First brew a few teething problems.
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Brew looks good, just not much though ._. unless I'm watching into a 10 gallon bucket 
And next time: prep the bottles right. No use wasting time and energy on extra extra rinsing. Get one of those push-fountain thingies, I guess they cost £10 but are worth it, wish I bought them 10 brews ago.
And next time: prep the bottles right. No use wasting time and energy on extra extra rinsing. Get one of those push-fountain thingies, I guess they cost £10 but are worth it, wish I bought them 10 brews ago.
Brew looks good, just not much though ._. unless I'm watching into a 10 gallon bucket
And next time: prep the bottles right. No use wasting time and energy on extra extra rinsing. Get one of those push-fountain thingies, I guess they cost £10 but are worth it, wish I bought them 10 brews ago.
Thanks for the advice, I'll google this. As I worried about the sediment, I have ended up with 30, 500ml bottles which are now nicely tucked away. I've covered with a towel in case they pop? If taht advisable or will it make them too warm? The room they are in fluctuates between 65 and 75 at the minute?
I'll send a picture of the current ale shortly, it tastes OK to me :)
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https://www.braumarkt.com/flessenspoelapparaat-avvinatore-tafelmodel.html is the device I meant. It just works.
15 L is a nice amount, nearly 2 crates! Oh you're gonna be so pleased with yourselves :)
The towel is a good idea, if you use proper bottles they're not gonna explode unless something REALLY went wrong, but for the first 2 weeks it's not a bad idea. Better safe than sorry.
Don't forget to fridge the bottles for 2 or 3 days before consumption (two weeks after bottling, but after 10 days it's consumable too, and most homebrewers have a first taste after 1 week YES I KNOW YOU DO) and have a glass ready that takes the whole bottle, you can't fill a glass and put the bottle to upright again because it might stir the yeast sediment. Which is not poisonous or the like, just a bit troubling the bowels. It has vitamins though.
15 L is a nice amount, nearly 2 crates! Oh you're gonna be so pleased with yourselves :)
The towel is a good idea, if you use proper bottles they're not gonna explode unless something REALLY went wrong, but for the first 2 weeks it's not a bad idea. Better safe than sorry.
Don't forget to fridge the bottles for 2 or 3 days before consumption (two weeks after bottling, but after 10 days it's consumable too, and most homebrewers have a first taste after 1 week YES I KNOW YOU DO) and have a glass ready that takes the whole bottle, you can't fill a glass and put the bottle to upright again because it might stir the yeast sediment. Which is not poisonous or the like, just a bit troubling the bowels. It has vitamins though.
Cheers GerritT, appreciate the link.
When I pour the first glass should I leave a little in the bottle that contains the sediment?
Is there a way to eradicate this issue with experience?
Attached are the images of the ale itself, the FG reading and also another Duvel I'm relaxing with....figured I'd earnt it.
The wife even put the caps on for me as I was filling
When I pour the first glass should I leave a little in the bottle that contains the sediment?
Is there a way to eradicate this issue with experience?
Attached are the images of the ale itself, the FG reading and also another Duvel I'm relaxing with....figured I'd earnt it.
The wife even put the caps on for me as I was filling
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Experience works, I pour and wait until the Yeast Tentacles of Death start exiting, then stop. It leaves about a cm in the bottle, and that's for the sewer.
Haha, I'll keep an eye out for the tentacles
I'll report back in two weeks on the progress.....hopefully all the bottles intact.
Get one drunk now - it's actually good to taste one every few days to see how it changes over time
Oh and I have never cold crashed or fridged my beer. Doesn't need it
Beer should be just under room temperature
Oh and I have never cold crashed or fridged my beer. Doesn't need it
Beer should be just under room temperature
Oneflewover
Landlord.
Get one down ya! I nearly always have a 'tester' within a week of bottling
So, just tried it and carbonation has started and will hopefully improve a little in the next few days. The head was very flat as you'll see against the Doom bar I served alongside it.
I did take a little video but too big to post so only have the image.
In terms of taste, still a little sweet and so I'll see how it improves. Have a family get together on Boxing Day so may try the next one there and see what the family thinks and also see if it clears a little more.
I'll post some updated photos when I do sample the next.
I did take a little video but too big to post so only have the image.
In terms of taste, still a little sweet and so I'll see how it improves. Have a family get together on Boxing Day so may try the next one there and see what the family thinks and also see if it clears a little more.
I'll post some updated photos when I do sample the next.
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This is Block Party Amber Ale right? This was my first ever brew a few months back. In terms of carbonation mine was similar and taste was similar too, just too sweet - no off flavours and certainly drinkable but too sweet. (In hindsight I think another week in the FV might have helped in my case.)
