success!

Reactions to and impressions of commercial and home made beers and beverages. Travelling and experiencing beers from around the world.

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joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

success!

Post by joemez »

thanks Billybock and Fitz for your help.
It seems my problem was either too much light or not cool enough. I wrapped a wet towel around the carboy for now(have plans to make a cooler), that seemed to cover both bases. I kegged it then put it in the fridge. next day I force carbonated it and tasted. yum yum. Although it seemed to have a great smell but not so much on taste. I assume this will get stronger with age.
A question I have is, should I not put in the fridge and/or carbonate so soon after kegging?
Does it age better at certain temps? And how long before it should be at its best?
thanks
BillyBock
Imperial Stout
Imperial Stout
Posts: 561
Joined: Sun Dec 31, 2000 11:37 am
Location: Ohio

Good Job!

Post by BillyBock »

Congrats on your recent success! You will have to mail Fitz and I a keg for sampling :-)

I believe all beers benefit from cold-aging, even ales. It helps flavors blend and mellow. It also assists with dropping yeast and other compounds out of suspension quicker. Additionally, your beer's shelf life will simply increase if kept at 40F instead of 75F.

As far as when it should be ready--it depends on many things, ie. gravity, bitterness, complexity. It could be as little as 2 weeks, it could be as long as a year (for really strong beer). The best way to know is to sample a little each week and make note of its flavor progression. Then next time you make it, you'll know how long to wait for just the "right flavor". Personally, I leave mine in the keg usually a month before tapping it. But it's a hard wait......

You mention your beer didn't have much taste. What were the specs on the beer: starting/finish gravities and IBUs? It could've finished pretty dry, or been overpowered by hops. Time will usually fix alot of problems. BTW, how long ago did you make it? It could very well still be green.

v/r
Bill
joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

specs

Post by joemez »

I dont have any of the specs, i used a true brew IPA kit and dont have the paperwork anymore.
I just put it in the keg yesterday after it sat in the fermentor for a week and a half, so I definately think it needs more time.
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Bill is right

Post by fitz »

Different beers take longer to age. IPAs are a really light beer with added alc and hops usually to mimick the originals when the English had to do this for shipping to their then colony of India. If it was a kit, and you didn't add any additional hops, or you made 6 gallons instead of 5, the flavor profiles won't be there as much. It still beats Buttweiser though right?
Also, it may seem anal, but you really should try to keep good records on the brewing. problems will be easier to solve, and successes will be easier to copy, if you have the info.
As for the kegging, make sure your beer is nice and cold before adding the CO2 cold beer accepts the Co2 better than warm beer.
joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

definately better than buttweiser

Post by joemez »

I had another glass today and shared it with a few neighbors(dont want to waiste too much until all the flavor comes out) and got great response! even from buttweiser drinkers. I will start keeping records, but hopefully if i buy another kit(same one) it will come out the same.
I always loved IPA's with the strong hop taste but often wondered why they were called India Pale Ales. They used lots of hops basically as a preservative then, right?
fitz
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 442
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2002 8:36 am

Right

Post by fitz »

The trip was long, and the weather was hot, so they used extra hops, and extra alc. to preserve it. Beer is sweet and wine-like without the hops. I recently got a gift, of beers from around the world. The French (Fisher's) was by far the foulest tasting of any beer I have ever drank. Very sweet, no hop profile. Glad we could help.
joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

nice

Post by joemez »

I tried another beer last night. Holy cow! Only a week in the keg and already tastes better than any store bought beer!
I'm hooked again
Jimmy Scott
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 8:50 am

Aging

Post by Jimmy Scott »

BillyBock wrote:Congrats on your recent success! You will have to mail Fitz and I a keg for sampling :-)

I believe all beers benefit from cold-aging, even ales. It helps flavors blend and mellow. It also assists with dropping yeast and other compounds out of suspension quicker. Additionally, your beer's shelf life will simply increase if kept at 40F instead of 75F.

As far as when it should be ready--it depends on many things, ie. gravity, bitterness, complexity. It could be as little as 2 weeks, it could be as long as a year (for really strong beer). The best way to know is to sample a little each week and make note of its flavor progression. Then next time you make it, you'll know how long to wait for just the "right flavor". Personally, I leave mine in the keg usually a month before tapping it. But it's a hard wait......

Bill

Here is a unique question...

After cleaning out an old shack I use for storage I found my old brewing supplies and a renewed interest in brewing.

I also discovered 3 cases of a dark beer made from an extract kit. I'm sure that it was made in the fall and that it stayed cool throughout the winter after being bottled, but it is now 13 years old!

I was pretty meticulous in sanitation. I used a clorox soaking solution for the bottles and equipment and soaked everything in sealed containers for 1 week.

I made a pressure cleaner for the carboys and one for the bottles by crimping copper tubing and adding an on\off valve. I used jets of high pressure water to clean each bottle of residual muck and clorox before placing each bottle upside down to drip dry in a large wooden rack I made.

I began bottling immediately after pressure rinsing the insides and outsides of each bottle.

Each bottle so far (3) has a dark creamy foam head and it tastes pretty good for an extract brew. But is it really still good???

The temperature extremes were obviously not quite cold enough to freeze and crack the bottles to 110 degrees F in the summers. That's far from ideal. The batch was simply filed away and forgotten.

I'm sure that I used corn sugar to prime with...

Would you drink this batch??
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Push Eject
Double IPA
Double IPA
Posts: 233
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2001 1:01 pm
Location: Lancaster, CA, US
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Re: Aging

Post by Push Eject »

Jimmy Scott wrote: Each bottle so far (3) has a dark creamy foam head and it tastes pretty good...

Would you drink this batch??
Uh, dude... I think you answered your own question! "tastes good"... Drink up!

If you don't see anything nasty living in the bottles or around the caps, what the hell. Go for it. What an amazing discovery.

I think I'd enter some in competitions! You'll have an edge on everyone!
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