Beer here! Anybody into homebrewing?

[Fezz]

I'm finding that out. Patience is a virtue.

Homebrews are subject to yeast sediment on the bottom of the bottles. Do you recommend racking the beer to a secondary for say, another week before bottling?

I'm not even much of a beer drinker...but somebody gave me this dumb kit and now it's become almost an obsession. I have two brews in kegs. An Oktoberfest (4.6% abv) and a West Coast Pale Ale that should finish up at about 8%abv.

I always rack to secondary. I have found that my beers drop clearer and mellow a bit. The argument can be made either way. Some say you run the risk of infection the more that you handle it and the reward (if any) is not worth it. I am in favor of racking to get the brew off of the dead yeast to avoid off flavors. You will end up with sediment in the bottle either way. The west coast pale ale will require a few weeks to drop and mellow. Be very careful about bottling too early. You can get bottle bombs if you do. Did the kit come with a hydrometer?

[Fezz]

Addition secondary thoughts:

I also like secondary racking because you can dry hop and get some great aroma profiles going!

[Fezz]

All of this beer talk..............................................I think it is almost beerthirty!

;):cheers::cheers::cheers::D

[obxeyeguy]

You can get bottle bombs if you do.

A few years ago, my brother sent me theis beer of the month thing. Each month a new 12 pack of all specialty beers. The ones that didn't look good , I left in my garage on the counter.:hammer: My garage gets to about 95 in the summer, came home to find glass all over. One blew, took out about 5 more, and I still find glass....

[fjpod]

No hydrometer in the Mr. Beer kits. They are very basic...brewing for dummies.

What about adding clarifying agents to the secondary to reduce sediment in the bottles?

[Fezz]

What about adding clarifying agents to the secondary to reduce sediment in the bottles?

I am not a fan of adding those agents to the secondary. I only use Irish Moss(red seaweed) during the boil. I caution that a new brewer must remove his or her picture of what a beer *should* look like. The beer that is offered to us by breweries is generally very filtered, crystal clear(not clear, but you get it), and has no sediment.

Most homebrews will be very clear. Some will have a slight haziness. All KOOL! Some will be very hazy=UNKOOL!!

There are some reasons why a brew will be hazy.
1.) Chemical Haze-caused by a deficiency of calcium in the boil, copper, or iron.
2.) Biological Haze-BACTERIAL. This is caused by poor sanitation, or maybe a wild yeast strain.
3.) Chill Haze-this is the most common. This is a protein problem. Protein control is very important during brewing.

Some common clarifyers used in brewing:

1.) Isinglass
2.) Irish Moss
3.) Gelatin
4.) Bentonite
5.) Papain
6.) Silica Gel
7.) PVPP
8.) Sparklolloid

[Fezz]

A main reason for racking to a secondary fermenter=CLARITY!

[Fezz]

No hydrometer in the Mr. Beer kits. They are very basic...brewing for dummies.

I figured as much. I am always a bit leery about brewing high alc. beers without knowing how much of the sugars are still present. I will assume that the Mr. Beer Brewguide gives a timeline to beer perfection.

Ex:

Mix ingredients, wait three weeks, bottle.

The reality is much different. If your yeast supply is weak you may be in trouble. If your temps are not correct for the yeast strain, you are in trouble. If you use too much sugar at bottling, you are in trouble. The hydrometer gives you a measureable guide as to how much sugar is present at the end of the boil, at the end of fermentation, and at bottling. I have seen beers that have laid dormant, showing no signs of fermentation, and creating a thick yeast bed, get violently active after bottling because many books suggest that you bottle and allow the bottles to sit at a higher temperature than what you fermented at. Sometimes, the higher temps awaken the yeast......and look out! If you did not have a complete fermentation, you are going to really be hating life {BOTTLE BOMBS}.

Ahhh..........................sorry for rambling! I love beer.

:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:

[fjpod]

I'll keep away from the clarifiers for now. I'll just be careful not to cut fermentation short and will rack to a secondary.

[fjpod]

Well, I've tasted my first brew. It a Canadian Draft. Fermented about 2 weeks, carbonated 2 weeks, and chilled for about a week. It actually tasted like beer, but perhaps a little watery. It was clear as long as you didn't shake up the bottle too much. I know that more conditioning time will help. I'm now brewing the same thing with double the hopped malt extract for more body and taste (and alcohol). I'm also brewing an Oktoberfest Creamy Ale. I guess I could pick worse hobbies...

[Fezz]

I guess I could pick worse hobbies...

