New member, i think my first brew is 👎🏻

[Archer3419]

Hi all, thanks for taking time to have a look at a complete newbies issues!

My beer is in a pressure barrel for just shy of two weeks, that is completely leak free, my beer comes out with a good head, and under pressure, its nice and clear, but it tastes rubbish! i would say its a bit vinegar'ish. And the carbonation throughout it is none-existent and the head dissapears after a few mins.

What would you suggest could be the issue, has it been introduced to air for too long? (Only opened the fv to check the sg) or the most likely issue, me? Or am i too impatient?

Thanks all!!

 

[Sozzled]

Sorry to say it mate but a vinegar taste indicates an infection I think.

although I'm sure there's more knowledgeable members on here who can give you some better info.

For me, i'd review my cleaning and sanitizing regime and see if I missed something along the way.

 

[Covrich]

If it tastes of vinegar it does sound like it may have been infected..

if its undrinkable try not to let it ruin your enthusiasm.. my first one wasn't great either but my second one was.

just incase make sure you clean all your equipment and steralise fully before using again on another brew.

 

[Spapro]

It sounds like its carbed up so no leaks, its still quite young so I would pop it somewhere cooler for 2-4 weeks before trying it again. Don't right if off just yet as it will mature as it conditions and time can heal a multitude of issues !

What did you brew? Was it a kit ?

Did you brew in a seperate fermenting bucket before transferring to the keg and priming ?

 

[Archer3419]

Yeah it was just a kit not going to be too adventurous just yet. I sanitised everything that came in to contact with it, or so i thought. I transferred it straight from the fv to the pressure barrell. So would you suggest popping it in the fridge for a while, see if it gets better?

Im not put off by it just yet! Ive just bought my 2nd attemp, woodfordes wherry and S-04 yeast, hopefully that will be less problematic.

 

[Spapro]

Yeah it was just a kit not going to be too adventurous just yet. I sanitised everything that came in to contact with it, or so i thought. I transferred it straight from the fv to the pressure barrell. So would you suggest popping it in the fridge for a while, see if it gets better?

Im not put off by it just yet! Ive just bought my 2nd attemp, woodfordes wherry and S-04 yeast, hopefully that will be less problematic.

Worth putting the barrel somewhere a bit cooler like a garage/cellar, not necessarily a fridge, for another couple of weeks or more.

Wherry is a good kit, good idea swapping the kit yeast for S-04 (the kit yeast has a habit of stalling/sticking before fermenting out fully), wherry does need to be left a while in the bottle to clear and come to its best.

Most kits benefit from 6 or even 8 weeks in the bottle/keg to condition properly.

 

[Sandimas]

Yeah it was just a kit .

What kit was it?

Some kits are better than others, I've got Woodforde's Sundew in a keg at the mo and it tastes a bit off, others have reported the same with that kit.

 

[terrym]

Leave it a few more weeks before you write it off as others have said. If it's a dark kit beer it might not come good for at least six weeks. It may also have yeast in suspension at present which will not help the taste.
You might also find that head retention improves with keeping.
Carbonation levels in beer dispensed from a standard PB is not the same as from a bottle. First you can add more priming sugar to a bottle and second CO2 is forced out of the beer as it flows through the PB tap whereas this doesn't happen with bottled beer. And of course as the beer level in the PB gets lower as you draw off beer the overall carbonation pressure in the PB drops unless you top up with CO2.

 

[henteaser]

I sanitised everything that came in to contact with it, or so i thought. I transferred it straight from the fv to the pressure barrell. So would you suggest popping it in the fridge for a while, see if it gets better?

The tasty vinegar you put on good 'ol fish and chips is essentially made of malt and acid. In brewing, even for sour beers, vinegar flavour (or acedic acid) is an unwanted bacterial byproduct. If it is this, it's unlikely to go away with ageing.

Out of interest: Did you taste the beer before you transferred to the barrel? If so, did you get the vinegar taste then, or would it seem it's appeared since you transferred?

Hopefully, you can narrow down the process where you went wrong and put it down to experience. Like others have said, don't be put off. We've all likely dumped a batch at some point!

 

[Archer3419]

Its a coopers cerveza kit with brewing sugar, seemed simple enough to start with.

I tried it before i transferred it and it seemed ok, no vinegar taste. I tried it the about a week ago and it wasnt there, however i watched the footy the other day and had a pint and noticed it then.

Nothing has been in to contaminate it.

 

[terrym]

In my view, in spite of what others will tell you, you have to be very unlucky to have a brew go bad, especially if you have kept your brewing stuff sanitised, and not kept opening and closing your FV lid and not poked things in the brew. Thats not to say it won't happen it is just very unlikely.
So don't give up on your brew just yet, leave it for a few weeks as I said above.

 

[Sandimas]

Nothing has been in to contaminate it.

Unfortunately it's not as simple as that, even us experienced brewers get infected brews that we can't explain. It could be a multitude of things.

It does seem a bit early for it to be an infection, but if it is, it'll only get worse over the coming weeks. Don't let that put you off though.

 

[Spike101uk]

I've heard the cerveza is a bit like that anyway, hence the need to usually add a wedge of lime to help make it drinkable

 

[Archer3419]

Ok thanks for the advice everyone, i'll leave it where it is for a few days, then put it in the fridge for a couple weeks, then cross my fingers.

Im certainly not giving up, going to start my 2nd one on wednesday.

Cheers!

 

[sausagefingers]

That was my first brew and had the same problem, it was rank. I was going to swill the lot down the plughole but called into the LHBS and he told me to do what everyone has done so far - store it away and forget about it for a few weeks. It will get better but there are better kits out there, don't give up - I'm glad I didn't

 

[LarryF]

Ok thanks for the advice everyone, i'll leave it where it is for a few days, then put it in the fridge for a couple weeks, then cross my fingers.

Im certainly not giving up, going to start my 2nd one on wednesday.

Cheers!

What have you got planned Archer?

 

[Archer3419]

Im going to start a woodfordes wherry, with s-04 yeast as ive heard that the supplied one stalls.

Everything i have read about it is very positive!!

 

[LarryF]

Im going to start a woodfordes wherry, with s-04 yeast as ive heard that the supplied one stalls.

Everything i have read about it is very positive!!

Wherry with SO4, very nice. Any thoughts about a hop tea or a dry hop?

 

[Archer3419]

Wherry with SO4, very nice. Any thoughts about a hop tea or a dry hop?

No i didnt, but what would you suggest?

 

[terrym]

If you want to keep the 'English' character, 50g EKG, or one of my favourites First Gold, will compliment this beer well as a dry hop.
If you like American style beers then try 50g Cascade.
You could also split your brew after its fermented out (use a second FV) and put half quantities of different hops into each half.
A good source of hops is Crossmyloof. (search on this forum).