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kontrol · 02-18-2013, 03:19 AM

I finished my first beer, bottled it 3 days ago (Still resisting to taste one at the moment). I tasted my (flat, warm/hot) beer before bottling and I must admit that it was a lot more attenuated than I expected.

I brew with extract and steep grains. Yet since I'm just learning I'm not quite ready to move to partial/all grain.

My beer was 1,046 OG and 1,013 FG. There is about 1lb and 12oz of crystal/chocolate (all together) in my 6GAL batch. Pitched WLP005 yeast and fermented at 68F room temperature the whole time.

1. How can I scale up the mouthfeel of my beer?
2. How do I increase the residual sweetness? Do I try to go for a higher OG and use less attenuative yeast? More non-fermenticible sugar?
3. I don't know what to expect yet as it's my first experience, but will my carbonated beer taste more sweet and have a higher mouthfeel than the non carbonated warm beer I tasted? It tasted... dull.
4. How do I give the sweet mouthfeel that some porter have? Molasse? Is it the only way?

I suppose that mouthfeel and sweetness in the beer are probably highly related. I'm searching for way to control them individually and together is what I ask is possible.

badlee · 02-18-2013, 03:32 AM

I dont use this method,but I would think that steeping some flaked wheat/oats and changing your yeast to one that attenuates less would do the trick.
I see from the wlp site that 005 can hit 74%, so if you go for something that maxes out at,say 78-70% then you will be ok.

**helibrewer** · 02-18-2013, 03:47 AM

What style beer did you brew? Almost 2 pounds of non-fermentables with an OG of 1.046 seems like a lot of unfermentable sugar. Once it's carbed it will taste a lot different...the CO2 cuts some of the sweetness.

There's a difference in the sweetness from crystal malt and the sweetness from lower attenuated base malt.

kontrol · 02-18-2013, 04:38 AM

Its an english brown ale

**helibrewer** · 02-18-2013, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kontrol

Its an english brown ale

Take good notes about what you think of the taste now. When it's carbed do the taste test again and compare to your green beer taste. Taking good tasting notes is the best way to tweak a recipe. I think you did everything right for an English Brown, no you just need to sit tight until you can compare the carbed version.

kontrol · 02-18-2013, 12:07 PM

Yeah I'm waiting until I can drink it. I feel it will be on the dry side. But let's see

My other questions on how to increase mouthfeel and sweetness remains. For further recipe I'd like to know how I can control these.

**helibrewer** · 02-18-2013, 12:45 PM

Crystal malt will add sweetness and higher mash temps will increase nonfermentables which increases mouthfeel, and body, but not necessarily sweetness.

Carapils malts as well as wheat and flaked oats will also increase body. Lactose is used to make sweet stouts since it is an unfermentable sugar.

Think of your extract as the fermentable portion and the steeping grains as the color, flavor, body piece.

This is a pretty good reference for what each of the grains/sugars contribute:
Grain List

**unionrdr** · 02-18-2013, 01:21 PM

Maltodextrin is usually used to increase mouth feel. Can add a certain creaminess as wel. Lactose is milk sugar,typically used in milk stouts.

kontrol · 02-18-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by helibrewer

Crystal malt will add sweetness and higher mash temps will increase nonfermentables which increases mouthfeel, and body, but not necessarily sweetness.

Carapils malts as well as wheat and flaked oats will also increase body. Lactose is used to make sweet stouts since it is an unfermentable sugar.

Think of your extract as the fermentable portion and the steeping grains as the color, flavor, body piece.

This is a pretty good reference for what each of the grains/sugars contribute:
Grain List

How do I know in Beersmith grain list what is the portion of fermentable/unfermentable sugar?

And I can increase the temp of my steep to extract more unfermentable sugar? Or does it only work in a mash? I'm talking about steep grains like crystal.

**NordeastBrewer77** · 02-18-2013, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kontrol

How do I know in Beersmith grain list what is the portion of fermentable/unfermentable sugar?

And I can increase the temp of my steep to extract more unfermentable sugar? Or does it only work in a mash? I'm talking about steep grains like crystal.

Basically, no, you can't increase/decrease fermentables in a steep. You're basically just rinsing existing sugars from the grains, that's it. As for sweetness and mouthfeel in an extract brew, that's not normally going to be an issue. IME, extract beers seldom, if ever, over attenuate.
As for your beer, 1.013 is going to give you plenty of body and mouthfeel. There will also be some residual sweetness there. It will come across much differently when carbed.
A great tip that I can give you is that your warm, flat beer (or warm, flat beer in general) comes across thin, watery and bland. Carbonation will add to the feel of the beer and allow the flavors to come out. RDW, and wait a few weeks, you won't be worried about sweetness or body once this beer is carbed.