Did i make beer or Champagne??

[Maimu]

Hey all,

I recently put down a beermakers Mexican Cerveza. I used the beermakers Brew Kit 15 And Saflager yeast. I Also added the Dry Enzyme included under the cap.

I left this in the fermenter for around 2 weeks at around 14 degrees.

OG of 1040
FG of 1000

I tasted after 2 weeks in the bottle and tasted very much like champagne, very fruity, and very flat.

I am hoping i just need to wait longer.. Anybody had any similar experiences with this stuff???

Cheers

Maimu.

[Wassa]

Maimu,

What did you use for secondary fermentation? Sugar, dextrose, priming drops? Did you add primer to each bottle or did you bulk prime?

Usually, you should see some action after a couple of weeks in the bottle, especially at the current temperatures. I usually don't have problems with head and fizz, but I bulk prime and I usually don't touch the beer until it's been in the bottle for 3 months.

[tyrone]

Good point wassa I use botts and after two weeks there is always some carbonation showing even at 1teaspoon for a tally.

[yardglass]

I am hoping i just need to wait longer..

exactly, maimu.

if you have room in a fridge, throw a doz or so in and forget about them until Australia Day.

Crack one then and post your thoughts.

cheers
yardy

[Maimu]

I used ordinary sugar for priming the bottles, and it was added to each bottle not bulk priming as of yet.

I will soon be purchasing a secondary fermenter so i can start racking as well.

Looks like i just have to play the waiting game.

Cheers Fellas just me being impatient


Maimu

[501]

14 degrees ??

this sounds a tad cool for this beer ?

oops me must be drunk still !! ^_^

[yardglass]

saflager will work at 9*C

[da_damage_done]

I put down a Brewcraft Mexican Cerveza about 3 weeks ago with 1 kg of dextrose and the dry enzyme supplied

Over the last 2 days I've had 3 bottles explode - what a mess!

I tried one the other day - but I think it needs a lot more conditioning

It is really really dry - and has a dry burning sensation when drinking

It did have the champagne taste you've mentioned

I'll give it a few more weeks and I'll report back

Cheers

[tyrone]

If you keep the remainder of the batch as cool as you can it should decrease the chance of exploding bottels.Cold condition if you can.

[501]

da_damage_done
could you give us some sg/og info and
fermenting time / temp details.

cheers 501

[da_damage_done]

i didn't take an opening measurement

FG was 1005

temp was in the mid twenties (heat wave hit for about a week)

had it in the fermentor for 7 days

[Dogger Dan]

Was that 1005 constant over a few days?

Dogger

[501]

update on testing the (dangerous) black rock enzyme.

my black rock cerveza has finsished at about 1.0000 +-1

hmmm. just like tap water ?
though the clearness of the beer is impressive.

I guess this reinforces what others have said regarding taking Extra care when using this.

cheers 501

[yardglass]

probably a stupid question, would using just half the supplied amount be better ?

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I am hoping i just need to wait longer..

exactly, maimu.

if you have room in a fridge, throw a doz or so in and forget about them until Australia Day.

Crack one then and post your thoughts.

cheers
yardy

So would you recommend just fridging them once they are bottle or do they need to be in secondary at the same temps as fermenting?
Only reason I ask is I cracked a 2 week old one (Coopers Lager Kit) last night & whilst it was cold, wet, fizzy & tasted like beer, the head retention was pretty crap!

[yardglass]

I am hoping i just need to wait longer..

exactly, maimu.

if you have room in a fridge, throw a doz or so in and forget about them until Australia Day.

Crack one then and post your thoughts.

cheers
yardy

So would you recommend just fridging them once they are bottle or do they need to be in secondary at the same temps as fermenting?
Only reason I ask is I cracked a 2 week old one (Coopers Lager Kit) last night & whilst it was cold, wet, fizzy & tasted like beer, the head retention was pretty crap!

