Flavors or beer

[PorterPete]

I finally cracked open a bottle of my first homebrew batch (NG 1 gallon Caribou Slobber Extract). It tasted alright but really brought to light that I don't know the flavors of beer to well.

I do know what I like in my beers and can taste certain tones when I know what I am looking for. However, when trying to describe or pick out flavors of this batch I was stumped. It was not what I expected and probably a little thin. I am going to give it another week of conditioning.

Guess my question is what's a good way to learn the correlation of what is going in and what flavors you are aiming for the end result? Also learning what some of the off flavors are so you know if you taste them what to do.

I figured with a kit I would kinda know what the output would be expected. It just didnt taste right, not bad just not what I expected.

 

[BlackGoat]

Trial and error is how most of us learn. You kind of just start to experiment and learn as you go. Another way that I learn things is to go onto commercial craft brewer's websites and read their descriptions for their beers...especially the ones that get really technical. You can glean a lot of good info from the brewers as to what ingredients they added and what they got out of it. You can buy a bottle of that brew and see if you can pick out what it is they are describing. But really, once you get past the kits, you can start playing around with experiments, you can make two batches of one style of beer back to back with only altering one of the ingredients just to see what it does. Try different yeast, different grains, hops, whatever. Congrats on the first brew! how long has it been since you bottled? It might just need some more time.

 

[bobot]

What are examples of your favorite beer? What commercial beers do you buy?

 

[kapbrew13]

Brew SMaSH. Single malt single hop brews. This way its easier to taste the grain and hops. Next do a two malt one hop to see how the brew tastes compared to the smash. Educate your taste buds and take a lot of notes.

 

[JimRausch]

Good question.
With me, I know what I like and what I don't, but I'm not always sure why. I've found that in the 16 months since I started brewing, I've been buying more 'samplers' of different styles, so I guess I'm expanding my palate.When I find something I really like, I research it in detail to see if it's something I can mimic.(avoiding the 'clone' label). I do have a pretty good supply of specialty malts and hops, and am learning, by tasting, what they add to the flavor profile.
By the way, give the C.S. some more time. It does seem to get better and better as it ages.

 

[duboman]

This is a good site for understanding off flavors, what they might taste like, what causes them and how one can minimize/eliminate them

http://www.beerjudgeschool.com/uploads/Beer_Characteristics_Flash_Cards.pdf

 

[Beernik]

Tough assignment: Drink craft beer. Take notes. Wear a lab coat.

Brewery websites are helpful if they list grains & hops. Also, drink some craft beer & go to beer advocate. Read other people's descriptions of the beers, see if you can find those flavors.

 

[PorterPete]

The CS has been in bottles for 2 weeks. I am planning for three weeks conditioning but I couldn't resist putting one in the fridge and tasting it.

What are examples of your favorite beer? What commercial beers do you buy?

I like the hoppier tones, IPAs mostly. The most recent one I have been buying alot is Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. I also enjoy a good Hef or Stout also.

With me, I know what I like and what I don't, but I'm not always sure why. I've found that in the 16 months since I started brewing, I've been buying more 'samplers' of different styles, so I guess I'm expanding my palate.When I find something I really like, I research it in detail to see if it's something I can mimic.(avoiding the 'clone' label). I do have a pretty good supply of specialty malts and hops, and am learning, by tasting, what they add to the flavor profile.
By the way, give the C.S. some more time. It does seem to get better and better as it ages.

This is pretty much where I am at also. I picked the CS Kit because of the description but it just wasn't what I expected.

So thinking about it more, my issue with the flavor of this beer is it tastes like I drank the drippings off the specialty grain bag. While this would be a good nutty background flavor I expected to taste other notes, a bit more bitter or sweeter or something. Also I was unsure if this was an off flavor of some step I could do better or if this was just the flavor of the beer. Very nutty or grainy flavor with not alot of body.

The two areas I might have messed up is the temp I steeped the grains and the fermentation temp. I did setup a ferm chamber now.

 

[PorterPete]

This is a good site for understanding off flavors, what they might taste like, what causes them and how one can minimize/eliminate them

http://www.beerjudgeschool.com/uploads/Beer_Characteristics_Flash_Cards.pdf

Got finished reading thru that link. That is an awesome resource for pinpointing flavors. Thanks.

I am thinking I possibly steeped at too low of temps and also had some oxidation happen. (Bottling was a mess, had issues with keeping suction on siphon.)

 

[Cyclman]

Part of the joy of cooking / brewing, is to learn what inputs create what outputs, whether they be ingredients or process.