Just tasting my first homebrew now.

[Cleric]

Canadian Lager. 5 weeks old in total (2 in primary, 3 in pet bottle for carbing). It is from a kit found at a nearby hb shop. I don't know the brand so I will just say it is generic for the sake of it.
I made this before I found this terrific site and here is the list of mistakes I made;

No boil
no cold conditioning as I don't have a second fridge or basement.
poor sanitization
used unfiltered tap water

I was worried that the secondary fermentation was not working because I didn't really see any bubbles. But I picked up the bottle and it was quite hard so I knew it was under pressure.

I cracked it open, nice pift noise. Poured into a chilled pint glass, lovely head on it.
Nose is very strange. Very strong green apple smell to it.
Taste is sharp alcohol flavour with a green apple taste.

I know all the off flavours and aroma's are due to the young age of the beer. I will definitely let this mature a bit, that is if my friends don't bust my door down for it in the mean time (they aren't picky).

A question;

Will I be able to condition this lager at approx. 11C. I don't have a second fridge anywhere to let this sit. My only option is my Da's place in the basement.

Thank you for your time as I'm sure all of you are sick of the first hb posts.

[KEG]

the green apple taste and aroma is highly likely due to the fermentation temp being too high, causing the production of esters from the yeast. assuming it's an ale yeast (most likely for a first-time kit), it should have been fermented as close to 18c as possible, and up to, oh, i guess 24c.

I made this before I found this terrific site and here is the list of mistakes I made;

No boil
no cold conditioning as I don't have a second fridge or basement.
poor sanitization
used unfiltered tap water

-you don't need to boil the kit cans
-cold conditioning isn't compulsory
-sanitation IS important, but it's so easy, so don't skimp on it
-i've only used tap water so far, but it probably depends what quality your water is.

cheers
chris

[Cleric]

I'M IN CAPS
the green apple taste and aroma is highly likely due to the fermentation temp being too high, causing the production of esters from the yeast. assuming it's an ale yeast (most likely for a first-time kit), it should have been fermented as close to 18c as possible, and up to, oh, i guess 24c.
IT MAY HAVE BEEN A TRUE LAGER YEAST BECAUSE THE TEMP WAS 21C THROUGHOUT FERMENTATION

-you don't need to boil the kit cans
-cold conditioning isn't compulsory
-i've only used tap water so far, but it probably depends what quality your water is.
OUR TAP WATER COMES FROM THE SAME PLACE AS WE DUMP OUR SEWAGE. MY GUESS IS THE QUALITY IS VERY POOR (IT TASTES LIKE A SWIMMING POOL, THE KIDDY ONE).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. AND MY APOLOGIZES FOR THE OVER USE OF THE CAPS LOCK.

[Ed]

I agree, the esters could due to higher temps especially if you used a lager yeast. Some of the lager yeasts produce a distinct green apple if they are allowed to ferment at 16C (61F) or higher. I'd say if you can't control the temp down below 14C, it may be better to use something like the US-56 which can finish really clean or S-23 is one lager yeast that is OK around 17 to 18C without producing much of the ester.

11C is OK to store at, it just isn't as low as you'd expect to lager. The colder lagering temps really change the beer for the better.

Cheers, Ed

[morgs]

What fermentables did you use? I put the taste down to SUGAR!

[Pale_Ale]

It's more than 11C in Canada right now?

[ryan]

Canadian Lager. 5 weeks old in total (2 in primary, 3 in pet bottle for carbing). It is from a kit found at a nearby hb shop. I don't know the brand so I will just say it is generic for the sake of it.
I made this before I found this terrific site and here is the list of mistakes I made;

No boil
no cold conditioning as I don't have a second fridge or basement.
poor sanitization
used unfiltered tap water

I was worried that the secondary fermentation was not working because I didn't really see any bubbles. But I picked up the bottle and it was quite hard so I knew it was under pressure.

I cracked it open, nice pift noise. Poured into a chilled pint glass, lovely head on it.
Nose is very strange. Very strong green apple smell to it.
Taste is sharp alcohol flavour with a green apple taste.

I know all the off flavours and aroma's are due to the young age of the beer. I will definitely let this mature a bit, that is if my friends don't bust my door down for it in the mean time (they aren't picky).

