I've just registered. From the US but living in the UK.
I just attempted my first home brew using a beer kit. Not gone 100% to plan
I bought my beer kit quite a while ago. I've feel in love with real ale, bitters, well British beer in general since living here. At the spur of the moment I went online and bought a beginners kit and beer kit. This included a fermentation vat (not spot), barrel with a pressure release cap, tube for siphoning, beer kit (Brewmaker - Basic bitter), thermometer, hydrometer. In my haste, I did not realize that you had to make sure the fermentation took place at 20C! It was winter and I was planning on brewing in the garden shed. I put things off and everything sat in the shed for ages ( errrr.....over two years).
I think the kit just went past it's sell by date, but the can looked fine (no rust, etc). I used the sterilizing powder to sterilize the vat, dumped the liquid into the barrel, washed the vat and followed the directions. I left the liquid in the barrel for 8 days until i was ready to transfer the goods into the barrel. I emptied barrel, poured some water in and swirled it around and dumped it out. Then followed the rest of the directions.
Long story short (bit to late), there is a chemically taste going on. My neighbor who has brewed before thinks i may just have not washed thoroughly enough or just have a new plastic taste going on.
From what I can gather the beer is doing what it is supposed to. Lots of pressure building and the beer has gas in it and a good head.
The taste is not entirely pleasant, but it is my first brew
and and I don't want to dump it all down the drain. Is it dangerous to drink? Should I chuck it all? Has this happened to anyone else.