What about adding additional malt to secondary?

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drakub

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For the past few months my buddy and i have had few issues with very low FG (a lot of booze but no taste). Is there any way to add some nonfermentable sugar to secondary to regain some body in the beer. I have learned what my mistakes could have been but we are still sitting on two 5 gal batches that are close to non drinkable due to dryness and I wanted to see if there anything that we can to do to save it prior to bottling it.

Thanks

:mug:
 
I've never actually tried this but have thought about something like lactose. That is a nonfermentable sugar that people use for Milk Stouts but depending on the beer I wonder what sort of flavor that would impart.
 
Lactose will make it sweeter. Malto Dextrine malt will add very little sweetness, but will add body. Which is what I think you are looking for. I just added about 6 oz of MD to a kegged special bitter of mine that finished way low (1.002). Added quite a bit of body and I'm happy now. 3-4 oz is perfect if you want just a little body. In 30+ brews, I've had to do this twice. Cheap insureance to keep around your brew house just in case.
 
Lactose will make it sweeter. Malto Dextrine malt will add very little sweetness, but will add body. Which is what I think you are looking for. I just added about 6 oz of MD to a kegged special bitter of mine that finished way low (1.002). Added quite a bit of body and I'm happy now. 3-4 oz is perfect if you want just a little body. In 30+ brews, I've had to do this twice. Cheap insureance to keep around your brew house just in case.

I think that might be the answer... I would assume that the MD has to be cooked for 15 min but in how much water??? and then cooled to 70 and then siphoned into the carboy... am i on the right track?
 
It just needs to be dissolved in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. I would say no more than a cup of water with your 3-6 oz MD. The MD amount really will be determined by how much body increase you are looking for.

Then after boiling, bring it down to 70-75 and gently pour into the carboy. If you can siphon great, but I don't think its necessary if you are careful. Just tip the carboy a little and pour down the inner side of the neck. Should be no mixing really required if you are going to rack to a keg or bottling bucket later on.
 
I totally agree with reverseapchemaster... i think i got it figured out what the issues where (high temp, long mash, high yeast... etc) i will try to do my next batch taking these things under consideration... but for now i am trying to salvage 10 gal of beer and at this point i see nothing to loose...
 
I totally agree with reverseapchemaster... i think i got it figured out what the issues where (high temp, long mash, high yeast... etc) i will try to do my next batch taking these things under consideration... but for now i am trying to salvage 10 gal of beer and at this point i see nothing to loose...

By high temp I'm assuming you mean fermentation temp and not mash temp correct? Because a high mash temp would do the opposite.
 
Rather than trying to put a band aid on the problem why not try to fix whatever is wrong with your process or recipes?

By high temp I'm assuming you mean fermentation temp and not mash temp correct? Because a high mash temp would do the opposite.

Yes ... the fermentation temp in my basement is about 72 and due to the size of it i can't really do much. I will be trying a swamp cooler and if that works i might actually build something out of sheets of foam and ice bottles etc...
 
A little higher fermentation temp might get you to FG sooner, but I doubt it would change your FG by much. Your yeast will keep munching until the fermentable sugar is exhausted, assuming there are enough healthy yeast available.

If you haven't already, I'd calibrate the thermometer that you use to measure mash temps. Mine reads 3 degrees low. If yours reads a few degrees high, that could easily explain the high attenuation with low mash temps.
 
Adding MD will definitely solve the immediate problem. Since you have a 10 gallon batch, I'd start with 8 oz.
 
Adding MD will definitely solve the immediate problem. Since you have a 10 gallon batch, I'd start with 8 oz.

At what point will you add the MD? it will be ready for bottling this sunday... should i just do it then or should i add it to carboy as soon as possible?
 
Doesn't really matter. You could add it to the bottling bucket with the priming sugar and be fine. I think it's 95% unfermentable, so there should be little contribution to the priming sequence.
 
Rather than trying to put a band aid on the problem why not try to fix whatever is wrong with your process or recipes?

Mashing? If so mash at a higher temp... use a less attetive yeast

Also, as stated re-read your brewing book... you may have "twisted" a concept in your head and are doing it wrong...

If you keg... brew a heavy beer and "blend it" with your beer with not taste... (Save the Ales!)

I just made a prter that seemed to have a real harsh burned taste during the finish... I had extra beer in the fermentor (Hefe-Weisen) so I loaded up the keg with a gallon or so of the pporter and poured the Hefe on top... taste fine...

Funny part is the non mixed hefe now is so sweet and banana-eee that I almost can't drink it... the porter has mellowed buit the blend of the two is the best...
 
As others have mentioned, consider adding body to your beers in these ways: mashing at higher temps; add a bit of carapils to your grain bill; add a bit of flaked grains (e.g., oats, barley, etc) to your grain bill.
 
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