Why does my beer smell like rotten eggs?

Who likes the smell of rotten eggs in their beer?

No one.

There was a time last year when I went to bottle my beer.

I'd just sterilized the bottles within an inch of their lives and I was ready to get the precious amber fluid into them.

And with that first pour from the fermenter into the green glass bottle, I got the most rank smell.

Rank.

Smell.

Of.

Rotten Eggs.

It was like I had cracked open a rotten egg and fanned it right up my nose!

It was disgusting like some kind of vile hydrogen sulfide bomb had been let off and the aroma was trying to burn my nostrils.



My brew was contaminated and I was gutted


There could have been a couple of reasons why the rotten eggy smell was happening. That rotten egg smell can usually be identified as the gas hydrogen sulfide.

It's probably the most obvious symptom that your beer has become contaminated.

It is the bi-product of the yeast strain or bacteria that have snuck into your brew (did we ever mention you've got to sanitize your equipment?).

The thing about lagers and rotten smells...

All is not necessarily lost, however.

You can fix this problem if the sulfide was produced by the yeast and not bad bacteria.

Lager yeast strains are quite prone to producing sulfide odours.

This is normal.

If you properly condition your bottled beer (the lagering process) by letting it stand for a few weeks, the smell should go away before it's time to drink.

This is why we also recommend that new brewers try an ale or two first to avoid this problem and being disappointed with their foray into brewing.

If you are worried about such smells, then over hopping your beer could help mask them but really, proper conditioning will work wonders. 

The news is not so good if you have a bacterial infection 

When is such news ever good?

In my case, I think it was clear that the beer was infected. The smell was pungent and a wee taste test suggested worse things were on offer.

But even though I was pretty sour, I was a stubborn bugger and bottled anyway on the off chance a bit of time conditioning would let everything sort itself out.

How wrong was I?!

The beer I tasted after two weeks was probably the worst thing I have ever put in my mouth and I once lost a beer drinking game involving a rinsed out kitchen cloth...

I reckon this bad beer would have made me sick if I had drunk a whole glass.

The rest of the brews were opened and tipped out. What was very interesting was there was a massive amount of CO2 / bubbles foam released when each cap was removed. They were giant gushers!

I imagine this was due to the unwanted bacteria continuing to work its own fermenting magic on the malt.

Either way, the lesson here as always is to do your absolute best to ensure that you have clean equipment and that you've done your best to sanitize it, and kept it clean during the beer brewing process.

If you find your beer in this condition before bottling, I'm afraid all you can do is dump the batch.

And then clean the heck of your fermenter and bottles!

This was a brewing lesson I will never forget. I'll be lax in some areas but will always make sure my equipment is clean and sanitized!

Skunked beer

While we're here talking about ruined beer, let's talk about skunked beer. This is when a chemical reaction happens in the bottled beer due to exposure to sunlight.

So named after the smell a skunk can release, lightstruck beer is caused by the UV radiation in light from the sun and retailer's lights. The so-alpha acids in the beer (which come from hops) are broken down and form a new compound in the beer by joining with any proteins floating around.

This compound stinks!

Brown glass is pretty handy at preventing this from occurring but not so much green bottles or clear glass. So, the trick to avoiding skunked beer is clearly to store your beer in the dark.

In summary:

• If you are brewing a lager, the smell could be 'normal' and may disappear after the beer has been conditioned
• It could well be your beer is contaminated by bacteria, in which case nothing will save it. Head to the pub for a self-pitying pint.
• Lightstruck or skunked beer can happen when the bottled beer is left in sunlight too long.
• Let your beer condition properly so that the yeast has time to work it's magic properly.

Leave a Comment bacteria, hydrogen sulfide, infection, problem solving, tricks and tips

Brew-sful Tips: Improve Your Beer Brewing Skills!

Even if you're not a beer expert, there's always room for improvement in your brewing skills. Just like Han Solo, who constantly sought to better his craft, here are some valuable tips to enhance your beer-making process.

 1. Bottling Over the Dishwasher Door: When bottling your beer, consider setting up your operation over the open dishwasher door. This way, if any spills or drips occur during the process, they can be easily cleaned up by simply closing the door. It saves you the hassle of having to mop up the mess separately.

2. Cleaning the 'Boil in a Bag' Brew Bag: After using a 'Boil in a Bag' brew bag, cleaning it properly ensures its longevity and prevents any unwanted flavors from transferring to future batches. Start by shaking the bag out to remove any loose debris. Then, turn it inside out and hold it under the shower or a faucet to thoroughly rinse off any remaining residue. This ensures that your bag is clean and ready for the next brew.

3. Pouring Extract from a Bowl: When working with dry malt extract (DME), transferring it from the bag to the boiling water can be a bit challenging. To make the process easier, pour the contents of the bag into a bowl first and then use the bowl to pour the extract into the boiling water. This way, you can scrape out every last bit of the extract from the bowl, ensuring maximum utilization of your ingredients.

