Sweet Brews

jmkratt · 03-10-2010, 03:11 AM

I have kegged 3 batches thus far. Batch #1 turned out fine. Batch 2 and 3 taste pretty solid but are kinda sweet in taste. I fermented each for 1 month, then racked to keg, then let sit 1 week at pressure in keezer. Batch 2 was a Sunshine Wheat clone, Batch 3 was an Amber Ale from the LHBS.

I have read Palmer's explanations for off-flavors and they don't seem to apply.

Is it possible the brews are still green? Something I am missing?

I can post recipes if that would be helpful.

Being the newbie I am I thought batch #1 would be the worst, and yet it's the only one I have been drinking and the keg's almost dry

jescholler · 03-10-2010, 03:19 AM

What were your starting and finishing gravities?
What yeast did you use? Some can be sweeter.

jmkratt · 03-10-2010, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jescholler

What were your starting and finishing gravities?
What yeast did you use? Some can be sweeter.

I didn't have a hydrometer for the Sunshine, batch 2, so I don't know about that.

The Amber, Fat Tire Clone, OG = 1.05, FG = 1.01.
Recipe called for OG = 1.048, FG = 1.011

Sunshine Clone: White Labs American Hefeweizen Ale WLP320
Amber Ale: Wyeast 1762 Belgian Abbey 2

gtpro · 03-10-2010, 03:44 AM

Those gravities seem okay, I think I've noticed a slightly sweeter taste from my beers brewed with LME, maybe try DME or grain?

jmkratt · 03-10-2010, 03:46 AM

Both were brewed with DME/Steeping Grains.

Does Extract brewing lend itself to sweeter tasting beers?

Is it time to take the jump to partial mash?

whatisitgoodfor · 03-10-2010, 04:16 AM

Yes, extract tends to be a bit heavier and maybe a bit sweeter. (The wort extraction temperature that is used for malt extract is at the optimum for extraction potential, not the optimum for fermentability.)

Moving to PM is fun, but it won't affect your beers very much. Most PM kits are use about 3-4 Lbs of grain, out of 10-12 Lbs for an AG recipe. 1 Lb of the 3 Lbs is usually crystal, which could have been steeped as well, so there won't be a major difference between that and extract.

**Schlenkerla** · 03-10-2010, 04:39 AM

I would bet money that the reason your beer tastes sweet as a result of one of two ingredient additions.

1) Your hop addition, not being high enough to balance out the malt. This would mean your IBU's are too low. Didn't add enough hops or the alpha acid was too low. Hop alpha acids can vary within the same type and age.

2) You used too much DME for the hop/alpha acid that you added.

DME & LME are not the same lb for lb. The LME has more water. Therefore if you use DME in a recipe that calls for LME its going to be sweet.

I believe 1# DME is 1.045 points/pound/gal of water
1# LME is 1.037 points/pound/gal of water

Try targeting a specific OG and IBU using this website. It will help you dial in the recipe whenever you do substitutions.

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator

jmkratt · 03-10-2010, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlenkerla

I would bet money that the reason your beer tastes sweet as a result of one of two ingredient additions.

1) Your hop addition, not being high enough to balance out the malt. This would mean your IBU's are too low. Didn't add enough hops or the alpha acid was too low. Hop alpha acids can vary within the same type and age.

2) You used too much DME for the hop/alpha acid that you added.

DME & LME are not the same lb for lb. The LME has more water. Therefore if you use DME in a recipe that calls for LME its going to be sweet.

I believe 1# DME is 1.045 points/pound/gal of water
1# LME is 1.037 points/pound/gal of water

Try targeting a specific OG and IBU using this website. It will help you dial in the recipe whenever you do substitutions.

http://hbd.org/cgi-bin/recipator/recipator

That makes perfect sense. As I was following a recipe, and am still new, I didn't even think about it. I am sure you're right though as both brews aren't bitter in the least bit. I am going to brew my first recipe tonight so I will have to take a look at what you said to ensure it doesn't happen again!

Thanks for all the help guys.

**Yooper** · 03-10-2010, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmkratt

That makes perfect sense. As I was following a recipe, and am still new, I didn't even think about it. I am sure you're right though as both brews aren't bitter in the least bit. I am going to brew my first recipe tonight so I will have to take a look at what you said to ensure it doesn't happen again!

Thanks for all the help guys.

Schlenkerla said what I was going to suggest- that the beers aren't really too sweet, but they may be underhopped. If it finished at 1.010, it really shouldn't taste sweet but of course if there aren't enough bittering hops, it will not be balanced the way you'd like.

I think a PM would be a great way to get fresh grain taste in your beer, and continue using DME.

You can also try adding the DME late, but make sure you adjust the bittering hops. You don't want to go from underbittered to too bitter! I think adding the DME at flame out is one of the things that gave me the best extract beer, without that dreaded extract taste.

slowbie · 03-10-2010, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatisitgoodfor

Yes, extract tends to be a bit heavier and maybe a bit sweeter. (The wort extraction temperature that is used for malt extract is at the optimum for extraction potential, not the optimum for fermentability.)

Moving to PM is fun, but it won't affect your beers very much. Most PM kits are use about 3-4 Lbs of grain, out of 10-12 Lbs for an AG recipe. 1 Lb of the 3 Lbs is usually crystal, which could have been steeped as well, so there won't be a major difference between that and extract.

If you're willing to move away from kits, you can gain more advantages from partial mash. I use DeathBrewer's stovetop PM methods and look for recipes. If I find a good extract w/ steeping grains recipe I replace as much of the light extract as I can with base grains, and when I find an all grain recipe I do the opposite and use extract instead of base grain. Even though I'm limited by doing stovetop partial boils, my last batch I was able to replace half of the extract with base grains.

As far as results go, I made an IPA that had at least 83% attenuation, and possibly more because I forgot to mix in my top up water well before taking my OG.