First Home Brew Gone Wrong.

[PakDat]

Ok, my very first batch of beer was a good experience for me and a big fat fail stamped across my head.

For all home brewers out there I don't know what your experience was on making your first home brew. But I thought mine was a disaster.

Heres the simple version of my journal….

-Day one
I followed the directions of the Wyeast. I broke the bag inside the package and let it sit to be activated. It took 7 hours to fully activate. Did not brew, had to leave overnight. I don't know why it took that long to activate.

-Day two
Started the brewing procedure. I bought a brewing ingredients kit, Winter Ale. The mashing was at 165°F-170°F. I know it should have been 155°F. After that I followed instructions as is.

I put the wort in the fermentor with a spigot and placed it in the basement at 65°F.

Waiting….

-Day five
I took the wort out of the prime by using the spigot and into my secondary which is a clear glass carboy. I placed it back into the same spot. The temp was at 65°F.

Waiting…..

-Day eight
Temperature changed do to the cold winter weather. It dropped into unknown °F. Was not at home to move it into a warmer area. My guess there was a fluctuation with the temperature between 55°F-68° for several days. Also the fermentor was next to a window. I don't know if light would have caused anything bad.

Waiting…..

-Day 14
Airlock was still bubbling. Took a hydro test, 1.024.

-Day 15
Took another hydro test, 1.026.
Decided to wait for another week. This time I placed the carboy upstairs inside a closet. Temp was at constant 72°F.

-Day 22
Hydro test, 1.026
Started bottling. Poured the priming sugar. Auto siphoned the beer into the bottle. Siphon rubber seal broke. Had to pump manually and carefully into the prime fermentor. Used the spigot to pour the beer into the bottles.

Why not bottle it when pumping manually? I wanted the siphon a float not to tough the crud at the bottom of the car boy.

Bottled and sealed

-The Taste Test-
The beer is thick like milk but not the taste, the color is mirky, brown but not proper ale color. The taste is more like a stout than an ale, no or very little carbonation, high in alcohol though drinkable.

 

[Brewmex41]

That's terrible

 

[fartinmartin]

Oh poop!

 

[xjmox14x]

Oh poop!

Excellent username to post correlation.

 

[Brewmex41]

Excellent username to post correlation.

What's the UNC ratio? Lol

 

[TimelessCynic]

Hey pakdat. If you don't have the skill to make a proper post then the challenges of home brew will destroy you everytime.

 

[fartinmartin]

I can give and take the pee or poop, but are there lumps in wind?

 

[xjmox14x]

What's the UNC ratio? Lol

Fartin' Martin -> Oh Poop

 

[PakDat]

Hey pakdat. If you don't have the skill to make a proper post then the challenges of home brew will destroy you everytime.

Wait. Your saying if I wrote I proper post. My beer will taste better?

 

[TimelessCynic]

Wait. Your saying if I wrote I proper post. My beer will taste better?

""

 

[Trox]

Just out of curiosity why do you think your first home brew went wrong? Did you set out to brew a beer and instead came out with a cake or a loaf of bread? If we knew what went wrong then we could give you some pointers to hopefully help you out the next time. Also you might have thought it went wrong, but instead could have still been a decent beer.

 

[Transamguy77]

Just out of curiosity why do you think your first home brew went wrong? Did you set out to brew a beer and instead came out with a cake or a loaf of bread? If we knew what went wrong then we could give you some pointers to hopefully help you out the next time. Also you might have thought it went wrong, but instead could have still been a decent beer.

Yes this, your post is quite vague on what went wrong and are you just looking to vent or for some advise on your next batch?

 

[PakDat]

Yes this, your post is quite vague on what went wrong and are you just looking to vent or for some advise on your next batch?

Sorry guys. I was trying to type my procedure on my phone when someone called me. But theres my outline from my journey.

 

[clarksc4]

First off, sorry you had a rough brew. It happens sometimes.
Specifics like your recipe can help troubleshoot. I'm assuming this was an all grain 5 gallon batch since you mention mashing and most brews are 5 gallons. Knowing what the expected OG was can help with yeast pitching rate and what your expected FG. you mention that the FG is 1.026, but without knowing the OG it's hard to tell if it's really that high.
Also related to OG is your yeast pitching rate. One smack pack is usually not enough to get a healthy fermentation, especially for a high OG.
Yes, mashing at 165 is very high, it probably denatured most of the enzymes in the mash leaving very few fermentables, which would explain the high FG
Your fermentation time was probably too short, 5 days is not really long enough for the yeast I work, especially if you underpitched.
Some things to try or next batch
1. Be careful with your mash temperature. Also, take a starting gravity reading if you didn't this time
2. Make a starter for liquid yeast or use dry yeast. Go to mrmalty.com for pitching rates with the calculator.
3. Give it time. For a lot of beers, there's no need to move the beer off the yeast cake to a secondary fermenter. Be patient and let the yeast eat then clean up after themselves.
Good luck with your next one!

 

[PakDat]

Thanks for the help!!

What I don't get is that a secondary is recommended and it says transfer after 5 days. Should I wait then for a week or two to transfer to a secondary?

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Thanks for the help!! What I don't get is that a secondary is recommended and it says transfer after 5 days. Should I wait then for a week or two to transfer to a secondary?

