STILL too sweet

This was my 2nd AG trip and was bottled 6-1.

I opened one last night and the sweetness is much more than I'd have preferred.

What might cause this? I realize the the FG was 1.010, but I've had other beers finish out at that or a little higher without this obnoxious up-front sweetness.

1st Pale
American Pale Ale


Type: All Grain
Date: 5/9/2008
Batch Size: 6.00 gal
Brewer: JW Long
Boil Size: 7.97 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (15 Gal) and Igloo/Gott Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00
Taste Notes:

Ingredients

Amount Item Type % or IBU
1.00 lb Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 6.45 %
1.50 lb Light Dry Extract (8.0 SRM) Dry Extract 9.68 %
9.00 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 58.06 %
1.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 9.68 %
1.50 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 9.68 %
1.00 lb Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6.45 %
1.00 oz Hallertauer, New Zealand [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 23.3 IBU
0.50 oz Hallertauer, New Zealand [8.50 %] (30 min) Hops 8.9 IBU
0.50 oz Sterling [7.50 %] (20 min) Hops 6.2 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (15 min) Hops 3.7 IBU
0.50 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (5 min) Hops 1.5 IBU
1.20 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Safale S-05 Yeast-Ale



Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.063 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.070 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.85 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.84 %
Bitterness: 43.7 IBU Calories: 313 cal/pint
Est Color: 12.7 SRM Color: Color


Mash Profile

Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Total Grain Weight: 14.00 lb
Sparge Water: 6.08 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 178.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.2 PH

Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 17.50 qt of water at 170.1 F 154.0 F



Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 4.5 oz Carbonation Used: 12
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F

Well, I think the culprit is 1.5 pounds of crystal. That's a whole lot of crystal (which provides some sweet taste). Why the DME? I was just wondering also if your IBUs are off, since your OG is higher than expected in Beersmith.

Yeah. I used that mainly to get the color.

I miscalculated the pre-boil efficiency, and threw in the DME in the last 15min.

skinfiddler said:

I miscalculated the pre-boil efficiency, and threw in the DME in the last 15min.

Click to expand...

I wonder if you recalculate that with a late extract addition, if your IBUs would change. I'm thinking that the IBUs are too low for a 1.070 beer, and that's way too much crystal, so that the beer tastes too sweet to you.

1.5# crystal and 1# carapils gives you 2.5# of sweetness. Maybe cut each one in half next time. Most american pale ales that I make only use 1/2 to 1 pound of crystal malt/car-pils, a little sweetness is ok, but I don't like it over the top.

This is "over the top." I think I'm going to dump it. Maybe wait and see if it changes character over the next month.

I should maybe have used 4oz. of 120L Chrystal malt?

Nobody mentioned the vienna and that is very sweet. The 154F mash should be 150F if you want a dry beer. Cut the 60L in half as well as the carapils. Whatever malt you remmove replace with 2 row pale malt.

Do not dump this beer. Make a 10 gallon batch of dry 2 row beer and blend it in extra cornys.

skinfiddler said:

This is "over the top." I think I'm going to dump it. Maybe wait and see if it changes character over the next month.

I should maybe have used 4oz. of 120L Chrystal malt?

Click to expand...

DO NOT DUMP!!!

Just blend it with another overly bitter beer , a hoppy commercial brew, or make a hop tea mix.

Put it in a corner somewhere for a month or two. You might be pleasantly surprised.
I have had sweet cloying beer transform into wonderfull balance.

+1 to your mash temps causing part of this. I mashed my Amarillo Pale at about 152 and it was still a bit sweet. I'm going for 148 next time I want to make a drinkin' beer. Good for an enjoyin' beer though! Everyone at the house loves it. I have a feeling this keg will blow quickly.

Hmm...strange that it would taste sweet at 1.010, even if you did have a bunch of crystal in there, a low FG like that, with all those specialty grains, should yield a dry beer with malty flavor, not malty sweetness.

Have you thought about what's up with the hops? I've never used NZ Hallertauer, nor have I ever seen any version of haller that was 8.5% AA. I have a bit of "Hallertauer Select" that is a mere 1.5% AA. Are you sure that 8.5% is right?

The 1.010 FG is what was puzzling to me as well. My hydrometer checks out too in 60degF water.

As to the NZ Hallertauers, I bought them at Freshops and they are marked 8.6 alpha.

I will give it a couple more months before anything drastic.

Brewing this week- will go for drier.


Thanks