4. Importance of Fresh Ingredients: The quality of your homebrewed beer greatly depends on the freshness of the ingredients you use. Just like in cooking, using fresh and high-quality ingredients will result in a better end product. Therefore, strive to source fresh malts, hops, and yeast to ensure that your beer reaches its full potential in terms of flavor, aroma, and overall quality.

5. Handling Dry Malt Extract (DME): Dry malt extract has a tendency to cake onto the sides of the bag when exposed to steam from boiling water. This can make it difficult to measure and utilize fully. To overcome this issue, consider adding the DME to the brew kettle before adding the boiling water. This way, the steam will not cause excessive caking, and you can extract the full amount of DME without any wastage.

6. Re-hydrating Dry Yeast: If you have saved dry yeast for future use, re-hydrating it properly is crucial to ensure its viability and effectiveness in fermentation. One effective method is to pour the dry yeast into a plastic bottle filled with water at the correct temperature. Cap the bottle and shake it gently to mix the yeast with the water. Open the bottle slightly to release any excess gas (similar to burping a soda bottle). When it's time to pitch the yeast, pour it out of the bottle directly into your wort, allowing for a smooth and efficient fermentation process.

7. Silica Gel in Hydrometer Case: While some brewers find it unnecessary, placing a packet of silica gel in your hydrometer case can help absorb any residual moisture that might be present after using the hydrometer. This extra precaution ensures that the hydrometer remains in optimal condition and provides accurate readings for future measurements.

8. pH Meter for Mash Testing: Monitoring the pH level during the mashing process can significantly impact the quality of your beer. Using a pH meter to test the mash allows you to adjust the acidity and alkalinity levels as needed, ensuring optimal enzyme activity and flavor development. Aim for a pH range that is suitable for the style of beer you are brewing, as different styles have different ideal pH ranges.

9. Selecting the Right Hops: Hops play a crucial role in the flavor and aroma profile of your beer. To achieve the best results, it's essential to choose hops that complement the specific style of beer you are brewing. Research the different hop varieties and their characteristics to find the ones that align with your desired flavor profile. Experimenting with different hop combinations can lead to exciting and unique brews.

10. Lager Hops for Matching Styles: When brewing lagers, certain hop varieties are known to work exceptionally well. Saaz hops, traditionally associated with lagers, impart a delicate and spicy aroma, while the classic German hop, Hallertauer, adds a mild and floral character. Additionally, exploring hops like the New Zealand-derived Green Bullet can provide interesting flavor dimensions to lagers.

What does an Alien brew taste like?

11. Boiling Malt Extract Kits: Contrary to popular belief, boiling malt extract kits can actually enhance the quality of your beer. Boiling the malt extract ensures sterilization and eliminates any unwanted microorganisms. Moreover, it allows you to precisely control hop timings and achieve the desired bitterness and flavor extraction from the hops.

12. Yeast Starter Management: When making a yeast starter, it's crucial to take precautions to contain any potential overflow. Placing the flask inside a plastic grocery bag before putting it on a stir plate provides an additional layer of protection. In the event of an overflow, the mess will be contained within the plastic bag, preventing any contamination and making cleanup easier.

13. Proper Sugar Amount in Bottles: Avoid the temptation to add excessive amounts of sugar when priming your beer for carbonation in bottles. Over-carbonation can lead to gushers or even exploding bottles. Follow a reliable priming sugar calculator to determine the correct amount of sugar needed based on the beer style and desired carbonation level.

14. Slanted Yeast Cake: Creating a slanted yeast cake in your fermenter can be advantageous when it comes time to rack the beer. By placing a book or wedge under the back of the fermenter after sealing it, you can create a slanted surface where the yeast settles. This allows for clearer beer transfer from the front side of the fermenter, reducing the risk of disturbing the sediment.

15. Calculating Alcohol Content with a Hydrometer: A hydrometer can be a useful tool for determining the alcohol content of your beer. By measuring the specific gravity (SG) before and after fermentation, you can calculate the alcohol by volume (ABV) using a simple formula. This information helps you track and adjust the strength of your beer in subsequent brews.

16. Carbonation Drops Quantity: When using carbonation drops for bottle conditioning, a general rule of thumb is to use around 60 carbonation drops for a 23-liter brew. However, it's always best to refer to the specific instructions provided by the manufacturer of your chosen carbonation drops, as quantities may vary.

17. Preventing Boil Overs: Boil overs can create a messy and time-consuming cleanup process. To minimize the risk, consider adding a few marbles, glass beads, or large stainless steel ball bearings to your boil kettle. These objects act as nucleation points at the bottom, allowing large bubbles to rise and pop, thus reducing foam formation. Alternatively, using a foam inhibitor such as Fermcap-S can also help prevent boil overs effectively.

18. Rapid Wort Cooling: Cooling your wort quickly after boiling is important to encourage the precipitation of unwanted proteins and tannins, which can negatively affect the flavor and clarity of your beer. Utilize a wort chiller or an ice bath to rapidly cool the wort to the desired temperature before pitching the yeast.