Mind you, i did make a good beef & ale pie with some of mine
The way i looked at it was, it was a success, i learned something and made drinkable beer, just not quite to my taste - so i had to figure out what I'd change next time. (I've since moved to all grain and haven't looked back.)
Best of luck, keep us posted
This is Block Party Amber Ale right? This was my first ever brew a few months back. In terms of carbonation mine was similar and taste was similar too, just too sweet - no off flavours and certainly drinkable but too sweet. (In hindsight I think another week in the FV might have helped in my case.)
Mind you, i did make a good beef & ale pie with some of mine
The way i looked at it was, it was a success, i learned something and made drinkable beer, just not quite to my taste - so i had to figure out what I'd change next time. (I've since moved to all grain and haven't looked back.)
Best of luck, keep us posted
That's right, it's Block Party Amber Ale.
Not tried anymore yet as yesterday I tucked in to the Belgian beer selection the wife bought me for Xmas, one of them, Orval in particular was very nice.
Will sample more tonight I'm sure of the Block Party!
How did your beef & ale pie turn out?
Went down very well with me, the missus and the kids
Though generally I use Badger Poachers Choice for B&A pie 
Hi All,
Little update and attached are some pictures from the 27th December and then the 1st and 2nd January respectively.
Beer is carbonated quite well although not really tasting the alcohol. I know it's typically meant to be ~4% so quite low but I don't know, just doesn't seem right. I'd also add it's not typically a style I would drink, just happened to come with the equipment I bought, I'm usually found with a Duvel / Leffe or Erdinger. If lager then usually Grolsch or Amstel something like that so my first real foray in to amber ale. I did drink some Doom whilst this was fermenting which was OK but I suppose again, American Amber Ale is a different style again.
I had some last night (sorry, no pic) and it did seem flatter and not great taste but I was having a curry and had already had some wine and so sure that was a hindrance too. Ill try more tomorrow and update and make sure its the first beer.
I think I'm going to do a golden ale next or a pale ale. Been drinking a little Camden Hells and Camden Pale Ale as they were on draught when I was away with work earlier this week and picked a few 4 packs of the latter up yesterday.
Anyway sorry for the long post.
Could the poor boil effort (noted in earlier post) have caused lack of alcohol taste?
Little update and attached are some pictures from the 27th December and then the 1st and 2nd January respectively.
Beer is carbonated quite well although not really tasting the alcohol. I know it's typically meant to be ~4% so quite low but I don't know, just doesn't seem right. I'd also add it's not typically a style I would drink, just happened to come with the equipment I bought, I'm usually found with a Duvel / Leffe or Erdinger. If lager then usually Grolsch or Amstel something like that so my first real foray in to amber ale. I did drink some Doom whilst this was fermenting which was OK but I suppose again, American Amber Ale is a different style again.
I had some last night (sorry, no pic) and it did seem flatter and not great taste but I was having a curry and had already had some wine and so sure that was a hindrance too. Ill try more tomorrow and update and make sure its the first beer.
I think I'm going to do a golden ale next or a pale ale. Been drinking a little Camden Hells and Camden Pale Ale as they were on draught when I was away with work earlier this week and picked a few 4 packs of the latter up yesterday.
Anyway sorry for the long post.
Could the poor boil effort (noted in earlier post) have caused lack of alcohol taste?
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If its important for you to know the OG, feed in the original brew ingredients into below and it will calculate it for you. Use Extract in Brew Method if its a malt extract kit . I use it regularly as do others on here. If theres no mash efficiency to be considered measured and calculated OG usually match very well. If you have a play with it it slowly becomes obvious how it works.
https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator
I think you've hit the nail on the head right there - this was basically my conclusion too.
From the pics it looks like it's carbonated nicely but i suspect it's fundamentally not a great recipe. I do wonder if better yeast would make a difference, but I've no inclination to investigate this!
My suggestion is to learn from it and move on - you've got the gear now so brew the beer you want to drink. Personally i moved straight on to simple all grain (this guide is great) and haven't looked back - best of luck!
Thanks terrym - I'll bookmark the link. On the instruction sheet I noted the OG as 1.042 and the FG was 1.020 which gives me a 2.88% beer which could be why I don't particularity like it! Like my beer a lot stronger but as it came with the equipment, no point in wasting it eh :)
I think you've hit the nail on the head right there - this was basically my conclusion too.
From the pics it looks like it's carbonated nicely but i suspect it's fundamentally not a great recipe. I do wonder if better yeast would make a difference, but I've no inclination to investigate this!
My suggestion is to learn from it and move on - you've got the gear now so brew the beer you want to drink. Personally i moved straight on to simple all grain (this guide is great) and haven't looked back - best of luck!
Absolutely! I intend on doing a golden ale next, after the lager I am doing for a poker evening and so I'm more inclined to drink these beers too. After some more advice on the lager and so I'll post an update there. Thanks for the link to the all grain guide too.
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