Have I messed up?

[Mark MINGHELLA]

I'm a first time and decided to use the Young's American IPA kit. I followed the instructions and it all seemed to go ok. However, I didn't take an initial SG reading. After a lot of steady bubbling, I took the SG after a week and the hydrometer dropped right down to the red mark. I added hops and thought I'd leave it until today (10th day). It's got a lovely hoppy smell but the hydrometer did the same. I tasted a small amount and there is no sweetness. Bitterness and hops, but not sweet.

So, as per the title, have I messed up?

 

[Horners]

I'm a first time and decided to use the Young's American IPA kit. I followed the instructions and it all seemed to go ok. However, I didn't take an initial SG reading. After a lot of steady bubbling, I took the SG after a week and the hydrometer dropped right down to the red mark. I added hops and thought I'd leave it until today (10th day). It's got a lovely hoppy smell but the hydrometer did the same. I tasted a small amount and there is no sweetness. Bitterness and hops, but not sweet.

So, as per the title, have I messed up?

What is the reading on that hydrometer? When I did this kit took quite a long time to finish and ended up with quite a low FG

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

From what I can see, it seems to be 1.010

 

[An Ankoù]

Sounds as if everything is as it should be. It tastes ok, I presume. If so, rack it into secondary or bottle it up as it is.

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

Sounds as if everything is as it should be. It tastes ok, I presume. If so, rack it into secondary or bottle it up as it is.

Quite bitter but such a nice hoppy taste. I do have 2 extra hp teabags but might leave them for now

 

[An Ankoù]

If your beer's in a cool place bring it into the warm for a couple of days, then put it in the cold again. If it's in a warm place, put it in the cold for a couple of days. Then bottle it up. Get a 50 cl PET bottle or two, so you can "feel" how it's conditioning. The bottles will become harder when there's some internal pressure. Expect to wait 4-6 weeks for conditioning. Taste the PETs first. If the beer's not ready, you can squeeze the air out and reseal the bottle.

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

If your beer's in a cool place bring it into the warm for a couple of days, then put it in the cold again. If it's in a warm place, put it in the cold for a couple of days. Then bottle it up. Get a 50 cl PET bottle or two, so you can "feel" how it's conditioning. The bottles will become harder when there's some internal pressure. Expect to wait 4-6 weeks for conditioning. Taste the PETs first. If the beer's not ready, you can squeeze the air out and reseal the bottle.

Thanks. It's in the kitchen on the worktop in a quiet corner. My concern was the change in temperature between us being in and the heating on vs us being at work. That said, the external thermometer shows between 18 and 20

 

[terrym]

You may still have some way to go with this beer. It's not likely to be finished at 1.010, some can get down to 1.006 and overall it can take three weeks to finish. You are not there yet. What you must not do is to bottle too early since you may end up with the fermentation continuing in the bottles and that may result in gushers or bottle bombs. At least wait until the SG has stabilised before you bottle it. And if the hops have been in for much longer than a week you should consider racking off to secondary to allow it to finish before bottling. And as the SG drops the sweetness slowly disappears.
PS Theres a big thread on this kit here which is worth alook through
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/youngs-american-ipa.45221/
And in my view when carbed up and clear this beer is ready to drink.

 

[Horners]

Yes agree with @terrym looling at notes mine got down to 1.006 and the last 6 points were v slow - 3 weeks in all. There is a 50 page thread on this kit and it seems to be quite common.

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

Yes agree with @terrym looling at notes mine got down to 1.006 and the last 6 points were v slow - 3 weeks in all. There is a 50 page thread on this kit and it seems to be quite common.

I had a good read around that thread; lots of useful stuff.

 

[Clint]

What the last two said....

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

Just checked today and it's reading 1.007 so I'm happy with that. Just added some more hops I bought separately as I like nice big hoppy beers. I'm hoping to bottle on Wed/Thu.

 

[GhostShip]

You added more hops to the Young’s AIPA kit? Blimey, you do like a hoppy beer!

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

You added more hops to the Young’s AIPA kit? Blimey, you do like a hoppy beer!

Oh yes! I lived in the US for a few years and got used to the massively hopped IPAs there. I've struggled to get what I like since returning; the closest so far have been some of the Brewdog beers and Vocation too. Based on my taste/smell of the Youngs, I felt a little more hoppy kick was called for.

 

[terrym]

You added more hops to the Young’s AIPA kit? Blimey, you do like a hoppy beer!

I thought it, you said it.

 

[Kenboy]

I love the Young's kits. Very easy and I've always bottled after two weeks in the fv. I batch prime then bottle and leave inside for 2 weeks. I make sure I keep a constant 20-21 degrees and it's tyicallty done after the first week.

Ive just put 44 bottles of this into the shed to condition and clear. I added 200g of cacao nibs and 40g of cocao powder to make it a chocolate IPA. Yeah! I can't wait to taste

 

[Graz]

Echoing all the above the FG on this kit goes surprisingly low and as a result is quite bitter. With the dry hop additions though and a bit of time conditioning it makes for a superb pint in the end. Ready to start drinking about 6 weeks after bottling / kegging.

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

I'm aiming to bottle the beer tonight. I might substitute the 2 priming drops with 1 drop and the equivalent amount of grapefruit juice in a dozen just to see how it goes. I have my bottle drainer, bottle washer and other bits all sorted. Has anyone got any tips?

My plan is to siphon out of the bucket into my barrel as that has a nice bottle filling tap and I can use muslin to strain it a bit too. Then, fill the 12 grapefruit IPAs before adding the priming sugar that came with the kit to what is left in the barrel and fill the bottles from there.

 

[Kenboy]

[QUOTE=". .. Then, fill the 12 grapefruit IPAs before adding the priming sugar that came with the kit to what is left in the barrel and fill the bottles from there.[/QUOTE]

I'd just add the sugar to you bottle then rack to the bucket and bottle the lot. Will be easier to mix and reduces change or adding more air to the beer.

I'm not sure 1 drop of grapefruit juice will do much to change the taste. Try it with one bottle and see what you think of the taste.

Happy brewing.

 

[Mark MINGHELLA]

I'm not sure 1 drop of grapefruit juice will do much to change the taste. Try it with one bottle and see what you think of the taste.

Happy brewing.

I just re-read the sentence and it could be misleading; I meant that I would only use one of the priming drops instead of 2 and then substitute an amount of grapefruit juice that had an equal volume of sugar to the drop. I think it was around 20ml so it'll be interesting to taste it.