Homebrewer Newbie. Advice please

Hi all.

I'm a newbie to homebrewing and have just done my first batch of Nut Brown Ale (ABV 4.1). At the moment it has been bottle conditioning for about 3 days after 10 days primary fermentation. Being new to it, I want to make sure I've done everything as I should have done. I paid attention to the labels and guides on the equipment I bought but wanted some opinions from seasoned pro's .

After the initial sterilisation, water boiling and adding the malt, the guide I was using said to add the yeast at under 26 degrees C. It was around 26 when I added it. I left this in my kitchen which fluctuated between roughly 22-26 degrees C for about 10 days. The guide said between 20-25 degrees and taste it after 10 days and if it wasn't' overly sweet then to bottle it up. When I tasted it, it wasn't sweet but tasted very alcoholic. I have read this can be because of the initial brewing stage was too high a temperature. I have bottled it anyway and it said to put it in a place between 25-30 degrees for about a week then in a cool dark place until clarified. At the moment its in my front room under the dining table in boxes so not in sunlight. The temp fluctuates from about 25-30 degrees. I was then going to move it to somewhere a little less warm for a week or two and test if for carbonation, flavour and clarity.

The main reason for my post is I was worried at the temperature and the initial tasting stage. I have read quite a few articles and the majority of people say throwing it away is a last resort and to try it at various stages after the bottle conditioning. I just wanted to get some answers specific to my exact circumstances.

Any pointers or advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Patrick

Seeing as you are brewing an ale you should be ok, leaving it for a while to bottle condition will let the yeast wipe up all the long change hydrocarbons that the yeast has thrown off.
Temperature is only really important for the first few days of fermentation, that's when you have the biggest possibility of getting these strange esters.

Sorry albabru.
This beer will never improve no matter how long you leave it. It may mellow slightly but not to the point where it will be drinkable I'm afraid.

I wasn't really expecting 2 totally different answers. Thanks for taking the time to reply guys.

This beer will never improve no matter how long you leave it. It may mellow slightly but not to the point where it will be drinkable I'm afraid.

Is the temperature the issue here anthonyUK?

Hi Pat,

The temps on the instructions seem a little high to me. I usually go for about 20 degrees when bottle conditioning and this is just for the first few days. After the couple of days, normally try to drop the temp a little and keep it below 20.

Too high a temp and you will get some odd flavours I believe.

I think the only ay to tell would be to wait it out and then try one.

I had an off batch (Or so I thought) and I sampled it at weekly stages. After 1 week it tasted pretty pants. After 2 weeks it was improving and had some definite flavour. This continued for the next couple of weeks until I found my initial fear of a bad brew was unfounded and all it need was time.

Give it a go.

The worst that could happen would be you wait that long and it's still a drain job. However, if you throw it now, it could be a beer that improves and you've just ditched it.

Thanks Llama. I think I'll definitely keep it and just keep trying it at various weekly stages.

One other question. Is it necessary to 'fridge it' for a certain length of time or just to chill it for the day of consumption?

Your beer will probably be fine,ive brewed about 50.kits and only had to throw 1 away,time is the answer to most things.
The kits and yeast are very forgiving.I ferment for around 10 days or till stable readings,leave the bottles in my shed for a.couple of weeks and chill on day of supping.
Relax and enjoy
cheers

Hi Pat,

As pms said, just chill it on the day before you drink it.

Mine are all kept under the stairs until needed, then just pop it in the fridge for a bit - I prefer my stouts and porters a bit cooler than normal :wink:

What I normally do when I have some strange esters is to store it (through what I meant before), oak it and strongly dry hop it. Nothing pains me more than dumping a batch.

I had my first sample bottle at the weekend. It had been conditioning for about a week. The flavours have vastly improved but it leaves a bit of a bitter aftertaste but I'm hoping with another week or two this will settle and the flavour will improve.
The bottles are very carbonated though. I referred to some online advice which said if you have crown tops (which the majority of mine are) then use a bottle opener to release some pressure a few times and reseal with the capper. I have done this so will give it another week before trying again. All I've gotta do now is get my personally designed beer labels printed and we're good to go :)

Ok its been a while since I've finished my very first homebrew. Honestly, I actually forgot to post my findings and experiences. Hopefully these will help any other first time brewers. Thanks to all those who took time to answer some newbie questions on this thread.

The beer was very nice. Next time though I won't be brewing in the height of summer. The high temperatures added to the over-carbonation but this was easily rectified by releasing the pressure by using a bottle opener very gently. Easier on the crown caps I must say….not so on the swing top bottles.
The flavour was pretty forgiving though despite the high temperatures and it only got better over time. I think I enjoyed the last few about a month after starting the brew and they were the best of the bunch.

I also won't be putting the brew in the fridge for too long before drinking as the cold temperatures completely killed the carbonation. Some were completely flat. I think a couple of days at the most is sufficient. I left some of them refrigerated for over a week and this was a mistake.

My next mission is to try Youngs American Pale Ale. I'd like to try experimenting with hops as I love the citrus flavours of APA's but maybe I'll brew one first as is.