too cold going to be able to do anything to the yeast working properly?

C: Finally I was wondering if the beer, when bottled, stops fermenting because I tasted it later (it's been about two weeks) and it doesn't taste like an IPA with the spike of flavor i'm used to in beer it was kind of like a watered down version.



D: Finally if I do bottle it will it stop bubbling or what will happen to the pressure of the bottle as it says it helps it carbonate but how do you know if it could be not going too far with the air pressure and carbonation?

http://brooklynbrewshop.com/directions/Brooklyn_Brew_Shop_Everyday_IPA_Instructions.pdf
I can take pictures or even a video of the silt of grains on the bottom of the jug ( I have an iflip video camera and a good camera) or anything else if you need a visual of it.

Thank you so much,
Andy

 

[unionrdr]

A-Sounds like you didn't use enough water to mash the grains. It says two quarts @ 160F. Add more water if too thick or dry. I like to make sure I have enough water for a thinner mash. I think they don't stick together as easily. Gotta convert the starches to sugars. This is what the mash does,other than extracting them.
B-You def need to keep an eye on the wort temp with a thermometer so it dosen't cool off too much. But since you did,you just have to wait till the temp comes back up into the yeasts' range. Wgich you did. But shaking after yeast pitch isn't a good thing. Once it starts fermenting,adding oxygen bt shaking can oxidize the fermenting wort,guving off flavors. A gentle swirl is better to stir up some yeast.
C-Beer doesn't stop fermenting when it's bottle with priming solution. The yeast eat the sugar & carbonate the beer. Young uncarbonated beer will taste different from the finished version. The carbonation brings out the hop flavors & aromas. Plus the beer needs to condition as well to get the final flavor profile.
D-You mix the priming sugar with boiled water & add that to the bottling bucket. Rack the beer onto that & stir it gently to be sure it mixes evenly. The amount of sugar yo use governs the amount of carbonation. Here's a calculator to use in the future; http://www.tastybrew.com/calculators/priming.html

 

[AndyBrewer]

thank you for the help, definitely settled some of my worries.
I will let you know in two weeks what the beer is like .

 

[progmac]

i'm wondering if maybe this will be helpful for you
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/first-brew-364984/

i'm having a hard time understanding your questions. in no particular order, some of your most important considerations:
- what temperature is the grain steeped (mashed) at? it should be 147-158 depending on how much body you want in the beer (higher temp=more body).
- what temperature was the wort when you added the yeast? it should be around 60-70 degrees for most ales.
- at what temperature did the beer ferment? it should be 58-68 for most ales.

 

[AndyBrewer]

What should i consider when getting ready to bottle the beer other then adding the priming sugar with boiled water? I saw on the link you referenced he tested the ABV. Is there anything else I should consider as I lost track of the amount of time I spent fermenting.

 

[kh54s10]

What should i consider when getting ready to bottle the beer other then adding the priming sugar with boiled water? I saw on the link you referenced he tested the ABV. Is there anything else I should consider as I lost track of the amount of time I spent fermenting.

I see from the equipment list that a hydrometer is not included. If you continue brewing I would make one your next purchase.

ABV is usually calculated by running the original gravity OG (the gravity of the wort at the time you pitch the yeast) and the final gravity FG (the gravity of the beer after fermentation is done) through a calculator/calculation to determine the alcohol content.

Since you are not taking gravity readings and bottling while fermentation is happening can lead to bottle bombs (excessive co2 buildup in the bottles causing them to explode) I would wait for at least 3 weeks after your brew day to bottle.

 

[unkyjack]

Be relentless about sanitizing. Sanitize virtually everything you'll be using during bottling, that includes the bottles, bottle caps, bottling bucket, tubing, hydrometer, racking cane/auto-siphon, etc., etc.

Also, take a glance at this Brooklyn Brew Shop thread. You might find answers there to some of your questions.