I think somethings gone wrong...

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lpg2001

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Hi, just joined the forum to try and get a bit of help. I got a starter kit earlier this year as a present. I've tried 3 sets of home brew. One lager and one bitter both were decent. The bitter a little 'thin' on taste.

Anyway to my question I've got a wilko pilsner lager in the bucket and instead of sugar I used some light maltings. However now it smells a wheat beer when I've taken the samples. Is this normal? Can't say I'm too keen on wheat beer. It's been in the bucket since 28/6.

Thanks :razz:
 
By light maltings do you mean dried malt extract? Could this have been wheat extract? Or is it a yeasty smell?
 
I have used this in a couple of brews (malt extract only) with my own hops added and initially it did have a slightly wheat beer aroma. This did fade a bit but it did have that sort of note to it. Be patient though, the aroma and taste when sampling can be totally different from what you will end up with. I did a Four Finger Jack APA kit a few moths ago and on bottling I thought I had made a mistake somewhere even with about 25 years of brewing kits and AG under my belt. I left it and sampled a pint bottle after only a week, and it was wonderful.
 
Well I've give it a go as I've come this far. The other lager I tried smelt nothing like it and it is noticeably paler.
My last reading today was 1.010 and yesterday it was the same.

What is it like if you mix sugar with malt extract 50/50?

Another quick one, is 4 weeks in the bucket and 4 weeks in the bottles about right? I know in the instructions it says 7 days and then 14 days. Is that too short?
 
7 days in the FV is not really enough, 2 to weeks is what most people seem to do, 4 weeks is fine. It will get better in the bottles after 4 weeks too, probably keep getting better til it's at least 3 months bottled.

50/50 sugar/extract can be bought as brew enhancer. Or you can use half sugar half extract. Or any other proportion. I guess you have to experiment and decide what mix you like best.
 
Right thanks, i've not heard of brew enhancers before. I think I might try one, maybe that's the way forward.

Is coopers a good brand?
 
Right thanks, i've not heard of brew enhancers before. I think I might try one, maybe that's the way forward.

Is coopers a good brand?

I've used a few kg of brew enhancer of different sorts including Coopers, but I would now say that the beer ends up thinner tasting because of the sugar content which is usually about 50%. I preferred to use 100% of malt extract for a richer flavour.
 
Right ive bottled it all up, it was much darker than it was during testing. Ill know in 3 more weeks what it is like. Stocked up on supplies from a chain store called boyes, very good for home brew stuff and the cheapest place ive seen like for like stuff.
 
Right I had a drink of it last night, I know it's a bit early but I wondered what it was like. It's got a definite zesty, white beer type of taste and smell to it. It's not my favourite as I was aiming for a pilsner lager but I'll know for next time.
 

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