The benefit of hindsight!

[Pug]

I have just stumbled upon this forum after having rekindled my interest in making my own beer. I made two cheapo kits as a bit of a laugh/experiment a couple of years back, but didn’t really have any space in a flat to take it up seriously. My new place has the space and I have negotiated clearence with the girlfriend I’m going for it a bit more. Anyway I have a Coopers Dark Ale in a keg right now but to be honest now I’ve done some research hit will be a marvel if it is at all palatable.

The bad bits:

1. I used granulated sugar instead of brewing sugar or any of the malt substitutes
2. Didn’t dissolve my sugar just lobbed it in.
3. I didn’t aerate the wort.
4. I didn’t rehydrate my yeast – just sprinkeled it on.
5. I didn’t measure the SG or the FG at any point – had no idea how a hydrometer worked. My one has a start><finish markers but didn’t know which was which
6. I have no idea how much it had fermented as I looked at it on day two and there was a bit of froth and a beer smell – but nothing like as much froth as some of the pictures I’ve seen on the web.
7. I went straight from the bin to the barrel no secondary fermentation (still not sure if this is a bad thing?)
8. I kind sucked on the tubing to siphon the brew from the bin to the barrel.
9. I didn’t dissolve my priming sugar (again granulated) for the barrel just lobbed it in.
10. The beer got pretty aerated as I siphoned it into the barrel just waving the tube around.

The good bits:

1. I was very meticulous when it came to cleaning equipment
2. The temperature I brewed at was very stable at around 21C.
3. I kept it in the bin for around 10 days – which I’ve read is good. This was more luck than judgement as I forgot about it over the weekend.
4. When I barrelled it, it looked nice and clear and not very cloudy, it tasted ok and not like vinegar.


I had a cheeky taste yesterday and it tastes ok, there is definitely some beer flavours in there. But it does taste very sweet at the moment. I’m going to leave it in there for another 3 weeks and in the meantime get another barrel and get a wherrey on the go.

Anyway enough ramblings for me, other than to say this forum seems a very nice place to be. So cheers

Pug

[tubby_shaw]

Pug,
First of all welcome.
Secondly don't worry too much.
Your beer will be drinkable, but you will improve your beer making over time.
As you have already realised what you could have done differently, you will improve by leaps and bounds.
Take on board your own advice and ask plenty of questions there are lots of friendly people on here with sound advice

[bitter_dave]

Hi Pug, welcome

You'll love the Wherry kit - it's a beaut

[Andy]

Pug, welcome!

You're doing well as you've managed to identify the areas of your process which could do with a different approach. Your next brew should be a good un if you put the recommendations from DaaB into effect.

[Pug]

Hey all, thanks for the response and advice!

I think my next brew should be very different and I’m looking forward to it immensely. The trouble with this brew is waiting for it to mature. Seeing as I’ve made a few mistakes, I may just go ahead and start drinking it early. Currently I’m getting home from work each evening and telling the girlfriend that I’m really desperate to pull one off and I’m not sure I can wait 4 weeks!

Enough of that two few questions if I may:

I try to be fairly healthy with my diet and cook with as many fresh and natural ingredients as possible. (I was actually making some homemade jam, when the boiling of fruit and sugar got me back to thinking of beer making) Do kits have more, less or about the same in terms of flavourings, preservatives etc. as shop bought real ale? Obviously mashing is the way to go, but this is not an option for me. It would be nice to substantiate the making of beer kits not just due to cost and fun factor but also drinking less rubbish.

Obscure question:; my keg is very old – I got it from my in-laws. It is black, but nearly all the kegs I see are white does this make the blindest bit of difference?

Cheers
Pug

[bitter_dave]

Currently I’m getting home from work each evening and telling the girlfriend that I’m really desperate to pull one off

Sorry Pug, couldn't resist that one

[Hoppkins]

I'm fairly sure the good kits (3kg 2 can ones) wont be chock full of preservatives/flavourings or any of the such since it would screw with the beer.

The cheapo kits i dare say might have more of the above.

One of the more experienced people will know for sure

[bitter_dave]

I wouldn't have thought shop bought Real Ale (i.e. fermented in the bottle) would have much in the way of flavourings or preservatives, and I can't see why decent kits would either - although I stand to be corrected. Yeast don't get on well with preservatives, hence my logic.

Of course, that doesn't mean that the ingredients will be organic, but you can buy organic all grain ingredients (although this doesn't sound like it would aply to you).

[Scooby]

Currently I’m getting home from work each evening and telling the girlfriend that I’m really desperate to pull one off

Sorry Pug, couldn't resist that one

A dim and distant memory

[mysterio]

Don't worry about it pug I did all of those things on my first brew, still turned out great.

[tubby_shaw]

I believe The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 require all ingredients to be labled on anything for human consumption.
So check the ingredients on the packaging and you will find out what's in there