homebrewandbeer.com

Guys, I am new to brewing. Love beer and have done a couple of brews.
Boags Premium, a pilsner, Tooheys old and have just completed a batch of corona.
They all have that same home brew after taste?
spoke to a mate of mine who has just got into racking and he tells me that it's the YEAST that gives you that HOME BREW after taste.
He's telling me once the first fermentation has stopped. Get it off the yeast cake and rack it to another fermenter.
I have been leaving my batches for 2 weeks in the one fermenter before bottling, they are crystal clear and have a good head.
BUT! They all taste the same, with only a slight variance.
Am I going mad? Why do they all have that BLOODY after taste.
Having said that they don't taste bad enough not to drink em.
Am i searching for the holy grail or does it actually excist?
some help please?

Hi Kels, welcome to the forum.

No, you are not going nuts.
Can you post what additions you added to the the kits you used?

There may be something to the question of yeast. If you used the kit yeast, added a kilo of suger to the kit, and then fermented it on the warm side, then you are likely to end up with the archetypical homebrew cider/fusel alcohol tastes, and probably some esters/flavours from underpitching.

Have a look through this thread for ideas on how to make your brews better. http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... f=2&t=1966

I'd suggest at least the following:
1. Don't use a kilo of sugar. Instead use a kilo of Coopers BE1 or BE2, or ½ kilo of either of those with ½ kilo of malt.
2. Get some better quality yeast from your HB shop, such as Safale S04 or S05.
3. Try to control your fermenter temperature to a max of about 20ºC.
4. Rack to another fermenter if you want to, but I'm personally not a fan, and never do it unless I have a good reason to do it, such as lagering, or cold conditioning a big beer like a weizenbock.
5. Leave it to do its thing for two weeks, and then bottle.

As for the holy grail, yeah it does exist, and if you really want it you will eventually end up brewing All Grain. I wouldn't worry about such a thing for now. Get comfortable in what you are doing first, and then make small ongoing improvements as you learn.

There's lots more you can do, but for basics that's what will get you a nice drinkable beer.

Hey Kels,

A little bit of reading, a simple recipe, better yeast and you will have a total cracker of a beer.
I even prefer my 2nd rate ones to a lot of commercial stuff, which just seems to sit in the fridge.

I would follow Warra in highly recommend keeping any simple sugar (dex, white etc.) to low amounts. The general rule is below 20%. And get your hands on some malt extract - even stocked in some supermarkets.

You might not be brewing the best beer on the planet, but you will definitely be making great beer if you can keep it all sanitary.

And use the kit instructions for kindling... about the only use for them.

Yep, heard and understood guys thanks.
We have a home brew shop here in Geelong. WHAT PREMIERSHIP? I'm still bleeding!!!!!
Anyway my main man in there has all the good brands like your Brewcraft, Beermakers, Black Rock, Muntons etc.
Hes been setting me up with the pre mixed malt and dectrose and corn syrup additions. NO WHITE SUGAR! NEVER!
IT'S AGAINST THE LAW, YEAH?
Got my Brewing crafts book by Mike Rogers and I'm all set.
I actually really like BUDWEISER. Not the czech version but the AMERICAN style. MMMMMMMMMMM BEEEEEEEEEER!
Anyone have a the recipe and instructions on yeast to use and temperatures to brew on?

Cheers KEL

kels wrote:BUDWEISER. Not the czech version but the AMERICAN style

Guess: Pils grain, rice, corn, boiled beech wood, nah forget it, brew a good pale...

Bizier wrote:

kels wrote:BUDWEISER. Not the czech version but the AMERICAN style

Guess: Pils grain, rice, corn, boiled beech wood, nah forget it, brew a good pale...
Righto, I'll try a good pale with some safele yeast