I need help!

[soonerbrewer]

How's it going everyone. I brewed my first batch of beer about a two months ago, I mad a brown ale from a Brewers Best Kit. For some reason some bottles tastes fine and some are just not good. I don't know if it's because i left too much troob or I did something wrong. I don't see any rings around the bottles so I don't think it's infected. I brewed a second batch, a honey wheat and I did the two stage fermentation and was more anal about tranfering. It's been sitting in bottles for about 3 weeks, I had one last week and it was good, I've read that honey wheats get better with age. Anyway, I don't know if it could be the brewers best kit or I just need to be more carful when racking. I ordered the extract kit for Jamils Chocolate Hazlenut Porter from B3 and it seems B3 has excellent ingredients, I just want to make sure I don't mess it up. Oh, and Jamil if you could please give me some tips on brewing your beer I would really appreciate it. Well, time to go take an exam. The Brewing Network kicks ass!!!

[Lufah]

If some bottles taste fine and others don't something had to have gone wrong at bottling. What is wrong with the ones that aren't good? You can have infected bottles without the ring. Not saying they are for sure, but we need more info on what the taste is like.

Travis

[soonerbrewer]

The bottles that aren't good are very astringent and slightly sour. It' s hard to tell since some have made me spit it right out. I also noticed that these are the bottles that are gushing. I also notice little specks of trub floating. I really wish I would have found out about TBN and the forum when I first got all my stuff, I've found out so much good info. Oh, the bottles that are drinkable have a slight astringency and have good bitterness. It didn't have the nutty flavor I was hoping for, at the time I didn't know I could had chocolate malt, the kit should come with some!! Sorry my posts are a little unorganized. Thanks!



**the avatar pic is the only one i had of me with beer, it was my 1st beer back in the US, they didn't have any good stuff on base**

[Lufah]

Sounds like an infection to me. Get them cold and drink fast. Thats about all you can do at this point. My second batch did the same thing.I think I didn't sanatize my bottles enough. You are really going to want to take a look at what your using for a sanatizer and your procedure. Thats my thoughts anyway. Take a look here...

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-1.html
http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

Travis

[soonerbrewer]

Lufah, thanks for the help! Very informative site! It seems some of the bottles have a gushing infection. I'll get more anal about sanitizing, I use one-step, what would you suggest?

[Lufah]

I like star san. It's a little expensive, but you can use the diluted mix over and over again. It's an acid sanitizer that I've been very happy with.


Oh and I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard a Marine talking about getting more anal

Travis (former Army)

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/brew.asp

[soonerbrewer]

haha, good one!

[2DogAle]

Sooner, sounds like an infection, like maybe wild yeast if your getting a sour taste.

I use One-Step and have had no problems but I'm really anal about how I use it. I hear StarSan is a great product too so Lufah's right about that too. You just have to make sure you clean everything well and get the sanatizer in and on everything that is going to touch your beer.

I'm a Navy brat and I can't repeat what was said about Jar Heads in my house.

Brew some more beer and try it again buddy.

Welcom home!!!