Hi All,
I've been brewing for a little while now but it seems no matter what I've tried I end up with a beer that still tastes "green". Luckily, I listened from the start and I've kept detailed notes along the way. I'm hoping you can help!
I started out with a decent kit from Northern Brewer that included most of the usual things, except a hydrometer. I purchased that for my second brew.
In every case, the finished product had a "green" unfinished flavor. I don't think there was any other off-flavors. My list of results with some notes are below:
Amber Ale (5 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for partial boil
- No hydrometer to test OG/FG
- City tap water
- 2 week primary
- A bit of shaking to add oxygen before fermentation
- Fermented in basement in summer (Temps reaching 74-76)
- Fermentation pail would not seal properly, never saw airlock activity
- 2 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
Irish Blond Ale (5 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for partial boil
- OG was 1.048 (Recipe said 1.050)
- FG was 1.012 (Recipe said 1.012)
- City tap water
- 4 week primary, FG reached after 2.5 weeks, left to mature a bit, no change in gravity for a week
- Fermentation pail would not seal properly, never saw airlock activity
- Used electric mixer for add oxygen before fermentation
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
Belgian Blond (3.25 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for full boil
- OG was quite high at 1.064 (Recipe said 1.060)
- FG was 1.018 (Recipe said 1.014)
- City tap water
- 3 week primary
- Sealed fermentation pail with cling wrap to get a better seal. Saw proper airlock activity
- Fermented in basement in winter, temp steady between 60F-62F, SafeAle T-58 shows ideal is 59-68
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
American Pale Ale:
- Was concerned that my partial boil was causing gravity issues, so I added 10 minutes to my boil time
- Broke my hydrometer and didn't test OG/FG on this batch
- Bottled water
- Forgot about this fermentation, it sat for a little over 5 weeks in primary
- Sealed fermentation pail with cling wrap to get a better seal. Saw proper airlock activity
- Used WhiteLabs WLP001 yeast, was an idiot and didn't shake package before adding. Dumped in as a clump. Not sure if that is bad?)
- Used electric mixer for add oxygen before fermentation
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
- Easily my best batch yet. Still retained the "green" flavour but the most drinkable to date.
Red Ale:
- Again added 10 minutes to my boil time
- OG was 1.048 (Recipe 1.050)
- FG was 1.014 (Recipe said 1.012)
- Bottled Water
- 5.5 week primary
- Replaced fermenter with Fermonster PET Plastic carboy
- Fermented in basement in fall (Temp steady between 62F-64F, SafeAle S-04 shows ideal is 64-72)
- Shook vigorously to add oxygen before fermentation
- 2 Week bottle conditioning (Room temp - so far)
I've been brewing for a little while now but it seems no matter what I've tried I end up with a beer that still tastes "green". Luckily, I listened from the start and I've kept detailed notes along the way. I'm hoping you can help!
I started out with a decent kit from Northern Brewer that included most of the usual things, except a hydrometer. I purchased that for my second brew.
In every case, the finished product had a "green" unfinished flavor. I don't think there was any other off-flavors. My list of results with some notes are below:
Amber Ale (5 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for partial boil
- No hydrometer to test OG/FG
- City tap water
- 2 week primary
- A bit of shaking to add oxygen before fermentation
- Fermented in basement in summer (Temps reaching 74-76)
- Fermentation pail would not seal properly, never saw airlock activity
- 2 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
Irish Blond Ale (5 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for partial boil
- OG was 1.048 (Recipe said 1.050)
- FG was 1.012 (Recipe said 1.012)
- City tap water
- 4 week primary, FG reached after 2.5 weeks, left to mature a bit, no change in gravity for a week
- Fermentation pail would not seal properly, never saw airlock activity
- Used electric mixer for add oxygen before fermentation
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
Belgian Blond (3.25 G)
- Brewed exactly as recipe suggested for full boil
- OG was quite high at 1.064 (Recipe said 1.060)
- FG was 1.018 (Recipe said 1.014)
- City tap water
- 3 week primary
- Sealed fermentation pail with cling wrap to get a better seal. Saw proper airlock activity
- Fermented in basement in winter, temp steady between 60F-62F, SafeAle T-58 shows ideal is 59-68
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
American Pale Ale:
- Was concerned that my partial boil was causing gravity issues, so I added 10 minutes to my boil time
- Broke my hydrometer and didn't test OG/FG on this batch
- Bottled water
- Forgot about this fermentation, it sat for a little over 5 weeks in primary
- Sealed fermentation pail with cling wrap to get a better seal. Saw proper airlock activity
- Used WhiteLabs WLP001 yeast, was an idiot and didn't shake package before adding. Dumped in as a clump. Not sure if that is bad?)
- Used electric mixer for add oxygen before fermentation
- 3 week bottle conditioning (Room temp)
- Easily my best batch yet. Still retained the "green" flavour but the most drinkable to date.
Red Ale:
- Again added 10 minutes to my boil time
- OG was 1.048 (Recipe 1.050)
- FG was 1.014 (Recipe said 1.012)
- Bottled Water
- 5.5 week primary
- Replaced fermenter with Fermonster PET Plastic carboy
- Fermented in basement in fall (Temp steady between 62F-64F, SafeAle S-04 shows ideal is 64-72)
- Shook vigorously to add oxygen before fermentation
- 2 Week bottle conditioning (Room temp - so far)