getting a beer to finish dryer
 

I have a beer that I brew that I really like but would like to get it dryer and am clueless as to how to do that. The grain bill is
9 lbs Pilsner
2 lbs vienna
mashed at 148 degrees for 60 minutes

it is coming out around 1.012-1.010 but still has a sweetish taste to it.

using all fuggle hops
.5 oz @60
.25 oz @ 15
.5 oz @ flameout
I am thinking maybe the issue may be a lack of bittering more than not dry enough...any suggestions?

Fuggles are a pretty low AA hop. Upping the hops should help. Right now you have pretty low IBU's.

Look at this chart, it will help you balance your beer out...http://http://www.brewsupplies.com/hops-gravity.htm

Use a high attenuation yeast, mash at lower temps (148 is good), and pitch a starter.

Use more hops early in the boil to increase bittering.

Another vote for more hopping. 1.010 is pretty low for 11 pounds of grain. You could reduce that a bit maybe, especially if you replaced some of the malt with sugar or something, but I think adding flavor to balance would be a much better option than taking it away.

s-05 yeast and a starter already. I think you guys are correct a little more bittering should do it.

your grain bill is 11lbs
What is the volume of beer your shooting for after the boil?
If it's 5gal then your grain bill is to high for a drier beer cut it back to
around to 9lbs
8lbs pils
1lb Vienna
Then adjust your hops to achieve the desired bitterness.

tim

IMO you have 2 options...either add a higher alpha bittering hop at the beginning of the boil or add corn sugar (up to 10%). With your recipe, I'd start with adjusting your bittering hop addition first.

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IMO you have 2 options...either add a higher alpha bittering hop at the beginning of the boil or add corn sugar (up to 10%). With your recipe, I'd start with adjusting your bittering hop addition first.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk

Lower your temp to 145 and extend your time to 2 hours. I did a German Pils at 140 for something like 10 hours and ruined it. It was like drinking flour water.

Some people in this thread are confusing bitterness with dryness.

You can increase bitterness by adding more bittering hops early in the boil. You can increase dryness (as in lower FG) by using a higher attenuating yeast and higher pitching rate (make a starter w/ liquid yeast or double pitch packets of dry yeast) and mashing low. Another thing that can increase FG is using a lot of specialty grains but your recipe isn't doing this.

If your thermometer is accurate and you're mashing at 148 then you're already mashing low enough for a dry beer and pitching a higher yeast count or switching strains is likely your solution.