newbie brewer 1st time did i mess up

[spex420]

Hi

i recently started brewing 3 batches down my first brew finished today and im not sure about it

its a extract kit http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brew ... e-kit.html


i did everything by the book somethings i could of messed up on everyone makes first time mistakes, (left heat on high for violent boil whole time,too much not enough water yadda yadda) i got a little impatient and decided to bottle after 6 days bubbling seemed to stop didn't have a hydro for reading and beer was still a little foggy i thought hell i can just condition in the bottle for a little longer. Its been a week since bottling.

Well i got a little impatient again while brewing tonight (honey brown ale http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/hone ... t-kit.html)

i couldn't help but try one the color was still really foggy the aroma was pleasant but the taste was horrid kinda tasted like grapefruit and i hate grapefruit is it infected or does it still just need time to finish??

[snowcapt]

#1 rule: be patient.
let the beer do its thing before you start messing with it.

[spex420]

yea, being my first batch it was kind of hard to resist a little discouraging how terrible it was.

So do you think its infected or whatever the brewers slang for it is or does it just need time in the bottles +time in the bottles that i shorted in the ferm

[BDawg]

That's called "yeast bite" and it tastes like crap.
Rule #2 is to review Rule #1.

The yeast work on their time, not yours. Let them do their thing.
It is your job to prepare the "workplace" for them, and then keep the conditions right for them as they do their work.

Think of it this way. A General will not win a war by going out and shooting the enemy himself. He is most effective by preparing his army to do his bidding then giving them the time and getting out of the way to let them do it. His job then turns to keeping things favorable for them, not doing their job for them.

You can be the General by brewing a good recipe, following proper sanitation techniques, pitching a large enough pitch of healthy yeast into a well-aerated wort that is at the right temperature. You then let them do thier thing and keep the "battlefield" in line by maintaining proper temp control, keeping the light and bugs out, and dealing with any other unforseen circumstances such as blow offs. Then, you give them time to march, and when they are done, the results are worth the wait.

[brewinhard]

Nice analogy Bdawg... or sorry General Bdawg!