19. Spray Bottle for Sanitizing: Simplify the sanitizing process by using a spray bottle filled with a Star San solution. Instead of dunking everything in a bucket of sanitizer, you can spray the surfaces liberally, ensuring good coverage and saving time. This method is particularly useful for smaller items and hard-to-reach areas.

20. Spigots in Fermenting Buckets: Installing spigots in your fermenting buckets can streamline the beer transfer process. With a spigot, you can attach an auto siphon directly to the bucket, eliminating the need for manual siphoning and reducing the risk of contamination.

21. Harvesting Yeast Slurry: When transferring beer from a fermenter to a keg, consider collecting a portion of the yeast slurry in pint mason jars. Refrigerate these jars for future use as yeast starters in subsequent brews. This technique helps save money on yeast purchases and ensures consistent fermentation performance.

22. Sodium Percarbonate for Sanitization: Sodium percarbonate, a powdered compound, is a preferred method for sanitizing brewing equipment. It effectively eliminates bacteria and unwanted microorganisms without leaving residue. Its no-rinse nature simplifies the sanitization process, and it can be conveniently ordered in bulk online.

23. Hops Tea for Flavor Extraction: To ensure optimal extraction of hop flavors, consider making a "hops tea" before adding them to your beer. Simmer a small amount of hops in water for a short period, then strain the liquid and incorporate it into your brew. This technique can enhance the hop character and provide a more pronounced aroma in the finished beer.

24. Bulk Purchase of Hops: If you brew beer frequently or enjoy experimenting with different hop varieties, buying hops in bulk can be a cost-effective option. However, ensure that you have proper storage facilities to maintain the freshness and quality of the hops. Freezing excess hops can help prolong their shelf life and preserve their aroma and bitterness.

25. Patience in Bottling: Don't rush to start the bottling process. Bottling your beer too early can result in undercarbonated or off-flavored beer. Ensure that fermentation is complete and the desired final gravity is reached before proceeding with bottling. Keep the beer in a warm and stable environment during fermentation to encourage proper carbonation.

26. Two Approaches to Adding Sugar: When priming your beer for bottle carbonation, you have two methods to consider. The first method involves priming the entire batch by adding the liquid sugar directly to the fermenter before bottling. The second method involves adding sugar to each bottle individually using a measured amount. Choose the approach that best suits your preference and brewing setup.

27. Creamy Mouthfeel with Unfermentables: If you desire a creamy mouthfeel in your beer, consider incorporating more "unfermentable" sugars by adding additional malt to your recipe. These sugars contribute to a thicker and more viscous texture, resulting in a beer that feels fuller and richer in your mouth.

28. Dishwasher Cleaning for Bottles: Instead of hand cleaning and sanitizing each bottle individually, you can use your dishwasher to streamline the process. Place your empty bottles in the dishwasher's bottom rack without using any detergent. Run the dishwasher on the hottest cycle, ensuring that the high temperature effectively sanitizes the bottles, removes labels, and eliminates any potential contaminants.

29. Increasing ABV with Extra Fermentables: If you want to boost the alcohol content (ABV) of your beer, consider adding extra fermentables to your recipe. Dry malt extract (DME) is a common choice, as it easily dissolves in wort and provides additional sugars for the yeast to convert into alcohol. Adjust the amount of extra fermentables based on your target ABV.

30. Thorough Cleansing and Sterilization: When it comes to brewing, cleanliness and sterilization are vital. Ensure that all equipment, including fermenters, airlocks, tubing, and utensils, undergo thorough cleaning and sanitization before use. Use a dedicated cleansing and sterilizing agent provided in your brewing kit to eliminate any potential contaminants and maintain the integrity of your beer.

31. Extended Aging for Lager Character: If you're brewing lagers, allow your beer to sit for an extended period at cooler temperatures after primary fermentation. This process, known as lagering, allows the flavors to mellow and the beer to clarify, resulting in a smoother and more refined taste. Patience is key when brewing lagers, as the additional aging time contributes significantly to their character.

32. Avoiding Oxygen Exposure: Oxygen exposure can lead to off-flavors and premature staling of your beer. Minimize oxygen contact by utilizing techniques such as closed transfers, purging vessels with CO2 before filling, and using oxygen-absorbing caps or corks for bottle sealing. A well-maintained fermentation environment and proper packaging methods contribute to the longevity and quality of your beer.

Remember, brewing beer is a creative process, and experimentation is encouraged. Take these tips as guidelines and adapt them to your specific brewing setup, style preferences, and desired outcomes. Happy brewing!

Leave a Comment tips for beginners, tricks and tips

Brewing with Confidence: How to Overcome Common Mistakes

Brewing beer can be complex and delicate process that requires precision, patience, and attention to detail.

From selecting the right ingredients to controlling the temperature and timing of each step, there are many factors that can impact the quality and flavor of your beer.

While brewing can be a rewarding and educational experience, it can also be frustrating when things go wrong, especially if you're new to the hobby.

Whether it's a problem with the yeast, the ingredients, the equipment, or the process, there are several common mistakes that brewers make that can affect the outcome of their beer.

