My first brew destined for failure.

[Mattrox]

My better half bought me Cooper's DIY beer kit for Christmas.

Today I decided I would try my hand at something really simple. I figured I'll drink quite a lot of mid strength so I figured I'd try Cooper's Aztec Gold ...

All going well until I started adding water and the tap leaked! I propped the fv on its side, went to the hardware store where the kit was purchased. They were happy to swap out the tap of a new kit but we're sold out. Man FML!

The guy there just happened to have his spare fv at work and was going to lend it to a friend..... Well he lent it to me. I sterilized all the gear he gave me and poured in the wort, filled the rest of the water and got it brewing.

Two problems. There is more chance the wort is infected and because I lost a bit of the more concentrated wort (leaking tap plus a splash during transfer) and having no volume mark on the loan fv I had to guess volume. OG ended up at 1026 so if there is no infection I'll have light beer instead of mid strength.....

Slightly disappointing first brew.... On the up side I can drink it more quickly and free up the bottles for my 2nd brew.

[Oliver]

Hi Mattrox,

Bummer about the leaking tap, but we've all been there so it's good that you got it out of the way early in your brewing career

Seems like it was a bad leak. Where was it coming from? If it was from between the tap and the fermenter it may have just been a matter of tightening the tap a little. I have that problem with my oldest fermenter, which is going on for 16 years now, bit it shouldn't happen with a new fermenter. If I were you I'd be ringing Coopers with your tale of woe to see if they won't at least post you a new can of concentrate or two. They are keen to keep their customers happy so you never know.

(As an aside, I hope after reading this forum a bit you realised that the first and best thing you can do as a new brewer is to tear up the instructions that come with the kit. Have a read of the thread about Simple things that make HB better).

To be honest, while there's an increased chance of infection because you have had to transfer to the other fermenter, I wouldn't worry too much. The splashing isn't a bad thing because it would introduce oxygen to the beer, which in the early stages of fermentation is good.

The proof will be in the tasting. Relax, don't worry, have another beer. As has been observed many times on this forum, new brewers tend to worry too much about having stuffed up their brews. More often than not all is fine.

I hope this has put your mind at rest. For future brews, have a read of the link above and apply the advice in it. Probably the most important thing at the moment, if you're in Australia, is to do your best to brew at a consistent, appropriate temperature, which for most kit beers is about 18-20C.

Happy brewing.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Mattrox]

Thanks for the reassurance.

I am definitely temperature controlling it. I have an old fridge that on the warmest setting has been holding water at 16 - 18 degrees. I hope that with the heat generated by the fermenting wort that the wort itself will be around the 18-19 deg. mark. I have a timer I can hook up if I feel the temperature is going to be below 18.

I think of it as a failure because I'm making light beer! lol

I have been reading up since Christmas on all things brewing. I'm on a steep learning curve. I do keep reading the beginner threads, lots to absorb.

I want to get my "practical skills" up to scratch and a system that will work for me in my kitchen. I'll do a couple of innocuous brews to get this down pat.

The leak was a result of a nick in the rubber of the rotating tap. It looks like a fault in the manufacturing process. I happened to take a pic. It is the internal rotating part.

[Mattrox]

I also went to the local brewery and got Adelaide artesian water.....

I have a Willow plastic jerry can which I can rack the beer into.

Yeast and hops will be the next step.

[Oliver]

Nothing wrong with low-alcohol beers - I have had a day on Coopers Light (while working behind a bar!) and Roger's, which is a mid-strength.

So it was a Coopers Mexican Cerveza with 500g dried malt? According to the Coopers website this should end up about 3.8%, which seems about right.

Your SG of 1.028 doesn't seem right for the recipe, so you (a) have a dodgy reading; (b) lost a lot of concentrate; or (c) added too much water. Or a combination or two, or all three.

Anyway, as per previous advice, don't worry too much. There's not much you can do now so sit back and relax and bottle when it's ready.

You live and learn

Cheers,

Oliver

[Mattrox]

It is a combination of the last two, I'm almost certain. The lack of volume marks on the substitute fv didn't help. A small amount of wort splashed out but it was at about 12L so almost double the target concentration... which slipped my mind when I was trying to guess 23L and probably went over, I probably needed a final volume of closer to 22L.

I often drink light beer, but it is the unintentional nature of this result that annoys me.

[Tipsy]

Hi Mattrox,

It seems you are aware of the craze doing ebay where sellers upload items for sale that somehow incorporates a photo of themselves naked. ( Refection in a toaster, that sort of thing)
Anyway, it's great to see more woman on the forum.

......oh shit hang on a sec.. I just saw a fingernail.

Forget I said anything.

[Oliver]

Anyway, it's great to see more woman on the forum.

......oh shit hang on a sec.. I just saw a fingernail.

Forget I said anything.

You're a bad man, Tipsy, with a dirty mind.

If you need to ask, don't

[Mad Dog]

What on earth?

[Mattrox]

Fermentation proceeding well. Krausen is rising and air lock gurgling. There will be beer at the end of this. Temp stable 18 degrees.

Got a refund from the hardware store and bought a replacement. Checked the tap 1st thing, rubber seal looks perfect.

[Mattrox]

SG 1.013, no offensive odours or flavours. Does taste dilute though. Maybe high carbonation, really chilled and 2 slices of lemon will fix it up. hehehe

[Mad Dog]

It's going to be just fine. Let it condish in bottles for a few weeks and ule be surprised

[rotten]

I had to look but saw it after a few seconds will pay more attention to eBay from now on

Best of Luck with the brew mate

[Mattrox]

You lot have dirty minds! lol

Thanks for the comments. It should end up ok. Just disappointed about the stuff up.

[Mattrox]

SG 1.005, looks like I avoided infection.

[Mad Dog]

05 is great I would think.

[jello]

You could probably write a comical book on the first brews of people. Bottling my first brew was an absolute mess, and it tasted horrible, but it was the beginning of a great learning curve.

Would like to hear how your brew turns out with regards to flavour.

Welcome to the wonderful world of brewing.

[Mattrox]

I think it will turn out like a watered down Mexican Lager style beer....

1.005 again today.

[Mad Dog]

Id bottle it up. Give it a couple weeks to condish then enjoy

[Mattrox]

Opinions on crash cooling it overnight, bottling tomorrow then keeping at 12deg for a week to let the lager yeast clean up a bit before doing the "bottle conditioning as 18+"?