A question;

Will I be able to condition this lager at approx. 11C. I don't have a second fridge anywhere to let this sit. My only option is my Da's place in the basement.

Thank you for your time as I'm sure all of you are sick of the first hb posts.

You bought a hb kit, brewed it out, and bottled it but you don`t know what brand it is? Is that correct?
What did you add to this kit?

[JubJub]

Give it another 4 weeks in the bottle and the apples will go.

Jub

[Cleric]

What fermentables did you use? I put the taste down to SUGAR!

I used dextrose

[Cleric]

It's more than 11C in Canada right now?

It's winter here right now, so the outside temp is about -9C without windchill.

[Cleric]

You bought a hb kit, brewed it out, and bottled it but you don`t know what brand it is? Is that correct?
What did you add to this kit?

The can has the same type of labeling as Cooper's, but it was a generic brand. I have seen the same stuff at the local supermarket and some discount stores. I have not been back to that HB store because I have found them to be overpriced, so I haven't checked the tins out. But I do remember it saying Canadian lager on it.

All I added was approx. 1kg of dextrose. No other fermentables were used, no grains added. Just the malt extract, dextrose, and the supplied yeast.

Thanks again everyone. I will let them sit in my Da's basement for another 4 weeks and then give em a shot. I can always pitch them later if they are still tasting like a green apple liquer.

I have a Cooper's black and tan (1 can stout, 1 can dark ale) ready to go right now, so hopefully that will tide me over till the lager is done.

[Jonathon Sunshine]

I have not been back to that HB store because I have found them to be overpriced, so I haven't checked the tins out.

They prolly just seem over priced because you are comparing them to the supermarket and the discount store.

I'v found that with the huge range of different kits you can get at a homebrew store its worth the trip, plus they have all the other stuff you just CANNOT get at the supermarket, like malt and different types of yeast.

Homebrew stuff (IMHO) is so dirt cheap any way i don't really care, when you think 2 cartons of premium beer can cost you around $120 and with a little effort you can make the same thing at home, who cares if your paying an extra $2~$3 for the kit especially when you can pick up some malts or hops etc to really put your brew over the top, and the home brew store guy can point you to a specific yeast for your brewing needs in terms of your brewing temperature or what flavours your looking for.

[melbourne man]

will the green apple taste of a brew that was fermented at too high a temperature dissipate over time? my brew is now 2 and a half weeks old and has a slight green apple taste how long will it take?

[Pale_Ale]

I have found that no matter what weird fruit-flavour you get in your HB, time will go some way to fixing it. I would leave it for at least 3 months from bottling.

[Cleric]

I have not been back to that HB store because I have found them to be overpriced, so I haven't checked the tins out.

They prolly just seem over priced because you are comparing them to the supermarket and the discount store.

I'v found that with the huge range of different kits you can get at a homebrew store its worth the trip, plus they have all the other stuff you just CANNOT get at the supermarket, like malt and different types of yeast.

Homebrew stuff (IMHO) is so dirt cheap any way i don't really care, when you think 2 cartons of premium beer can cost you around $120 and with a little effort you can make the same thing at home, who cares if your paying an extra $2~$3 for the kit especially when you can pick up some malts or hops etc to really put your brew over the top, and the home brew store guy can point you to a specific yeast for your brewing needs in terms of your brewing temperature or what flavours your looking for.

What I mean by they are overpriced is I paid $15 for a can of generic extract, where as, the new Hb store I go to has Cooper's on for $12 a tin. The overprice store tailors to the wine crowd so they don't really have anything I need.

[rodman]

Welcome aboard, Cleric!
My guess would be you've picked up an infection. At my local HBS the boss just tossed a keg full of Bule Mountain Larger due to an infection. Smelled just like my first Coopers Larger kit made with sucrose!
For you're next batch, try bulk bottled water from supermarket and clean/sanitize your kit with same: should turn out better.
Good to see someone from Canada here: my wife is from New Brunswick (and she's all for me brewing!!)
BTW, any reason you use Cleric; it's an interesting username.

Steve.

[Pale_Ale]

Is Rodman from ASIO?

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Is Rodman from ASIO?

Is Pale_Ale from Coop... Oh, never mind.

[Pale_Ale]

I wish!

[rodman]

Is Rodman from ASIO?

Advanced Semen Injection Organization?

Already got too many kids!

Steve