Comments for The Homebrew Experiment http://thehomebrewexperiment.com A Chronology of Homebrew Experimentation Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:37:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 Comment on My First Brew - Drinking by Jeff http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-22 Jeff Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:50:51 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-22 What a great suggestion! I didn't know you could buy tablets that would decrease chlorine, I'll have to pick some up. However, I don't think this is what caused it because on this brew I used 5 gallons of Deerpark. What a great suggestion! I didn’t know you could buy tablets that would decrease chlorine, I’ll have to pick some up.

However, I don’t think this is what caused it because on this brew I used 5 gallons of Deerpark.

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Drinking by Mark http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-21 Mark Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:04:54 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-21 Chlorine or Chloramines in drinking water gives beer a medicinal flavour, it can be removed by using a point of use water filter, filter jug or by preparing the brewing water by adding 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to 25L of water Chlorine or Chloramines in drinking water gives beer a medicinal flavour, it can be removed by using a point of use water filter, filter jug or by preparing the brewing water by adding 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to 25L of water

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Stage 2 by Drew http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/24/stage-2/#comment-9 Drew Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:13:21 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/24/stage-2/#comment-9 I keep a towel around mine too, to reduce exposure to light. I tend to brew in the fall, winter and spring when I can ensure a consistent temp around 65-70 degrees, so heat isn't really an issue for me. Just keep the fermenter away from the window where direct sunlight could raise the temp. I see you did a secondary fermentation for this batch. I should have read the whole post first before commenting on your last entry. Oh well. Hehe. You said bung. I keep a towel around mine too, to reduce exposure to light. I tend to brew in the fall, winter and spring when I can ensure a consistent temp around 65-70 degrees, so heat isn’t really an issue for me. Just keep the fermenter away from the window where direct sunlight could raise the temp.

I see you did a secondary fermentation for this batch. I should have read the whole post first before commenting on your last entry. Oh well.

Hehe. You said bung.

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Drinking by Drew http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-8 Drew Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:05:37 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/07/05/my-first-brew-drinking/#comment-8 Over the years I've found that aging makes a huge difference in the final taste of the brew. I used to ferment for a week, leave them in the bottle for a week and then drink. The beers were okay, but sometimes a metalic off-flavor, or mediciny flavor like you mentioned. If contamination was not an issue then these off-flavors can be attributed to fusel alcohols. You may have noticed a slight headache and or light-headedness after consuming a few. Racking to a secondary fermenter and letting the beer age in that for an additional week has proven to eliminate that problem with my beers. Also, it settles out a lot more and contributes to a very fine sediment in the bottle. I used to get a pretty thick (3/16 - 1/8") yeast sediment in my homebrews. Now it's just a fine layer like you might see in a Sierra Nevada or Magic Hat. Also, the secondary fermention is a great place to add additional flavors like fruits or some oak chips to get a slightly barrel-aged flavor. After two weeks fermenting with the airlock, bottle and wait another two weeks. Quick homebrews are great, but really great tasting beers take a little longer. Over the years I’ve found that aging makes a huge difference in the final taste of the brew. I used to ferment for a week, leave them in the bottle for a week and then drink. The beers were okay, but sometimes a metalic off-flavor, or mediciny flavor like you mentioned.

If contamination was not an issue then these off-flavors can be attributed to fusel alcohols. You may have noticed a slight headache and or light-headedness after consuming a few.

Racking to a secondary fermenter and letting the beer age in that for an additional week has proven to eliminate that problem with my beers. Also, it settles out a lot more and contributes to a very fine sediment in the bottle. I used to get a pretty thick (3/16 - 1/8″) yeast sediment in my homebrews. Now it’s just a fine layer like you might see in a Sierra Nevada or Magic Hat.

Also, the secondary fermention is a great place to add additional flavors like fruits or some oak chips to get a slightly barrel-aged flavor. After two weeks fermenting with the airlock, bottle and wait another two weeks.

Quick homebrews are great, but really great tasting beers take a little longer.

