tom_hampton said:
You didn't mention anything about your fermentation. What beers have you made, what yeasts did you use, and whatttemperature did you ferment at? How did you clarify the beer (cold crash)?
Fermenting is everything. Almost nothing else matters. It's all about the yeast. If youare the ttypical new brewer, you care probably making ales with kits, that may have a dry yeast pack. You may sprinkle the dry yeast directly ontothe wort and set the bucket in a coolish corner of the house.
The yeasty flavor comes from either very young beer, or poor fermentation, or both. As general advice:
1. Use good quality yeast. Often the yeast in kits is substandard, or old. I would buy fresh liquid yeast, and throw them dry packets away...unless you know the kit yeast is good. Tell us what you used.
2. Rehydrate the yeast in sterile water, don't sprinkle directly onto the wort. 1/2 of the yeast is killed instantly when youdo tthat. Dead yeast impart undesirable flavors.
3. keep your fermenting beer cool. The beer should be around 68. But, fermenting beer is generally about 2-5 degrees hotter than the air. So, ideally you want it in a room around 64 or so.
4. After fermentation is complete let it settle and clear for at least 1 week at room temperature, or 3 days at refrigerator temps before bottling.
5. If you are using priming sugar... After it is carbonated, put the beer in the fridge for two weeks to allow all of the yeast to fully settle out.
Tell us more about how you are doing things and we can provide more specific advice.
Ok, the Beers made have been 2 batches from Mr. Beer....I don't count those, those just got me interested.
Then I made from a 'kit' a Boston Lager with a dry packet sprinkled on top when cooled to 72 degrees. Fermented for over 2 weeks in the basement (but not on the concrete floor, elevated on a shelf/platform)at 64 to 68 degrees, then bottled with the corn sugar. Left to age for 2 weeks in the same place. Refrigerated at somewhere around 38 degrees for 3 days, then tried it. Was a bit 'fizzy' I think I know why on that, probably not done fermenting or a bit too much sugar.
Next came a Fat Tire Ale clone kit that was a mix of LME, DME, and grains in a bag. This one, I re-hydrated the yeast prior to incorporation into the wort. Same fermentation, bottling, etc.
I have since started recording my OG and FG readings, to ensure completion in the primary, so my Chocolate Milk Stout has had a bit more 'care' taken. However that one just got bottled so I won't know until late January how it turned out. Thing is, this one had a dry yeast packet as well.
I know about ZERO when it comes to picking yeasts, let alone asking for a liquid yeast. Trying to learn more about that, but just SO much to it!
Oh....the "cold crashing"? I have yet to find anything that can define that for me....help?
So, back to being a bit more patient? Once my readings confirm fermentation is complete, I should just let it sit for another week? Yer killin' me!!
And then I have to look at it in the fridge for yet ANOTHER 2 weeks before I can pop the top???? You speak such foulness!!! ;D
Ok, so the next batch might be another stout...... Oatmeal I think. I'm not ready for all grain, equipment nor knowledge.... so I will be doing the LME grain mix.... what yeast
should I be using for this? Beersmith has so many choices, I couldn't begin to know which to pick. My beer supply store has many in stock....but there just seems to be something about them I don't feel comfortable with. They kinda poo poo'd the idea of a secondary for my stouts, even though everywhere else I read seems to think it's a good idea....so I'm kinda like...hmmmm..
Am i just way over my head for now? My issue is that I don't particularly care for lighter beers...they are OK, I just prefer Imperial, sweet and regular stouts and porters...so I kind of feel compelled to get to brewin' what I like...