This 'brewing mistakes guide' will provide valuable insights into the brewing process and help you to create a better beer with confidence.

From measuring ingredients accurately to using fresh yeast and taking notes, we'll cover a range of topics that can help you to avoid common pitfalls and improve the quality of your beer.

First, a bit like Sheryl Crow, this was our favourite mistake, accidentally bottling, then drinking a beer with a Weta in it...

Unwanted aliens, a common theme.

Improper sanitation is a common mistake among brewers.

It's truly the key to fermenting drinkable beer.

To prevent contamination of your beer, it's important to thoroughly clean and sanitize all of your equipment before and after use. This includes not just your brew kettle, but also your fermenter, airlock, thermometer, and anything else that comes into contact with your beer.

You really need to pay attention to this one - an infected beer tastes disgusting and becomes a waste of your time and money.

Here's some great sanitation ideas to consider.

Over-pitching yeast is another common mistake.

Yeast is the workhorse of the brewing process, but too much of it can lead to off-flavors and a lack of fermentation.

To avoid this, make sure to follow the manufacturer's guidelines when pitching yeast to your wort.

A general rule of thumb is to pitch one packet of yeast per 20 - 25 litres of wort.

I once added two yeast packets to a drum - things fermented fast but the beer profile was definitely not what I had intended.

Miscalculating water volumes is also a common issue for brewers.

Accurate measurements of water volumes are important for obtaining the correct original gravity, which affects the final alcohol content, flavor, and mouthfeel of your beer.

To ensure accurate measurements, it's best to use a calibrated hydrometer and to measure both the volume of water added to the brew kettle and the final volume of the wort before fermentation.

Not controlling temperature during fermentation is a mistake that can affect the final outcome of your beer.

Fermentation temperature can influence the yeast's activity, the production of esters and other flavor compounds, and the speed of fermentation.

It's important to maintain a consistent temperature within the range recommended for your yeast strain, and to avoid temperature swings that can stress the yeast or produce off-flavors.

Using a heat mat can help regulate your beer quite well!

Not monitoring gravity during fermentation is another mistake that can impact the quality of your beer.

Measuring the gravity of your wort before and during fermentation gives you a good indication of the yeast's activity, the progress of fermentation, and the final alcohol content of your beer.

It's best to use a hydrometer and to take gravity readings at regular intervals, especially towards the end of fermentation when you're looking for signs that it's time to transfer your beer to a secondary fermenter or to bottles.

Under-hopping or over-hopping your beer is a mistake that can affect the balance of bitterness, flavor, and aroma in your beer.

Hops provide bitterness to balance the sweetness of the malt, as well as flavor and aroma compounds that contribute to the character of your beer.

It's important to follow a recipe or to use a hop-addition calculator to determine the appropriate amount, timing, and variety of hops for your beer style. Timings (i.e. at what point in the boil to add the hops) are crucial to getting the intended style and flavour of your beer.

Krausen explosions are a mistake that can occur during fermentation and can cause a mess in your brewery.

Krausen refers to the foamy head that forms on top of the wort during fermentation as yeast produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. Sometimes, the krausen can become so vigorous that it can overflow the fermenter, releasing yeast, wort, and beer all over the place. T

o prevent krausen explosions, it's important to choose a fermenter that has enough headspace to accommodate the krausen, and to use an airlock or blow-off tube to allow excess pressure to escape without spilling.

You can also reduce the risk of krausen explosions by starting with a properly aerated wort, using a yeast starter to ensure a strong and healthy yeast population, and avoiding temperature swings that can stress the yeast and cause vigorous fermentation.

Not giving your beer enough time to condition or carbonate is a mistake that can result in a flat or harsh-tasting beer.

Bottle Conditioning refers to the process of aging and maturing your beer after fermentation, during which yeast and bacteria can produce by-products that contribute to the flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel of your beer.

Carbonation refers to the process of dissolving carbon dioxide gas into your beer, which gives it the sparkle and head retention that you expect from a properly carbonated beer.

To avoid this mistake, make sure to allow your beer enough time to condition and carbonate before serving, and to store it at a consistent temperature to ensure a consistent level of carbonation. Keep it out of the sun, especially if using green bottles.

Also, if you condition in a place that is tool cold (especially during winter) carbonation will not occur and you'll get flat beer.

Not properly measuring ingredients is a mistake that can result in a beer that doesn't taste as expected.

Brewing is as much a science as it is an art, and it's important to be precise and accurate when measuring ingredients like malt extract, hops, yeast, and water.

To avoid this mistake, use a scale to measure ingredients by weight instead of volume, and use a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the gravity of your wort.

Not adjusting for water chemistry is a mistake that can affect the flavor and quality of your beer.

Different water sources have different mineral contents, pH levels, and hardness, which can impact the flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel of your beer.

To avoid this mistake, consider using distilled or reverse osmosis water, or using a water-treatment kit to adjust the pH and mineral content of your brewing water.

The addition of calcium chloride can also assist with water hardness.

Not using fresh ingredients is a mistake that can result in stale or off-flavored beer.

Hops and yeast are especially sensitive to age and exposure to light and heat, and can quickly lose their potency and viability over time.

To avoid this mistake, store hops and yeast in a cool, dark place, and use them before their expiration date.

Check the freshness of your ingredients by smelling them before use, and discard any that have a rancid or musty odour.

Using old yeast is a mistake that can affect the quality and flavor of your beer.

Yeast is a living organism that plays a critical role in the fermentation process, converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

As yeast ages, it loses its viability, vitality, and ability to ferment efficiently, leading to sluggish, incomplete, or contaminated fermentations.

To avoid this mistake, make sure to use fresh yeast that is within its expiration date and has been properly stored.

You can also pitch a yeast starter to ensure a strong and healthy yeast population, and to minimize the risk of off-flavors and infections.

It's also important to note that different yeast strains have different requirements and characteristics, such as temperature range, flocculation, and flavor profile, so choosing the right yeast for your beer style is an important part of the brewing process.

To ensure the best results, research different yeast strains, read the manufacturer's instructions, and follow the recommended pitching rate for your wort volume and gravity.

Finally, not taking notes is a mistake that can make it difficult to replicate a successful beer or to identify and fix problems with a beer that didn't turn out as expected.

Keeping detailed records of your brewing process, ingredients, timing, temperature, gravity, and any other relevant information can help you track your progress and make adjustments in the future.

You can use brewing software, a brew log, or a simple notebook to record your brewing experiences, and to reflect on your successes and failures as you grow as a brewer.

Brewing beer is a rewarding and educational experience that can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels.

However, it's important to be mindful of the mistakes that can occur along the way and to take steps to avoid or fix them.

From measuring ingredients accurately to using fresh yeast and taking detailed notes, these tips will help you to improve the quality of your beer and brew with confidence. And while it's important to follow good brewing practices, don't be afraid to experiment and try new things.

The beauty of brewing is that there are countless recipes (have you made cherry or parsnip wine?), ingredients, and techniques to explore, and the possibilities for creating great beer are endless.

So don't be afraid to take risks, try new things, and find your own brewing style.

Leave a Comment brewing beer guide, tips for beginners, tricks and tips

15 tips to help improve your home brewing results

Whether you've made a few beers with home brews with kits or it's your first time brewing with a kit, there are plenty of tips to help improve your beer.

Even 'professional' back yard beer brewers are constantly looking for the best way to improve a recipe, technique and taste.

You should be no different.

Simply following a standard set of beer brewing instructions will result in an OK beer. However, if you implement some of these brewing tips, you will surely get better results both in the taste and mouth feel of your beer!

These tips and tricks are handy to use even if you are using a kit or going all grain.

Here's the tip list and the explanation behind them follows

• Keep it clean! - Make sure your equipment is clean and sanitized!
• Use a beer enhancer to give your beer a stronger body
• Consider using oak chips
• Don't put so much sugar in your bottles! 
• 'Batch Priming' beer to save time when bottling
• Match the right hops to the right beer
• Gelatin is a handy fining agent to clear your beer
• If you pitch your yeast when the wort is hot you will kill the yeast
• Consider using a blow-off to prevent the Krausen going everywhere
• Increase the alcohol content of your beer by adding more sugars
• To avoid chill haze, use a quality copper wort chiller
• Oxygen is good when preparing the wort, bad when bottling. 
• Temperature control will have an effect on the quality of your beer both when fermenting and conditioning your beer
• Get the bigger kettle or pot, in the long run, you’ll save money
• Just because the fermentation bottle has stopped bubbling, that doesn't mean you need to bottle your beer straight away

That all made sense right but do you want more detail?

Let's start with the most basic rule of brewing beer:

Keep it clean! - Make sure your equipment is clean and sanitized!

There are many ways of keeping your gear clean and today we are going discuss our preferred method of sanitization which is by using sodium percarbonate.

Usually provided in powdered form, it is very soluble in water which makes it very handy for quick preparation and an easy soak of your equipment and fermenter. No rinsing is required and it's very easy to order in bulk online.

If you've ever tried to buy sodium percarbonate from a specialist beer brewery shop, you'll know that you can get a small bottle or container of it that will cost you a small fortune.

If you can buy it in bulk from an online supplier, you'll do well to nab some as using it will effectively bring down your cost per brew. 

Use a beer enhancer to give your beer a stronger body

The thing about craft and home brew beer is that while there’s so much variety in style and taste but there is one thing they all have in common:

It's the ‘mouth feel’ which makes a beer feel like it has 'body'. A beer with no body is a sad drinking experience.

If you simply brewed malt with sugar you will get a beer but your beer’s mouth feel with be closer to feeling like water. Which is just wrong, as a full bodied beer enhances the drinking experience!

To get an improved mouth feel, many beer brewers follow the simple tip of using an ‘enhancer’ to do exactly what it says it will do – enhance the beer by giving it greater body and mouthfeel.

