Milestone black pearl kit

[Wolverine]

got this brewed up and in a pressure barrel ( no spare cornys )
It was in the fv for 2 weeks and I had an OG of 1.040 and a higher than expected FG of 1.014 that's only 3.4% but not to fussed about strenth really
I primed my barrel with 85 g of granulated sugar and it's been a week I know it's early days but it tastes pathetic. it's not an infection off taste just very disappointing and thin. I made a coopers stout kit a while back and it was a one can kit and tasted great after 1 week in the keg so I assumed a 2 can kit would be better.
Has anyone made this kit before and what were your thoughts ?

Thanks

 

[periolus]

I had the same experience with Wherry, a 2-can kit that can be amazing. Wherry is notorious for needing a VERY long conditioning period to get sorted - up to 3 months is not unusual. It might just be that it needed a lot longer to mature.

Could it be flat? Maybe it didn't carbonate properly. Have you got decent pressure in the barrel?

 

[Green Ninja]

I did the Black Pearl and after a Coopers Stout and as you was very disappointed.

One I won't be doing again

 

[periolus]

I will avoid this too then! I haven't tried the Coopers one yet, but I do like the Irish Velvet stout kit, which, if you use a bit of black treacle and dark spraymalt, comes out a cracker.

 

[Wolverine]

I had the same experience with Wherry, a 2-can kit that can be amazing. Wherry is notorious for needing a VERY long conditioning period to get sorted - up to 3 months is not unusual. It might just be that it needed a lot longer to mature.

Could it be flat? Maybe it didn't carbonate properly. Have you got decent pressure in the barrel?

I think your right mate it still in the barrel I'm not drinking it until it tastes ok and if after a fEw months it's still **** the missus can have it she doesn't appreciate decent beer anyway and "drinks to get pissed " so for her it's a free barrel of booze :drink:
To mE at the moment it's 40 pints of liquid disappointment

 

[dan_loves_beer]

i have just brewed one of these and will be racking to a corny sunday, i used liquid yeast and temp control on it. i wanted to see the difference now as to when i started brewing and fermented in a cupboard, that was my first brew and tasted crap, its all been uphill since. lets hope using all the proper pitching rates and stuff i do now pay off. ill let you know. :

 

[periolus]

i have just brewed one of these and will be racking to a corny sunday, i used liquid yeast and temp control on it. i wanted to see the difference now as to when i started brewing and fermented in a cupboard, that was my first brew and tasted crap, its all been uphill since. lets hope using all the proper pitching rates and stuff i do now pay off. ill let you know. :

Liquid yeast should make a big difference. I did my first Irish Velvet with dried Nottingham, which was great. Second go was with White Labs WLP004 Irish Ale Yeast - bloody superb. Well worth the investment.

 

[dan_loves_beer]

oh yeah, i totally agree. i have been using liquid yeast for about 2 years, im constantly suprised with just how good the beer comes out, this is part of my nostalgic visit back to kits, i wanted to see just how good they can be, and the potential of a brewday cut to a couple of hours for quick beer

 

[Wolverine]

I still can't belive how unready this beer tastes I brewed it on the 11th October OG was 1.040 I rehydrated the yeast as per instructions on the yeast packet and it was going like the clappers in the jar before I added it to the wort.
It was kegged on the 25 October so it had two weeks in the Fv
FG was 1.014 I primed my barrel with 85g of sugar dissolved in a small amount of water and left it
The gravity on the 12th November was 1.012 so I've got 3.7% abv I can live with that
But after two weeks in the barrel surely it would start to taste allright? It tastes rubbish like it's not ready Almost like unfermented wort as if I forgot to add the yeast but tge gravity reading assures me that it's fermented.
I might just have to accept I've made a beer I don't like : (
It's got 4 more weeks to improve before I give up on it
If it doesn't taste ok after 6 weeks in the barrel I guess its not going to

 

[periolus]

Am I right in saying that once you open a barrel, it doesn't condition anywhere near as quickly? If air gets in, doesn't it stop conditioning?

I am not sure about that at all, but I was under the impression that was the case. Please correct me if I am wrong!

 

[Wolverine]

No I don't think that is right I've not let any air in the barrel just pushe a bit of beer out using the pressure created by priming sugar It shouldnt stop it maturing

 

[Fatnose]

This is the first kit I made so don't have much to compare to. Only got it down to about 1018!
After about three weeks in the bottle it was quite fizzy and had quite a good head, which doesn't always last long however.
Fairly pleasant liquorice taste but a little thin... For my taste lacked bitterness, will see how it improves with time.

Got a Wherry in the FV now!

 

[periolus]

Got a Wherry in the FV now!

Wherry is great, but does need a LOOOOOOOOOONG conditioning period. It was 9 weeks before I was happy enough to start it and 12 weeks before it got a proper thumbs up and I was actually pleased. If you can wait that long, it is a cracking brew. It came out very nice with Windsor dried yeast, by the way, although S-04 was also nice.

 

[dan_loves_beer]

kegged mine yesterday and force carbonated it, helped with the body only slight. good head retention and has a liquorice tang to it. maybe it will improve in a couple of weeks

 

[periolus]

kegged mine yesterday and force carbonated it, helped with the body only slight. good head retention and has a liquorice tang to it. maybe it will improve in a couple of weeks

Yeah, it will! All beer gets better if you leave it for a bit in the barrel/bottles!

 

[Wolverine]

Update if anyone's intersted after alot of patience the black pearl is tasting quite nice now
It has taken along time but it got there in the end. I have learnt a lesson here from now on I will be more patient and not slag off my brews prematurely.
:

 

[ricardo]

Its Moleys favourite word the 'P' word.......

 

[Wolverine]

What? Prematurely ha ha ha

 

[Sasquatch]

Hey Wolverine,

How long did the Black Pearl take in the end? Just set mine off and was hoping to have it ready for Xmas! :drink:


Don't knock till you've tried it you never know you might like it! :whistle:

 

[Wolverine]

Bad news I'm afraid you have no chance of drinking it before Christmas mine got going on the 11th of October and is only just there .
Hang in there though it does get there. Let me know what you think when it does