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Stage 2 by Jason Leveille http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/24/stage-2/#comment-7 Jason Leveille Fri, 25 May 2007 13:38:02 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/24/stage-2/#comment-7 I think I'll have some bottles for you after this weekend. Lisa and I have company coming for the holiday and today I'm going on a beer run. I'll be sure to only get non screw top bottles. Bung in the bunghole ... I guess you won't be brewing any sophisticated beers. I think I’ll have some bottles for you after this weekend. Lisa and I have company coming for the holiday and today I’m going on a beer run. I’ll be sure to only get non screw top bottles.

Bung in the bunghole … I guess you won’t be brewing any sophisticated beers.

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Stage 1 by Jeff http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/21/stage-1/#comment-6 Jeff Fri, 25 May 2007 02:22:25 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/21/stage-1/#comment-6 Thanks for the advice Drew. I'm going to see if my local Homebrew Supply store carries Mr. Beer One-Step. It's nice to hear some advice from someone who's done this several times before. Thanks for the advice Drew. I’m going to see if my local Homebrew Supply store carries Mr. Beer One-Step.

It’s nice to hear some advice from someone who’s done this several times before.

]]> Comment on My First Brew - Stage 1 by Brewologist http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/21/stage-1/#comment-5 Brewologist Fri, 25 May 2007 02:03:35 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/21/stage-1/#comment-5 I'd be curious to know how it turns out. I hope it's a success! For sanitizing give Mr. Beer One-Step a try. I use that exclusively now. Easy to use, rinses away with no residual oders, and it gets my brewpot, carboy and other equipment sparkling clean and sanitized. Good stuff. I tend to wash all of my equipment by hand after brewing. Also, taking the lid off the fermenter very periodically won't hurt, but it's always best to leave it on and avoid the temptation of taking a peek. One S.G. reading after racking to the primary fermenter, and one reading before bottling are all that are required for an accurate ABV calculation. Good luck with your brewing! I’d be curious to know how it turns out. I hope it’s a success!

For sanitizing give Mr. Beer One-Step a try. I use that exclusively now. Easy to use, rinses away with no residual oders, and it gets my brewpot, carboy and other equipment sparkling clean and sanitized. Good stuff.

I tend to wash all of my equipment by hand after brewing. Also, taking the lid off the fermenter very periodically won’t hurt, but it’s always best to leave it on and avoid the temptation of taking a peek.

One S.G. reading after racking to the primary fermenter, and one reading before bottling are all that are required for an accurate ABV calculation.

Good luck with your brewing!

]]> Comment on My First Beer by The Homebrew Experiment - Stage 1 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/20/my-first-beer/#comment-4 The Homebrew Experiment - Stage 1 Mon, 21 May 2007 19:24:24 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/20/my-first-beer/#comment-4 [...] Saturday, May 19th, 2007 I brewed my first beer. And let me correct myself, when I say brew I mean the first stage, not the entire [...] […] Saturday, May 19th, 2007 I brewed my first beer. And let me correct myself, when I say brew I mean the first stage, not the entire […]

]]> Comment on The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Jeff http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/19/the-complete-joy-of-homebrewing/#comment-3 Jeff Mon, 21 May 2007 13:41:57 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/19/the-complete-joy-of-homebrewing/#comment-3 You were already on the 'guinea pig' list. No hazard pay, consume at your own risk. Can't wait until it's done either! You were already on the ‘guinea pig’ list. No hazard pay, consume at your own risk. Can’t wait until it’s done either!

]]> Comment on The Complete Joy of Homebrewing by Jason Leveille http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/19/the-complete-joy-of-homebrewing/#comment-2 Jason Leveille Mon, 21 May 2007 13:34:31 +0000 http://thehomebrewexperiment.com/2007/05/19/the-complete-joy-of-homebrewing/#comment-2 I am volunteering myself to be one of the first taste-testers of your first batch. Will there be hazard pay? I am volunteering myself to be one of the first taste-testers of your first batch. Will there be hazard pay?

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