;):cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::D

[KStraker]

I've pounded my share of Grolsch at my local pizzeria. They give me the bottles for nothing. My local brewery sells them for .50 each. I use the cornelius keg system, which I like very well. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy to make your own recipes. I usually just wing it based on the style of beer.

[optical24/7]

I got one of those Mr. Pee, I mean Mr. Beer kits also a few years ago....I followed the directions....About 6 hours after pouring the goo in the fake barrel i saw some movement inside. I took a flashlight and shone it into the concoction. It was swirling and spinning inside, looked like a rat or something was swimming inside!

Well, it finally settled down. I bottled it and a few weeks later I had the finest tasting vinegar... ever!

I now leaving the brewing to the masters.....

[Dave Nelson]

Well, I've tasted my first brew. It a Canadian Draft. Fermented about 2 weeks, carbonated 2 weeks, and chilled for about a week. It actually tasted like beer, but perhaps a little watery. It was clear as long as you didn't shake up the bottle too much. I know that more conditioning time will help. I'm now brewing the same thing with double the hopped malt extract for more body and taste (and alcohol). I'm also brewing an Oktoberfest Creamy Ale. I guess I could pick worse hobbies...

"watery Canadian draft" is a contradiction in terms, kind of like "jumbo shrimp." You brewed it in the states eh, so its not really Canadian is it now?:cheers:

[fjpod]

I got one of those Mr. Pee, I mean Mr. Beer kits also a few years ago....I followed the directions....About 6 hours after pouring the goo in the fake barrel i saw some movement inside. I took a flashlight and shone it into the concoction. It was swirling and spinning inside, looked like a rat or something was swimming inside!

Well, it finally settled down. I bottled it and a few weeks later I had the finest tasting vinegar... ever!

I now leaving the brewing to the masters.....

Vinegar taste is a sign of either too much added sugar instead of malt extract, or not enough fermentation. Good vinegar is hard to get, you know.

[fjpod]

"watery Canadian draft" is a contradiction in terms, kind of like "jumbo shrimp." You brewed it in the states eh, so its not really Canadian is it now?:cheers:

Do you think I can be arrested for taking Canadian Beer across the border?

Funny story actually...I live in NY but very close to the Jersey border, and a few year ago, I went to a wine making "school" in NJ. Basically a warehouse type place where you can buy grapes and participate in making your own wine, for a price. Well, my brother and I signed up for some winemaking and they made us fill out a NJ State winemaking license (for 20 bucks) which is required of all private citizens who make wine for personal consumption. Well a few weeks later I get my license from the State of NJ. Enclosed was a congratulatory letter from NJ saying that I now had the right to make up to 200 gallons of wine for personal consumption in the state of NJ...."and since you listed yourself with a NY address, we have turned your name over to the NYS liquor authority as it is illegal to transport wine across state lines." Wham, Bam...what just happened? Never thought I would be breaking the law. We made the wine anyway. Paid cash. The proprietor kept no record. He didn't realize there would be a problem. The NYS liquor authority never contacted me. Between the two of us, we only made 25 gallons and we haven't done it since.

[gemstone]

Vinegar taste is a sign of either too much added sugar instead of malt extract, or not enough fermentation. Good vinegar is hard to get, you know.

You made a batch of Hienikens.

[Fezz]

If you are in need of some whole hops to try, let me know. I have pounds and pounds and pounds of quite a few types!

[optical24/7]

Vinegar taste is a sign of either too much added sugar instead of malt extract, or not enough fermentation. Good vinegar is hard to get, you know.

Not if I'm makin' it! Need a recipe? Just let me know...

:D:cheers::shiner::cheers::bbg:

[fjpod]

If you are in need of some whole hops to try, let me know. I have pounds and pounds and pounds of quite a few types!

I'd love to take you up on that hops offer. Shall I PM you my address?

[Fezz]

I'd love to take you up on that hops offer. Shall I PM you my address?

Sure!

I buy my whole hops from:

http://www.hopsdirect.com/

The pricing for hops is about 4-5X what I was paying a year or two ago!

:cheers::cheers::shiner::cheers::cheers::D

[fjpod]

Besides giving flavor and aroma, do hops "preserve" the beer? Keep it from spoiling sooner?

[Fezz]

I have heard that they can help preserve the beer, but I can not confirm. I will dig through some books and post findings.

[fjpod]

If you are in need of some whole hops to try, let me know. I have pounds and pounds and pounds of quite a few types!

You must make a lot of beer. Do you consume it all yourself?

[obxeyeguy]

You must make a lot of beer. Do you consume it all yourself?

:cheers:
Who cares how time advances?
I am drinking it ALL today

...:bbg: