Hi all. Alright, damn it!! I have made about 6 batches of beer since moving from my crappy little MR. Beer kit and have slowly accumulated a lot of beer making devices. I even got a keg system (which I just tapped for the first keg batch) and, surprise...it still taste sweet. All my batches have been malt extract (thinking about AG soon).Every batch has had a sweet smell and aftertaste to it. I thought it was water so I switched to filtered water. Then I bought an o2 system to infuse it. That did'nt help. Then I thought it was temperature so I kept this latest batch (IPA) under strict temp control of 70degrees according to yeast guidelines. Had very very active fermentation as I even had a yeast starter. It began bubbling within 10 hours. Gave 3 weeks in secondary. Carbonated with CO2 over 7 days. I know my sanitation is immaculate. WTF? Basically I would never buy this beer if it were on store shelves. It doesn't taste offensive, like bacteria, it is just sweet with a sweet smell, not like an IPA. Even my copper ale smelled and tasted the same. It's like no matter what I do, every beer taste the same. Am I Stupid? Does extract brewing just produce sweeter flavors? I don't want to give up this hobby but damn it...all this work, time, money and every batch is somewhat dissappointing. Oh yeah, my hydrometer readings are right on as well (with the recipe sheets I am using) If you have any ideas please throw em my way. Thanks.
I don't think thats the problem because I usually buy the supplies from online or my LHBS and use a premade recipe, since I am fairly new to this. Anyway, this last IPA had about 2.5 oz of hops all together and most of those were Cascade hops for bittering. I would have to find the recipe sheet again or get my other computer out since I keep everything on there. However, most of the kits I have bought were customer favorites and I have followed the directions to a T. I am wondering if maybe it is the Idophor i use to sanitize. I mix 1 oz in 5 gallons of tap water and soak anything (even my brew pot) before it makes contact with the beer. I then give everything a quick spray down when it comes out of the sanitation, just to make sure it is all off. Maybe to much Idophor?
Other than the bittering hops, you might want to try a different extract. Fermentability can vary from different producers. I suspect you are using liquid extract??? If you are, try dry malt extract.
FYI, ALL MALT IS SWEET!! It's up to you to add just the right amount of bittering hops to balance the flavors.
Post your recipe and maybe we can help you better, but for now, I am certain I am correct.
As for spraying the sanitation fluid off of your equipment that's not necessary. You're only re-contaminating (not really) it again. Leave the Iodophor on there or let it drip dry.
Be sure to post that recipe. That's the key to getting the right answer to your problem.
Yes, hard to troubleshoot without a recipe. I use Iodopher to sanitize with no ill effects. One thing I did do however was switch from LME to DME for my extract brews and I noticed a big improvement in the overall quality of the beers. Once I moved on to steeping grains and partial mash, they got even better. Please post your recipe when you get a chance as that will help us to diagnose where the problem might be. The main thing is Relax and don't give up. Once you make that beer that tastes better than anything you've ever had before, you'll be hooked for life!
The only solution i can think of is to add more bittering hops. If cascade is not doing it add something with a bit higher AA% like chinook, or warrior.
Perhaps the LHBS you go to likes his beer on the sweet side and as such puts kits together that way.
How long are you boiling your wort and hops for?
Post your recipe and boil schedule and maybe we can help you.
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"Just because i don't care dosen't mean I don't understand." -Homer Simpson
I agree... post the recipe... its very hard to give suggestions without such basic information. Oh and from the sounds of it you can stop buying things now really Sounds like you have more then enough stuff to make some incredible beer! Lets get the sweet beer problem out of the way first.
Ok everyone, thanks a lot for taking time to help w/ my prob. Seems the receipe is important so I dug it out along with my cooking method and beginning hydrometer reading.
OCTANE I.P.A.
Octane IPA. This high octane kit is superbly rich in both hop and malt character. Adding 2 ounces of Oak Chips during secondary fermentation will present a faint woodiness that must of have been present in the original IPAs that were sent to British troops in oak casks while stationed in India. Our Minneapolis customers make this kit our number one seller. Ingredients for this recipe include 6 pounds of Gold malt extract, 3.3 pounds Amber malt extract, 1/2 pound of specialty grain, 4 ounces of hops, oak chips, yeast, priming sugar and a grain bag. Octane IPA w/ Munton's 6 gm dry yeast
How brewed:
1. Obviously clean/ sanitize everything
2. Crushed grains boiled at 155 (I did my at 170-180 degrees by mistake...did'nt know flame was still on) for 10-30 min (did mine for 30 min). Remove flame and let grains sit 5-10 min (did mine for 10 min).
3. Add malt extract, stir.
4. Restart flame, as soon as boil starts, add 2 oz cascade hops for at least 60 min (did mine for 75 min)
5. In last 30 min of boil, add 1oz of Willamette bittering hops.
6. In last 2 min of boil, add 1 oz Kent Goldings aroma hops then take off burner.
Cool wort add to cool water in fermenter, top off to 5 gallons.
7. Beginning hydrometer reading 1.072.
Why can't I get it right?
Sounds like you have more then enough stuff to make some incredible beer! Lets get the sweet beer problem out of the way first.
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