Consider using oak chips to add flavor

There's a reason why home brewers seek out new ways to make beer taste better and that's because, for them, the old days of getting smashed on Budweiser are over. 

A great tip for improving beer taste is by aging beer in oak barrels has been a long standing practice for making beer. 

This is because the characteristics of the wood impart into the beer which can add to the drink-ability of the beer.

But who has oak barrels just casually lying around in the shed?

Homebrewers can use oak chips to replicate aging beer in barrels. 

Using wood chips while conditioning or aging beer your beer can impart a range of aromas to the beer, including floral, vanilla, caramel, or coconut tones.

To prevent beer gushers:

Don't put so much sugar in your bottles! 

I've learnt this one personally the hard way. If you place too much sugar into your bottles, the yeast will go to town on it as part of the secondary fermentation and produce an excess of CO2.

When that happens, you're on a trip to gusher town.

So, it doesn't matter if you are placing sugar in the individual bottles or priming the whole brew, cut down on that sugar.

My personal rule of thumb is that for a 750 mls bottle, a FLAT teaspoon of sugar is more than enough to get a great level of carbonation.

If you want to employ a quicker method, you could try using carbonation drops. If using those, put two in a 750 mls bottle and one for a 500 mls bottle.

Speaking of adding sugar, let's talk about:

'Batch Priming' beer to save time when bottling

In short, priming the batch is when one adds the entire amount of sugar needed to the fermenter so that when you fill each bottle, you don't need to add sugar as well, it's already in the beer wort. 

It saves you time as you don't need to add sugar to each individual bottle and it also saves you mess as we all know how sugar can end up everywhere when bottling!

This sounds simple, right?

It really is. Here's how to do it.

How much sugar do I need to prime a batch of beer?

Batch priming benefits from some simple calculations that can be made to get that sugar just right.

If you're using a kit, you've probably used 23 litres (5 gallons) so the focus is on how much sugar you need to use. 

So first up, different beers need different levels of sugar. Advice from people who have brewed many beers suggests that ales need less sugar than lager-style beers.

This is because many drinkers prefer a lager to have more carbonation and ales are quite drinkable with less.

Our analysis of beer brewing forums suggests these are the commonly used amounts of sugars to use for priming for a 23 liter brew.

• Dextrose (Corn sugar) 3/4 cup or 4 or 5 oz / 95 grams
• Cane sugar 2/3 cup or 3.8 - 4.8 oz / 86 grams
• Dry Malt Extract - 130 grams

If you are priming with a different volume of beer, I suggest you try this priming calculator.

What kind of hops should I use with my beer?

Different hop varieties suit different kinds of beer. After hundreds of years of developing beer, there are now some well-established rules of thumb for what kinds of hops brewers should use. Here are some of the most common hops to beer matches:

• The English Golding hop has become the signature hops of English ales. The popular Fuggle hop is another popular hop used for ale beer.
• Saaz hops are closely aligned with the brewing of lagers, mostly for the delicious aroma that has become associated with the beer. Saaz hops are an excellent choice of hop for the enthusiastic homebrewer.
• Pilsner beers have become nearly synonymous with the four so called 'noble hops'. These are the hops called Terrnanger, Spalt, Hallertauer and the already-mentioned Saaz. As an aside, pilsner beers are known as traditionally coming from the Czech Republic.
• If you're looking for hops that might help your beer taste a bit like the classic New Zealand beer, Steinlager, you might try using Green Bullet hops and maybe through in some Pacific Jade and pair it with a Black Rock lager kit.
• America, the land of the free beer drinker, has become quite well respected for it's hop production and many new varieties from old favorites have been developed. American hops are recognized and appreciated all around the world for their bold, and often intense flavors they imbue in beer. American hops are often described as being citrus like, however that's a most elementary description. Cascade hops are a very popular choice from the Americas.
• Chinook is another popular 'north western' hop.

Using gelatin as a fining agent to help clear beer

Basically, gelatin acts as a fining agent. It combines with the 'leftovers' of the beer brewing process and they fall to the bottom of the fermenter thus clearing the beer.

So how much gelatin should I add to my beer?

Many beer brewers have found that between half and a whole teaspoon per 23 litres or 5 gallons will be a sufficient amount. You will probably get diminishing returns if you use much more.

When and how do I add the gelatin?

You can add it any time after fermentation and word on the street that it actually works best when the beer is quite cool.

The suggested time of addition is to add it a couple of days before you intend to bottle your beer.

A good trick is to dissolve it in a half a glass of hot water. You then open up the fermenter or carboy, add the liquid and then shut the fermenter back up.

For many people, clarity of the beer is important to them. If you are making a dark ale, clarity may not be so important to you.

However, finings do remove leftovers that can impinge on the taste of the beer too. The gelatin helps remove the unneeded proteins and polyphenols from the beer.

This next tip is more of what not to do.

If you pitch your yeast when the wort is hot you will kill the yeast

I once absent mindedly pitched my yeast when the wort was too hot, right after mixing the ingredients with boiling water. I knew what I'd done the moment I'd done it but what a waste of yeast!

A genius moment in my beer making career for sure. 

No yeast means no fermentation.

And well, that just sucks right.

Lucky I had a spare packet of good old Safale US-05 and was able to pitch that when my wort was properly cooled. 

Cooling your beer down is not just to assist with removing nasty bugs from your beer and reducing the risk of any infection, it helps with ensuring that your yeast finds itself in a hospitable environment - that is to say if you pitch your yeast too early, you run the risk of killing it (it’s a living microorganism after all). 

So check that the wort is at the right temperature before you pitch. If you are using a kit, the instructions will have a temperature range noted. If you have a plastic fermenting drum, it's quite likely there will be a handy temperature guide stuck to the side which you should use.

As an aside, if you want to get really fancy with cooling your wort, you might want to invest in a wort chiller.

Hydration of the yeast before pitching

Hydrating yeast

If you want to be really serious about pitching yeast, you could try the yeast hydration technique.

It's a handy method that many earnest brewers follow so as to hydrate the dry yeast in water before pitching. The reasoning behind this is that it gives the yeast a good chance to get started properly. 

We are not wholly convinced by our own experience that this necessary but some brewers seem to do this as a best practice measure. 

How to increase the alcohol content of your beer

The shortest version of this tip is the more sugar you add, the higher your alcohol content. 

The theory is simple.

Beer yeast eats the sugar and that produces more alcohol. Some brewers will use dry malt extract (DME) as their additional sugar source. You could of course just use ordinary home baking sugar. That will contribute to a sweeter beer than DME (indeed the historic use of sucrose it's why homebrew got a bad name as over sugared brewed were too sweet).

But it's more complicated than that and adding extra sugar should not be blindly done. 

As a rough guide, an extra pound or 1/2 kg of DME will add an extra half per cent to your beer. 

Doubling that will give you an extra whole per cent.

Roughly.

You can add other sweet things too

Maple syrup, honey and brown sugar can all be used as well but remember, like jelly beans, they will influence the taste of your beer. 

A big caution to heed is that the more sugar you put in, the more pressure that you place on the yeast. The more alcohol that is produced, the slower the rate at which fermentation occurs.  In such cases a keen player will consider adding more yeast nutrients to the wort which may give the original yeast a new lease of life and extend fermentation.

Too much alcohol may actually end up killing off the yeast. Some yeasts do handle the presence of alcohol better than others so shop around for those advertised as being tough if you are really going to go for it.

You could also add a second round of yeast to your brew if you were keen. You'd want to add the kind of yeast that has a higher alcohol tolerance. We suggest you talk to your local brewshop for advice on what particular yeast will meet your needs in this scenario.

Remember too that the temperature at which your wort ferments will have an affect too.

A warm temperature will allow the yeast to chug away quite nicely. A cooler, winter temperature will mean an extra long fermentation time if you have added extra food for the yeast to eat.

In terms of your beer preparation, exposing your wort to an appropriate amount of oxygen will help - make sure everything gets a good stir before you seal your fermenter.

In summary, to increase the alcohol or ABV of your beer you can consider:

• Adding extra DME, sugar or produce like honey and maple syrup
• Adding extra to yeast to your initial pitch.
• Adding extra yeast and yeast nutrients late in the usual fermentation process. 
• Using a yeast that can handle a high alcohol content
• At a pinch, you can add baking yeast to your wort!
• Make sure the wort gets invigorated with oxygen
• Keep good temperature control, and don't allow wild fluctuations

Try to not release the "Krausen"!

Occasionally brewing conditions mean that the yeast is so active, the krausen behaves like it is a kraken released from the gates of hell and it foams up like a fiery tempest and blows out the airlock, just making a heck of a mess all over your brewing equipment!

These beer explosions typically occur with glass carboys which allow pressure to build.

A solution to krausen 'blow out' is a using a blowoff tube. 

One simply replaces the standard carboy airlock with the tubing.

The tubing can then release into a bottle, bucket or whatever to help with reducing any blow off mess.

Check out the image to the right for an idea on how to set up the blow off tubing. This example uses a steel tube.

If you're not convinced this tubing is worth the effort, consider this.

A common krausen issue is that the the airlock can get clogged with foam and any added hops. This leads to a strong pressure buildup in the fermenter which when is it great, the barrel lid, bung or airlock blows off, spewing stuff everywhere and making for a very messy and frustrating clean up.

There's even the potential for damaging your equipment.

We suggest if you have brewing conditions where this has happened more than once, you may wish to consider grabbing some tubing from Amazon!

Chill haze and the 'cold break'

You may have heard of ‘chill haze’. This is a really common cause of beer cloudiness where the wort has been boiled and the cooling process has not generated enough ‘cold break’. 

The cold break is the proteins from the beer that are precipitated to the bottom of the beer by the cold temperature.

Using a copper wort chiller allows for an effective way to get more cold break forming and thus reduces the chance of chill haze in your finished beer.

Cooling and refrigeration

One of the reasons why beer does go cloudy is due to improper refrigeration timings and techniques. 

