Inconsistancy with Kit beers

[billybushcook]

Hmmm,
might play with this yeast on a few K&K brews before I use it on the grain!!!

Incedently, I have been keeping records of what goes into my beers for a few months now, prior to trying S-04, S-05, steeping crystal malt & boiling hops & guess what?

Last night I pulled out some of my "oldies" dating back a few months, to do a taste test on what, if any improvements have come into my beers since I started using some of the advice from here (RE- after market yeast, steeping, boiling with Hops)

& guess what the best beer was?????? a plain CPA with BE2 & kit yeast @ 24deg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by a country mile!!!!(old tried & true methods)
It was the only one with that "fresh" clean, crisp taste, a little "carb tingle" on the tongue, & this was not the best one I have done!!!(but very close)

So for my mind so far, all this stuff'n around with different yeast, grain & hops (only changing one thing at a time) is a a complete load of SH%T!!!

Cheers, Mick

[Bizier]

So for my mind so far, all this stuff'n around with different yeast, grain & hops (only changing one thing at a time) is a a complete load of SH%T!!!

Different strokes.
One is definitely much easier and cheaper.

EDIT - according to MrMalty using dry yeast dated today in 20L of 1.040 wort would require 1.4 x 11.5g packets. If you are making 23L then you need 1.7 packets. Up that to 23L of 1.050 wort and you need 2.1 packets. If you were brewing an ale then with 23L of 1.050 wort you would need 1 packet.

I looked that up too, and ended up distracted with the yeast list and I am now wondering whether to switch to 1768 in my search for the Young's profile.

[billybushcook]

& guess what the best beer was?????? a plain CPA with BE2 & kit yeast @ 24deg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by a country mile!!!!(old tried & true methods)
It was the only one with that "fresh" clean, crisp taste, a little "carb tingle" on the tongue, & this was not the best one I have done!!!(but very close)

The main thing I have been trying to do is get these "cracker" beers to be consistant,
For example,
On a scale of 10 (10 being impossible) I have been rating the average majority @ 5, the beer mentioned above scored a 7.
with the others, including the ones done with Safale @ 18Deg, have all scored around 5,

So the big question is.....what is it that is making these "Cracker" beers, when the ingredients & method are the same as the average majority?????

Cheers, Mick.

[Bizier]

Sorry Northwest9 for being off topic.

So the big question is.....what is it that is making these "Cracker" beers

Obviously yeast makes beer. The brewer controls the variables. Using kits minimises some variables.

The day I added grain, hops and 3rd party yeast to my process, I was a happy happy man. It was a Dave's Homebrew Amber Kit, where you get everything measured out for you. I have never thought about looking back.

[drsmurto]

Just when we think Mick has been converted the old Mick returns.

or does he have a split personality?

or does he enjoy a few lunchtime beers?



Ageing beers does make a huge difference Mick as you have discovered.

I had a kit 'lager' that was something along the lines of coopers can of snot, a brew enhancer of some description and some saaz hops steeped. kit yeast. ale ferment temps. no temp control. no lagering. no finings. no racking. no bulk priming.

I switched to AG and had 6 of these left and entered them in a country brew comp which was clearly aimed at kit brewers - the classes listed were actually the names of coopers kit! Didnt seem fair to the mates who challenged me to enter against them to enter my AGs so i dug this beast up amongst others. best in show. Actually tasted like a clean inoffensive beer that west end drinkers would enjoy.

[Bizier]

And if you really want to get a more objective opinion of your beer (esp using grain), submit it to a comp. Or try getting someone to help do blind tastings with your different beers.

[Bizier]

or does he have a split personality?

"A boy's best friend is his Cooper's"

[billybushcook]

The age was not a factor!
That brew was a cracker from 2 weeks as all of my best ones have been (of course they do get a little better), the ordinary ones take longer & still taste ordinary,
So what is it that makes them different???????.......I wish I knew???
There was only 4 weeks between all the beers I tasted. (youngest was 4 weeks)

End of hijack....sorry.

Cheers,

[drsmurto]

i did some judging for the tanunda show. A majority of the kit beers stood out like a pair of dogs bollocks.

The odd one surprised us, a kit dopplebock took out the strong lager section.

Second the comp thing tho cos you get unbiased assessment of your beer. State comps have trained, certified beer judges as well as experienced regulars who may not have the formal qualification. i find their feedback invaluable. I reguallry get a few of them to sample my beers during the year - they dont seem to so no to free beer very often.

And i also get sent beers for my opinion which i am pretty chuffed about even if the vast majority are the same beer...... Had a very nice english bitter on friday night someone asked me to critique.

