beer is lacking, add something?

Weizenheimer · 10-09-2009, 03:58 PM

I just made a the Yakima Blonde Ale extract brew found on this site and I am not pleased with it. It may have nothing to do with the recipe because my gravity varied quite a bit from where it was supposed to, (i have no idea where I went wrong.)

Anyway I'm trying to figure what I can do or add to it to get some more flavor. I came out as a very light blonde with little flavor and on 3.2% ABV. The good news is it smells great. I already have it on tap so I figured I'd drink about half as is and then experiment a bit. I was thinking of possibly adding some strawberry to it. How would I go about adding strawberry to it after it is already carbed up?

Anyone have any suggestions of something I can do to make this a more drinkable brew.

Thanks,
Matt

**BargainFittings** · 10-09-2009, 04:09 PM

Unless you were shorted on extract or added more water than called for, the gravity should be the right on.

You will need to add a boiled and cooled liquid of some sort to the final beer to keep from oxidizing it or driving out the carbonation.
It will sweeten up the beer assuming you are using an extract of strawberry.

Weizenheimer · 10-09-2009, 04:12 PM

I was thinking of adding a hop sack of frozen strawberries directly into the keg. Is that a bad idea?

Orangevango · 10-09-2009, 04:26 PM

not the best, you'd do better to buy some strawberry extract or something at this point, you are gonna get clogged dip-tube fever even with that hop bag.

dontman · 10-09-2009, 04:30 PM

How long in keg? Might just be green. Also overcarbing on a blonde really stands out. I have been unhappy with a lighter beer and when I decarbed it a little it got a lot sweeter and just became right.

**samc** · 10-09-2009, 05:16 PM

I'd just add something to my glass on each pour instead of messing with and possibly ruining a 1/2 batch. I discovered by accident that a bit of root beer mixed with a not so great beer makes for an interesting drink.