The process of storing beer is called laagering (sounds like lager eh?). Lagers are lagers because they are best stored cold. Nordic Vikings learned this method years ago when they laagered their beer barrels in cold caves over the winter or something...

Refrigeration of storing beer in a cool place helps to clear beer rapidly. The science behind this is at lower temperatures it is more difficult for the yeast, tannins and proteins in the beer to remain suspended. 

Cold stored beer will also clear much more rapidly than beer stored at a normal room temperature. 

If you intend to 'lager' your beer you must wait until that first round of initial carbonation has occurred. This is usually done at a warmer temperature than required for lagering. If you cool your beer too soon, you run the risk of disrupting the yeast from its secondary fermentation process and carbonation may not occur (or it will be very slow to do so).

Get the bigger kettle or pot, in the long run you’ll save money

For many first time homebrewers, the first purchase is a starter equipment kit. Once they have that, all they need is a brew kettle or pot and ingredients. So they get the cheap, smaller size kettle – and then suddenly they find they want to keep going with beer making and so need to purchase the bigger kettle or brewing pot. 

If you have an inkling you are going to do a bit of brewing, get the 5 or 8-gallon size unit, save the smaller ones for making jam! Big is better for most of your brewing equipment needs.

O is for Oxygen, get that element away from your beer

We mentioned oxygen above as being good for fermentation. This is true. 

But no longer when you are ready to begin fermentation or when bottling your beer.

Once your beer is ready to have the yeast pitched in, this is the last chance for oxygen to be exposed to the beer. Once the yeast is in, the fermenter needs to be properly sealed.

The presence of excess oxygen can result in poor smelling beer.

Allowing the fermenting beer to be exposed to oxygen can allow beer spoiling bugs and organisms such acetobactor to sour your beer by using the oxygen to ferment the alcohol into acetic acid – commonly known as vinegar. Keep your fermenter well sealed!

This has actually never happened to us but if you are following best practices with your beer, then do your best to keep the air away from your wort. 

The same goes for bottling – try to avoid getting too many bubbles in the bottle as your pour.

 

The best time to add hops to your beer

Typically the beer wort is boiled with the hops added at crucial moments before it is cooled down to begin the fermentation process. The timings of when to add the hops in the boil can be critical as the different timings can cause the hops to work differently on the beer.

If you are making your own wort (that is you are not using a beer kit) then it's best practice to follow a tried and true recipe, at least as you start out.

If you're at that point, you'll want to understand that the process is sometimes known as the “hop schedule”. A hop schedule will lists the length of time that the hops should be in the boil, not the amount of time you should wait to add the hops.

This allows you to making your timings correctly.

The rough guide is the longer you boil the hops, the more bitterness they will impart. The shorter you boil them, the more flavour will be added. It depends on how you want your beer to benefit from the hops addition.

But what about adding hops to beer kits?

If you are using a simple beer extract kit then you can add the hops when you are preparing the batch of wort. Just throw it with your wort and nature will do the rest.

Some people like to delay adding the hops until a few days later. This is fine, but in our experience of using brewing kits, it makes little difference to the end result in the hop aromas and taste your beer will have. 

Just because the fermentation bottle has stopped bubbling, that doesn't mean you need to bottle your beer straight away

If the bubbles in the airlock have stopped completely, this is not necessarily a sign that the fermentation process has completed. It's quite likely that there's still some fermentation quietly happening in the drum.

So let that play out a bit longer. It could be that you let your beer rest longer than the written instructions that came with your beer kit.

This is because there are still things happening in your beer. The yeast may have consumed all the sugar but additional processes are still occurring - let them because the will make your beer taste better! 

How to properly condition your beer bottles

The short advice is that it's best store your beer in a warm place. This will encourage secondary fermentation (this is sometimes described as bottle conditioning).

The ideal temperature range is between approx 18 - 25°C for 5 to 7 days.

HOWEVER after that period, you should leave them in a much cooler place with a temperature range between approx 8 - 12°C.

You should then leave the beer for a total minimum of three weeks since the bottling date before some well-deserved consumption.

You should not easily dismiss this advice about the correct temperature storage of your beer. I had an experience last year when in the middle of winter I just bottled the beer and left it in the shed for about a month.

When I when to crack open the first beer, there was no fizz, just cold flat beer.

No fizz on the second or third either!

I thought I had ruined my beer somehow. 'Had fermentation actually occurred'? I wondered. Of course it had. The problem was the cold. I brought the beers inside and left them in the living room. I waited a week for the yeast to warm up and do its thing, and boom I had fizzy beer!

If you are feeling like you want to try something new with your beer, try using oak chips.

pH testing

Smart beer brewers will test that their beer is within the ideal ranges for beer brewing. A beer with a pH balance that is out of whack will not produce the best results. You can test for pH using paper strips or for a very accurate result, use a digital pH tester. 



Now what are you waiting for? Take these tips and make great tasting beer!

https://www.howtohomebrewbeers.com/2018/08/best-brewing-spoon.html

Leave a Comment tips for beginners, tricks and tips