Cheers
DrSmurto

EDIT - bizier, i did consider that, a little bit Jekyll, a little bit Hyde....

[billybushcook]

A majority of the kit beers stood out like a pair of dogs bollocks.
The odd one surprised us, a kit dopplebock took out the strong lager section.
....

Thats what I'm trying to nail down, I have the same slight inconsistency with the kit I do regularily,
I'm still going ahead with the AG, in fact been down the hardware today to get some tubing for my mash tun, grain should be here tomorrow! so I hope this can produce these "Crackers" consistantly because changing from kit yeast did not.

Mick.

[drsmurto]

Mick

Make a new thread in the recipes section and list your top 5 commercial beers, ones you love to drink and ones you would love to be able to make yourself. Enough experienced brewers here to be able to give you some pointers on AG recipes.

Cheers
DrSmurto

[Bizier]

I have recently decided I have been getting complacent with my sanitation, and had what I think is a slight infection (after a krausen overflow issue). I now have been rotating all fermenters with a 48hr full solution soak of caustic/sodium perc/detergent solution and full solution of iodophor to follow the rinse.

Thats what I'm trying to nail down, I have the same slight inconsistency with the kit I do regularily,

That could be a slight sanitation issue. Please don't take that as an attack. It might be worth going ahead and doing a regular batch and being absolutely over the top with cleaning and sanitation including all parts of your process from boiling extract for 15 mins, to boiling priming sugar for 15 mins, to sanitising the outside of your kit can, yeast packet and scissors to open it with.

Ferment at a specific temp with no fluctuation and see if that makes a cracker.

[billybushcook]

That could be a slight sanitation issue.
Ferment at a specific temp with no fluctuation and see if that makes a cracker.

Temps have always been spot on, using an old freezer for 16yrs or more, first with a submersion heater now with the tempmate (heating & cooling).

The sanitation I have changed recently, using sanitizer every time, whereas I used to some times, bottle, cold rinse then hot rinse a couple of times & bang another brew straight in. That cracker could be one of those!!!

Being a clingwrapper I can safely say that there is absolutely no visable sign of an infection prior to bottling, & they are always left in primary for min, 10 days, 14 of late with the S-04

It seems as if there are some unfermented sugars/malts left in the average ones & this leads to a malt taste which "hangs in the mouth" a bit. (Fg around 1012)
The "Crackers" could be batches that have completely consumed all sugars & giving a cleaner, fresher impression on the palate?? (Fg unknown)

Any ideas on what could be doing this no mater what yeast is used??
Some lingering sanitiser?? (I always hot rinse to remove it)

Cheers, Mick.

[billybushcook]

Moderators,
Could you move all "off topic" posts from the "overconcerned newbie" thread to here please?
(the ones between the Doc, Bizier & myself on inconsistency)

Cheers, Mick.

[Bizier]

That could be a slight sanitation issue.
Ferment at a specific temp with no fluctuation and see if that makes a cracker.

Temps have always been spot on, using an old freezer for 16yrs or more, first with a submersion heater now with the tempmate (heating & cooling).

The sanitation I have changed recently, using sanitizer every time, whereas I used to some times, bottle, cold rinse then hot rinse a couple of times & bang another brew straight in. That cracker could be one of those!!!

Being a clingwrapper I can safely say that there is absolutely no visable sign of an infection prior to bottling, & they are always left in primary for min, 10 days, 14 of late with the S-04

It seems as if there are some unfermented sugars/malts left in the average ones & this leads to a malt taste which "hangs in the mouth" a bit. (Fg around 1012)
The "Crackers" could be batches that have completely consumed all sugars & giving a cleaner, fresher impression on the palate?? (Fg unknown)

Any ideas on what could be doing this no mater what yeast is used??
Some lingering sanitiser?? (I always hot rinse to remove it)

Cheers, Mick.

OK, my suspected infection is definitely not visible. It is a slight 'off' fruity/honey taste that was not similar to other brews. I am talking about thinking it might be infected, not knowing undoubtably. It is drinkable, but not right.

Clean your vessel and leave it soaking in sodium percarbonate for a few days, rinse well and then soak with no rinse sanitiser (even acidulated bleach) for an extended period, and have all your other equipment in there as well.

Also try pitching twice or three times as much yeast for your beer and see if that helps, especially if you are only sprinkling on the wort surface.

[gregb]

Moderators,
Could you move all "off topic" posts from the "overconcerned newbie" thread to here please?
(the ones between the Doc, Bizier & myself on inconsistency)

Cheers, Mick.

Cheers,
Greg