Slobber!

Just finished the process of my first brew. The Caribou Slobber extract kit that came with my NB starter set.

For those of you pondering or in the middle of brewing the Caribou Slobber extract kit I have 1 piece of advise. Patience!

After 1 week of bottling I thought my beer sucked. After 2 weeks it was OK.

After 3…AWESOME!

EDIT: After 5 weeks this beer tastes even better!

Its hard with your first batch but be patient. Try a beer a week just to see how the taste changes.

It even looks and tastes like the Moose Drool it is supposed to be a clone of. (my beer on the right)
Thanks NB! :cheers:

love it!

Congrats on the first brew, and for it being a successful one!

Nothing like some beer p0rn to brighten up a Friday…

:cheers:

Completely agree, slobber was my first brew about 2 months ago and patience is key. After a week it was carbonated like a diet coke, and just tasted like beer. Week 3 it was a whole new beer, nice head and amazing taste with perfect carbonation. If you can wait it out its definitely worth it.

Nice clarity on your brew btw, cant say mine turn out that nicely!

I thought my slobbers had more flavor than Moose Drool. I’ve done about a dozen of them so far.

[quote=“flars”]I thought my slobbers had more flavor than Moose Drool.[/quote]I think my own spit has more flavor than Moose Drool.

Great job on your first brew!!! Welcome to the obsession. As for patience: I’ve got some high gravity beers left that I brewed two (+) years ago!

Davisdog

[quote=“Davisdog”]Great job on your first brew!!! Welcome to the obsession. As for patience: I’ve got some high gravity beers left that I brewed two (+) years ago!

Davisdog[/quote]

Was wondering how you changed up this beer?

[quote=“GoodBeer.US”][quote=“Davisdog”]Great job on your first brew!!! Welcome to the obsession. As for patience: I’ve got some high gravity beers left that I brewed two (+) years ago!

Davisdog[/quote]

Was wondering how you changed up this beer?[/quote]

I didn’t. Being my first attempt at brewing I followed the recipe exactly. I was confident in what I was doing after reading up on the process for about 2 months before diving in.

Bottling my Tongue Splitter NB kit today. Can’t wait.

Nice job nailing the carbonation level and color!

Broken link for me. Too bad. I have one fermenting right now and would love to see a brewer’s photo.

Sorry. I will get that picture back up. Had to do some server work…

What exactly did your beer taste like initially?

I just brewed a 1 gallon extract version of Slobber, and something’s not right. It looks fine and smells good, but there’s not a lot of flavor in the taste and it’s a lot drier than expected.

[quote=“pmarlowe”]What exactly did your beer taste like initially?

I just brewed a 1 gallon extract version of Slobber, and something’s not right. It looks fine and smells good, but there’s not a lot of flavor in the taste and it’s a lot drier than expected.[/quote]

Need a little more information. You “just brewed” as in not even bottled yet? If it is bottled how long has been in the bottle before you tasted it? The running norm is Slobber, and most beers, takes an extra week to two before it gets the targeted qualities so even though the recipe states one to two weeks in the bottle you should wait two to four before you start to worry.

Ah ok, thanks. That’s good to hear.

It’s been bottled for about a week and a half. I couldn’t manage to wait the full two weeks to see how it turned out.

Congrats on your first brew!!! There’s nothing like brewing your first batch, and having it come out great. Makes you want to do it again, and then you become addicted and start brewing one a week, buying several carboys, etc… If had turned out bad, you might not have done it again, and missed out on a great hobby!
:cheers:

My first Slobber batch kept getting better and better over time. Last time I brewed two kits and let one age to 7 weeks before touching it. It was so daggone good, we finished it all wayy too fast. If you like slobber, try morebeer’s American Honey Porter too. Not quite the same, but very complex flavor for a 4 week turn around, and it gets better with time.

How did it taste initially, and then what characteristics evolved?

The last batch was actually very complex. At first it was very malty and kind of chocolatey, almost like a faint hint of whoppers candy. It kind of turned coffeeish and a little bitter after it went down the hatch (aftertaste). Also had some nuttiness and a surprise hoppiness that you wouldn’t think would be good with a beer of this type, but it is fantastic. My best description would be like a beer flavored carmel mocha latte from starbucks, only not as sweet, with a noticeable hop aftertaste. I know, sounds very weird. I am going from memory here. I have a batch that will be ready in 2-3 weeks. Maybe I will write down my impressions while actually tasting one. I think that would be more accurate. After 3 batches, I notice a little something different on every one. If yours tasted funny maybe something went wrong? The guys on here could help if you gave more specific info on your brew process, etc. I know from personal experience, I have occasionally had a great batch but have had a few bad bottles in that batch. I’m pretty sure they were ones where I had introduced too much oxygen when bottling or maybe didn’t get the bottle cleaned or sanitized. I am meticulous and still have the occasional issue. Heck, I got a bad bottle from a well known craft brewery just a few weeks ago. I figured that was $13 down the drain, but I emailed them and they had me send it back for analysis. They sent me 2 more bottles and a bunch of swag. The point is that if it can happen to a major craft brewer, it can happen to you. I say try again on the slobber… It is an excellent kit. Mine have all been extract. If you like browns like moose drool, you will love this when it turns out right. Also try morebeer.com’s American Honey Porter kit. It rocks as well. I love the quick turnaround on it, and the price per beer is exceptional for what you get.
Incidentally, I think Northern guarantees their kits for any reason. I’ve never had a bad kit from anyone, but if your’s came out bad and you think you did what you should, hit them up for a replacement. I’m never afraid to ask. And Northern in particular has always taken care of me, especially when I tell them specifically why I’m not a happy customer and what I want them to do to make it right. Give them a chance.

Congrats!! I just received my kit and will be having my first brew day this Saturday! I cant wait :cheers: