Watery Beer

The beer I've been brewing seems watery to me and lacking in flavor. I don't believe it's my recipes, but I really notice it in my reds and browns. I'm wondering if it's just the style? My only other thought, which I don't think is right, but I use 1.5 quarts water per lb. of grain and I know most people use around 1.25 quarts of water per grain. Any thoughts on that?

BVilleggiante said:

The beer I've been brewing seems watery to me and lacking in flavor. I don't believe it's my recipes, but I really notice it in my reds and browns. I'm wondering if it's just the style? My only other thought, which I don't think is right, but I use 1.5 quarts water per lb. of grain and I know most people use around 1.25 quarts of water per grain. Any thoughts on that?

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I use 1.5 quarts of water per pound of grain, but in my stout I go with 1.75 quarts/pound.

It could be your ingredients, and/or your mashing temperature. What is a typical recipe that you find watery, and what's the mash temperature? How do you sparge?

Is this after its carbed

Hey Yooper,

Was really hoping you'd see this as I have a high respect for your opinion/posts. I've attached an example of my red ale. Mashing temperature is at 150 degrees and I fly sparge and to this point have always met my estimated OG.

Yes, this is carbed in a keg at 2.5 volumes.

Primevci said:

Is this after its carbed

Click to expand...

BVilleggiante said:

Hey Yooper,

Was really hoping you'd see this as I have a high respect for your opinion/posts. I've attached an example of my red ale. Mashing temperature is at 150 degrees and I fly sparge and to this point have always met my estimated OG.

Click to expand...

Definitely increase the mash temperature! A mash temp of 150 is fine for something you want to finish thin, crisp, and dry. Like a cream ale or light American lager. But if you want a fuller mouthfeel, definitely increase that temperature! How sure are you that you're holding temperature during the mash? If the temperature is dropping, that could be even worse!

I mash my stout at 156/158, and many other beers at 154. Try the higher mash temp.

How about your sparging technique? Are you mashing out? Starting your boil right away?

Ok, I thought I might be too low on this as well and was planning to try 154 my next brew. Great to hear I was headed in the right direction. I know I'm holding temperature as I use MoreBeers Smart Recirculation System with a Ranco telling me grain temp and a second built in thermometer as a backup.

I fly sparge for 1.5 hours. I've determined this to be too long, and for me 45 min. is too short (don't reach my estimated OG), so I'm going to go for 60 minutes next time. As soon as my wort is transfered I boil right away and have a good rolling boil.

Yooper said:

Definitely increase the mash temperature! A mash temp of 150 is fine for something you want to finish thin, crisp, and dry. Like a cream ale or light American lager. But if you want a fuller mouthfeel, definitely increase that temperature! How sure are you that you're holding temperature during the mash? If the temperature is dropping, that could be even worse!

I mash my stout at 156/158, and many other beers at 154. Try the higher mash temp.

How about your sparging technique? Are you mashing out? Starting your boil right away?

Click to expand...

BVilleggiante said:

Ok, I thought I might be too low on this as well and was planning to try 154 my next brew. Great to hear I was headed in the right direction. I know I'm holding temperature as I use MoreBeers Smart Recirculation System with a Ranco telling me grain temp and a second built in thermometer as a backup.

I fly sparge for 1.5 hours. I've determined this to be too long, and for me 45 min. is too short (don't reach my estimated OG), so I'm going to go for 60 minutes next time. As soon as my wort is transfered I boil right away and have a good rolling boil.

Click to expand...

Is that a RIMS? I've never seen the system, so I"m not sure what it is. I assume you're mashing out before sparging, so that should be fine even if you take a long time to sparge as you should denature the enzymes through the mashout/sparge period and hold the mash profile of the wort.

A 60 minute sparge would be good- mine is usually shorter but I'm an inpatient person.

Hey Yooper,

It's a HERMS System. I'm indeed mashing out before sparging at 168 degrees.

Yooper said:

Is that a RIMS? I've never seen the system, so I"m not sure what it is. I assume you're mashing out before sparging, so that should be fine even if you take a long time to sparge as you should denature the enzymes through the mashout/sparge period and hold the mash profile of the wort.

A 60 minute sparge would be good- mine is usually shorter but I'm an inpatient person.

Click to expand...