Why Is My Home Brew Beer An Epic Fail?

[Tarser]

I bought all the kit - barrel, fermentation bin, everything needed to make my own beer. I made 40 pints of ale and it was great! When all gone, I made another batch of 'Nog' - great!! Next lot - disgusting! I must have done something wrong, so tipped it away and got another kit. Same thing happened - absolutely disgusting! And again....same thing. I've wasted at least three beer kits and I'm reluctant to waste any more money.

I sterilise with milton liquid, thoroughly clean the barrel, using a brush until it's completely clean, rinse and clean everything. My father in law makes terrific beer and he told me today that he cannot see what I'm doing wrong. Anyone got any ideas or does God hate me?

[EDDIE51]

God has nothing to do with it, somewhere you are letting ' Bugs' (and not the sort you want) get to the brew. Do you have fermentation locks ? that is the main way unwanted bugs get into a brew.

[Answerprancer]

Milton? You need to use a brewing shop recommended substance that has sodium metabisulphite as its main ingredient.
There are several possible reasons your batch went wrong IMO:
1) you didn't sterilise everything properly (barrel, barrel lid, brush, stirring paddle etc) 2) water quality - particularly if the water you used had a high chlorine content. 3) Stability of temperature - when I ferment my brew I make sure the barrel is 'buffered' either by wrapping it in a blanket or putting it into a cardboard box.

[doctordb]

Don't worry, it happens to John smiths all the time. :)

[Tarser]

Hey Eddie51, I now realise that God had nothing to do with it. It was clearly the work of the evil one, Beer-Ale-Ze -Pub!....I checked the screw top of my barrel and it's corroded and the rubber bung has come off. That, plus using only milton might have been the problem. I'll try again. Thanks to everyone for answering my question.