First ever brewday

Klemay83 · Feb 29, 2016

I haven't actually opened the lid on mine. I could see karausen was forming through the plastic FV,even though the plastic is white I could see the krausen and brown crust ring. And I took the the sample I did it through the the tap at the bottom. Trying to be good and not open the lid.

Dutto · Feb 29, 2016

cheapbrew said:
.......... I is a mucky little chimp!

Is that "mucky" or "lucky"? :whistle: :whistle:

Klemay83 · Mar 3, 2016

Just done a test using the hydrometer. A week after going into the FV it's sitting at 1010 (OG 1049). I'm going to dry hop it on Saturday for 3days and if I get the same reading as tonight I'll bottle it. Put it somewhere warm for a couple of weeks then cold condition it for another 3 weeks. Taste wise it's currently a punch in the face of hoppy grapefruit bitterness, which I'm hoping might subdue a bit over the coming weeks. I forgot to take a picture of it when it was in the test jug, but colour wise it's a cloudy pale lemony yellow.

Dutto · Mar 3, 2016

Klemay83 said:
.......... punch in the face of hoppy grapefruit bitterness, which I'm hoping might subdue a bit over the coming weeks. .......

A mild ale I brewed at the start of the year had a grapefruit taste and general opinion was that it could have been caused by pitching the yeast at too high a temperature.

The grapefruit wasn't an unpleasant taste, it was just a surprise; and after a couple of weeks it disappeared ... :thumb:

... along with 80% of the brew!! :whistle: :whistle:

Klemay83 · Mar 3, 2016

It might be something to do with the yeast . I pitched at the right temperature 20-21degrees. But I rehydrated it about 18-19 degrees..instead of 35 degrees. my own fault for not reading the instructions properly. Anyway it seems to have worked out.

clibit · Mar 3, 2016

Klemay83 said:
It might be something to do with the yeast . I pitched at the right temperature 20-21degrees. But I rehydrated it about 18-19 degrees..instead of 35 degrees. my own fault for not reading the instructions properly. Anyway it seems to have worked out.

Not everyone rehydrates, so your low temp will still work. It's too high a temp you want to beware of.

Klemay83 · Mar 18, 2016

So this beer got all bottled up about 2weeks ago..and since I had nothing better to do this evening I decided just crack a bottle open and see How it's going.... And it's turning out lovely! I tastes just the way I wanted! An nice hoppy fruit hit and aroma, with the wheat yeast banana accents there. The grapefruit punch in the face has mellowed out a lot and gives a nice bit of bitterness. I'll do my best to try and wait another 3-4weeks till its fully conditioned before I try another. But a big thanks to Clibit for his help on my first brew!