JaCK,
the benefits of Cold-Conditioning are immense.
(some will argue that 'in the bottle' is not proper CC). Whatever.

the head retention will improve with time, even better if it's time spent in the fridge.

here's a suggestion, make your next brew a Wheat, these can be enjoyed young, whilst you're doing this get a couple of batches brewed, bottled and boxed up and into any spare room you have in a fridge.
(don't forget 2 wks carb time).

keep this up until you have a 'stockpile' of beers that you can really appreciate.
i'm aware that the fridge space required for this is not an option for some, but if you can get them in there for 3/4 weeks you won't beleive the improvement in the quality of your finest...

some blokes do it differently to this, DD for instance designs his beers to be enjoyed young.
(i've been pestering him for a Partial Recipe, no luck as yet )

cheers
yardy

[JaCk_SpArRoW]

I am hoping i just need to wait longer..

exactly, maimu.

if you have room in a fridge, throw a doz or so in and forget about them until Australia Day.

Crack one then and post your thoughts.

cheers
yardy

So would you recommend just fridging them once they are bottle or do they need to be in secondary at the same temps as fermenting?
Only reason I ask is I cracked a 2 week old one (Coopers Lager Kit) last night & whilst it was cold, wet, fizzy & tasted like beer, the head retention was pretty crap!

JaCK,
the benefits of Cold-Conditioning are immense.
(some will argue that 'in the bottle' is not proper CC). Whatever.

the head retention will improve with time, even better if it's time spent in the fridge.

here's a suggestion, make your next brew a Wheat, these can be enjoyed young, whilst you're doing this get a couple of batches brewed, bottled and boxed up and into any spare room you have in a fridge.
(don't forget 2 wks carb time).

keep this up until you have a 'stockpile' of beers that you can really appreciate.
i'm aware that the fridge space required for this is not an option for some, but if you can get them in there for 3/4 weeks you won't beleive the improvement in the quality of your finest...

some blokes do it differently to this, DD for instance designs his beers to be enjoyed young.
(i've been pestering him for a Partial Recipe, no luck as yet )

cheers
yardy

Thanks for the tip yardy, greatly appreciated!

[silkworm]

Spot on Yardy.
Hope you guys all had a great chrissy and a looong break from the grind..... I certainly did

To the topic at hand.
Champagne it is not. ask a Froggy frenchman and he'll tell you straight

As for fruit I think that this is normal for this style however it's normally light on and with little hops bitter flavours. Some destictive flavours come from corn which differs from other styles (this might be the wine like hints).
The gass should sort itself out. I have been trying to get a Pilsner style brewed like I want now for 2 winters.
They all take months to gas properly sometimes up to 3 months to have anything worth drinking.
The best ones have seemed to take the longest. I don't know why (perhaps its the antisipation !!)
As Yardy said CC works wonders with these Lager styles. However you do it. I've managed both fermenter and bottle CC and am a convert.
I'm not sure if Mexican beers are traditionally CC???
Does anyone know as I'm about to put one down?

Hope it works for you - Happy brewing Maimu

[Oliver]

I put down a Brewcraft Mexican Cerveza about 3 weeks ago with 1 kg of dextrose and the dry enzyme supplied

Over the last 2 days I've had 3 bottles explode - what a mess!

d_d_d,

Here's a previous thread about the enzyme and problems it can cause. In particular have a look at the comments by Paul Bennett.

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... php?t=1506

Also check out the link to the pdf towards the bottom of the page. It's a bit technical, but is interesting.

Cheers,

Oliver

[da_damage_done]

Thanks Oliver

That pdf is quite frightening

I've got all the bottles in the garage at the moment in a cardboard box with a sheet over the top to contain the flying glass

I'd say I've had about 10 bottles explode (of about 40 - there was a combination of longies and stubbies)

I'm not in the mood to lose and eye or have a finger severed

What am i best off doing?
Chucking the batch? or Letting it sit?
None of the bottles from the batch which I've put in the fridge have exploded.

I am also concerned that the bottles may have been overstressed by the pressure and if used again may shatter.

Would I be right to leave them in the box as long as possible and then tranfer them into the fridge - where the cooler temps should reduce the likelyhood of explosions?

Also as a side note - the ones I have tried have been really ordinary.