You really only need to transfer to secondary if you adding more fermentables or fruit additions. Otherwise quite a few brewers just let it ride a few weeks in primary and skip secondary all together. Less risk of oxidation, infection, etc etc due to unnecessary racking.

Generally wait until you reach your expected FG before racking to secondary as you wouldn't want to halt the yeast in the middle of their work.

 

[clarksc4]

If you are going by the kit instructions they are usually focused on making beer quickly to hook a new brewer. Using a kit is fine, but look at dome other brewing literature for better instruction.

 

[PakDat]

I was researching some videos and articles about brewing. Almost everyone said that after 5 days the yeast needs a little bit of oxygen. So that the yeast keep fermenting?

I really don't know much about the area of yeast or fermenting. I'm just asking questions trying to learn and get better at brewing.

 

[TimelessCynic]

No. You oxygenate before you put yeast in. If you do it well enough the yeast eats the oxygen and grows. Then eats the sugar and produces CO2 and alcohol. Never introduce oxygen after putting in the yeast the first time. To oxygenate i first started by violently rolling my glass Carboy on its side. If you have a bucket then use a big spoon or whisk. But be careful not to contaminate it with your hand or sweat or dirty utensil.

I have left beer in primary for 2 months. Tasted great. I usually keg or bottle after 3-4 weeks. Again, no problem. I never went the kit route so i don't know. I can only recommend the same way in which i learned. Read a lot online. Every single question you have, google. Be curious and bold. Your beer and taste buds will thank you for it. I doubt your second batch will be bad. It will probably be amazing if you take your time and research and make notes. Throw the kit instructions out of the window. Now that you have the equipment you can make your own beer.

 

[m3n00b]

Do not oxygenate once your yeast has started eating. You can oxygenate again up to 12 hours after pitching(big beers only).

 

[clarksc4]

To oxygenate i first started by violently rolling my glass Carboy on its side.

First off, please god don't do that. Just asking for an injury. A safer way to aerate is with a stainless diffusion stone and a cheap aquarium air pump. Look for an aeration kit at your LHBS

 

[skw]

The beer is thick like milk but not the taste, the color is mirky, brown but not proper ale color. The taste is more like a stout than an ale, no or very little carbonation, high in alcohol though drinkable.

Put those bottles somewhere, don't pour them out. In a month, stick one in the fridge for 3 days, then taste it. Repeat 3 times. If it's still not good by then, you may pour it out.

Until then, brew your second batch and don't use a secondary.

 

[hokieguy95]

Put those bottles somewhere, don't pour them out. In a month, stick one in the fridge for 3 days, then taste it. Repeat 3 times. If it's still not good by then, you may pour it out.

Until then, brew your second batch and don't use a secondary.

+1

My Hefe I made in October was all kinds of off flavors and had a bite to it. Since then it has mellowed nicely and isn't as harsh. It's not a great beer, but it's drinkable and some of my friends have said it's pretty good.

Definately do not throw it out until it ages and conditions a bit.

 

[TimelessCynic]

First off, please god don't do that. Just asking for an injury. A safer way to aerate is with a stainless diffusion stone and a cheap aquarium air pump. Look for an aeration kit at your LHBS

I wasn't rolling it over gravel. It was on my flat wooden porch. Safe enough if the Carboy is not cracked already. I should have said with controlled fury instead of violently.

 

[strangegreenman]

Put those bottles somewhere, don't pour them out. In a month, stick one in the fridge for 3 days, then taste it. Repeat 3 times. If it's still not good by then, you may pour it out.

Until then, brew your second batch and don't use a secondary.

One of the problems this beer is facing is that with a mash temperature that high the beer has a lot of dextrins in it. This can be good; I can say I appreciate a thick brew like that, especially when I am also hungry, but I can assure you the thickness won't go away.

As far as tasting like a stout goes... did it have a lot of chocolate malt or roasted barley as ingredients? That coffee-chocolate flavor was intentional, then, and won't go away either. Worst case scenario, make ice-cream beer floats and beef stew with it! Or drink it when you want stout (why not?)!

If you want dark but not roasted-barley beer, I think your darker crystal malts, debittered black malt and special B are probably your best friends for your next batch.

Also, congratulations on starting out all-grain! It's fun, but a lot to take in the first time!

 

[Trox]

Ok, my very first batch of beer was a good experience for me and a big fat fail stamped across my head.

For all home brewers out there I don't know what your experience was on making your first home brew. But I thought mine was a disaster.

Heres the simple version of my journal….

-Day eight
Temperature changed do to the cold winter weather. It dropped into unknown °F. Was not at home to move it into a warmer area. My guess there was a fluctuation with the temperature between 55°F-68° for several days. Also the fermentor was next to a window. I don't know if light would have caused anything bad.

Waiting…..

Two things in this statement stands out to me:
1) If you had a sudden decrease in temp you could have very well shocked the yeast and sent them to sleep; might be one reason why the high FG.

2) Light (especially sunlight and florescent lights) is bad for beer and will lead to a skunked flavor. This is one of the bigger downsides to glass carboys and the better bottles, they will let light in. A lot of people will put an old t-shirt over their carboys/better bottles to keep the light out.


Knowing the recipe or what kit you used (also which vendor would help) could really be useful in letting us figure out where everything stands in terms of your beer.

 

[Harry482]

The mash temp is where you went wrong! The enzymes were murdered!