Any idea what happened to my brew?

BUDFORCE

I appreciate this probably an impossible question to answer.

But maybe someone could shed some light, suggestions etc

I've been brewing for a while now. I tried a black rock pale ale kit and purchase several different hop packets.

I did the brew as normal put one the hop packets in about 3 days before bottling, and everything seemed fine.

I've been drinking that batch for a little while now, few weeks maybe. I noticed that a lot of the bottles seem to be pretty fizzy and that there are floating bits in it (mostly hop particles I think) but otherwise the beer is ok, and drinkable, not the best I have ever done, but still ok.

Subsequent to brewing that, I also brewed the same kit again, doing my usual same process time scales etc, everything identical, apart from the hop packet I added.

Yesterday I tried one from the new batch, and it was MUCH better. Smooth, no bitterness, no abnormal carbonation, no floaty bits.

So any ideas why there seems to be so much difference in the finished product, considering I did exactly the same thing other than adding a different variety of hops?

HBO_Staff

If using hops to flavour the beer these can produce great flavours and are a good way to personalise a brew. The bits are almost certainly bits of hop that have got through into the bottles, a fine filter would usually stop these from getting through. You can get some bitterness from dry hopping and this varies due to the hops used.

Because the beer with bits of hops was more fizzy this might indicate that more sediment got through or the beer had perhaps not settled as well as the second batch, more suspended yeast in the liquid could maybe make it more carbonated, is it possible that the first brew with more bits and carbonation was disturbed or did not settle quite as well (or for as long) as your other batch?

BUDFORCE

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah I think it must have been the latter, but timescales were all the same. Maybe I knocked the primary fermentation vessel when bottling which disturbed some of the sediment up.

Oh well, can't win them all I supposed. Ive been home brewing pretty much non stop since December 2014 and it's the first one I've ever done that hasn't turned out that great.

I am on the 5th one of this same Black Rock Pale Ale kit (they were on offer) and I'm trying different hops in each one, Galena, Target, Admiral, Sterling, Magnum.

I've saved a bottle from each and labelled so I know what is what. When the 5th one is done and given a while, I am going to taste test all 5 at the same time to compare the different types of hops.

HBO_Staff

Great idea, using the same base will ensure an even playing field and it will be enjoyable doing the taste comparison of them all too. Presumably the only small difference will be the amount of time each one has been bottled, but as long as they have all had a good few weeks then they should have developed some great flavours, look forward to hearing what you think to the different versions

BUDFORCE

I tried a few more bottles of the brew, few of them nearly exploded when I opened them, but one however, was perfectly fine.

I am thinking more and more I've probably knocked the PFV at some point during bottling, hence why 1 at least was ok.

I must have knocked up not only the sediment (heavier carbonation) but also some hop bits (bitter taste).

I will be more aware of that in future.