| Following on from a previous article, where I | | | | to the correct temperature of 50-55F. |
| described six of the more common problems that | | | | Lack of a decent head. Four main causes for this |
| can arise when brewing your own beer, and what to | | | | condition. Using faulty malt. Nothing to be done here |
| do about it. | | | | except throw it away and start again. Maturation |
| This seems to be a recurring theme, and people that | | | | time too short. Ah, the impatience of youth! Can be |
| know me have suggested that I do a few more. So | | | | rescued by pouring into a large covered container, |
| here we go with another half dozen of the problems | | | | sparing use of the starter bottle, and moving to a |
| you might come across. | | | | slightly higher temperature. A lack of dextrins, which |
| Too sweet. Of course this assumes that you were | | | | means the mash has not reached a temperature of a |
| not going for a sweet beer anyway, in which case | | | | least 152F. You can try heating to that temperature. |
| no problem. Mind you, even a stout or other "sweet | | | | The simplest cause is using a drinking vessel that has |
| beer" can be too sweet, but you definitely don't | | | | not been washed and rinsed properly. Clean glasses |
| want it in a bitter. There are two main causes of this, | | | | are a must. |
| one is an excess of malt, where the remedy is to | | | | The beer tastes "off". This can be caused by the |
| add half a teaspoon from your starter bottle to the | | | | decomposition of dead yeast cells. Remove by |
| fermenting vessel. The other is insufficient | | | | racking. |
| attenuation, that is where the specific gravity is | | | | Cloudy beer. A contentious one this, as some |
| below 1.010. Unfortunately there is no remedy for | | | | drinkers don't mind as long as the taste and flavour |
| this, and if the brew is completely undrinkable (we all | | | | are OK. However the majority of beer drinkers like |
| know someone who will) all you can do is discard it. | | | | to see a nice clear product. Causes are storing at too |
| Too lively. A fairly common problem and relatively | | | | high a temperature. Just move to somewhere cooler. |
| easy to fix. There are three main causes here. The | | | | Insufficient sievings of hops and grain malt. Adding |
| excessive use of priming sugar, where you need to | | | | finings will usually solve that. Excessive use of finings. |
| decant inro a large covered vessel, avoiding | | | | Nothing to be done, either drink as is or discard. Too |
| contamination. Too high a storage temperature. Just | | | | few finings. Add more, carefully. Filtering too soon or |
| remove to the correct temperature of between | | | | ineffectively. Filter again. |
| 50-55F. And too high a specific gravity when bottled. | | | | OK, there we have it. If you are thinking that there |
| Add half a teaspoon from the starter bottle, do not | | | | is just so much to go wrong it just isn't worth it. |
| seal too tightly, and release the gas daily. | | | | Don't be put off. You will usually produce a perfectly |
| Yeast Bite. As the name suggests this is an excess | | | | drinkable beer. It's just useful to know a few of the |
| of yeast, giving an intense acrid bitterness. An | | | | things that can go wrong, and how to fix them if |
| excess of yeast can be removed from the periphery | | | | possible. Of course, the likelyhood of things going |
| of the fermentation vessel along with any waste | | | | wrong are drastically reduced if you find a good beer |
| matter by simply using a damp cloth. Any yeast still in | | | | recipe, and stick to it. When you have become a |
| suspension can be dealt with by adding more finings. | | | | reasonably competent brewer, then you can go and |
| Sometimes storing at too high a temperature will | | | | experiment. |
| cause sediment to rise and disperse. Simply remove | | | | |
