Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
Should I just add more water??? I have been using standard recipes but dang! This is thick sweet and rich beer.... if I want to lighten it up a bit I guess I just need more water? 
All my beers are too thick & rich
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LeafCutter
Active Member
whats your method of brewing? I think a little more info on the process would give you some answers you're looking for
RobertRGeorge
Well-Known Member
You could let it ferment longer in a secondary to cut down on sweetness if this is a high gravity beer. What was the OG? Did you add anything like maltodextrin or flaked barley to add body?
lgilmore
Well-Known Member
Are you making sure you're using enough water as the beer requires?
beergolf
Well-Known Member
Give us one of your recipes and we can determine the cause of the thickness and richness. It could be that you are just not used to drinking brews that are like that.
boscobeans
Well-Known Member
Is this (from your earlier post) the recipe you used ?
Hey all... I have
2.2 lbs of Premier Malt (unhopped)
1 lb of dried breiss amber malt
1 lb of dextrose
1oz UK kent golding hops
If it is and you made 2.5 gallons it's going to make a malty sweet, low IBU beer.
bosco
Hey all... I have
2.2 lbs of Premier Malt (unhopped)
1 lb of dried breiss amber malt
1 lb of dextrose
1oz UK kent golding hops
If it is and you made 2.5 gallons it's going to make a malty sweet, low IBU beer.
bosco
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
That recipe sounds like a complete mess.
nutty_gnome
Well-Known Member
This thread title totally sounds like a first world problem!
http://therealfirstworldproblems.tumblr.com/
http://therealfirstworldproblems.tumblr.com/
barleyboy said:
Actually if you pitch 1oz of kent goldings 5% in at 60' it puts you around 33 IBUs. Low for an IPA, but in range for an APA. However for a 2.5 gallon batch the ABV is up over 6% which is too high for an APA. (assuming US-05 and about 75% attentuation)
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
I'd disagree. It's a bunch of random extract, a bag of corn sugar, and 1oz of EKG. Sounds like a random recipe created to make yellow fizzy bush beer.
Hence, the fact the guy is having issues with some taste, because the recipe is tossed together.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
I am going off LME for good I think. Yeah the hops were boiled 1/2 oz at 30 minutes and half at the end. Its hoppy enough. Just seems syrupy & sweet after 10 days ferment. (readings say it's fermented) Thats all... It does not taste bad it tastes rather good... I suppose i'm just not used to such a full beer. I may need to go lighter by adding more water.
Jeez I did not think I'd get so many replies. I think its a good recipe if you like a thick rich higher alc beer. It used 2 1/2 gallons water ... If i did it again I would probably use 3 1/2. Im sure that conditioning will help this along.
Jeez I did not think I'd get so many replies. I think its a good recipe if you like a thick rich higher alc beer. It used 2 1/2 gallons water ... If i did it again I would probably use 3 1/2. Im sure that conditioning will help this along.
If it's "syrupy and sweet", it's underhopped (underbittered). The hops added at 60 minutes are added to balance the sweet malt. It's not a good recipe, to be honest, and that is why the beer is not that good.
Yea, adding this hops according to the OP puts you around 12-13 IBUs. That is off the charts malty.
http://www.brewsupplies.com/_borders/hopsgraph.jpg
See chart.
First, dextrose should never really be more than 20% of the fermentables.
Second, you need a lot more hops if you are using them at 30 and flameout. Check the chart in the link.
Third, if you don't want such syrupy beers, try session brews or lower ABV recipes. Yours is 6.5% ish with good attenuation.
Last the LME isn't to blame here, it's how you are using it thats causing the issue.
Now a few questions, are your ending with 2.5 gallons or starting with it?
When are you adding the LME? Start of the boil? End? @10 minutes?
With only a 30 minute hop addition, how long are you boiling?
What type of comercial brews do you like? What styles really appeal to you?
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
McGarnigle
Well-Known Member
You really need to use a decent recipe, or buy a kit. What you're using is no good.
See what happens if you age it. With the corn sugar I bet it drys up more.It seems to me it does that at first though dryer/weirder when i use sugar then it balances out better with age. Although I notice often it seems I can also get a dryer more refined beer upon ageing also. So..... it just depends,all else fails let it age.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
6.5% ABV At 85% efficiency on beer alchemy... I used Danstar Windsor yeast.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
Yes. This was after all an experiment in simplicity geared to make a hi abv beer that tasted good.
"Efficiency" should be 100 on extract beers. There isn't any "efficiency" to worry about in extract batches.
The recipe is dreadful, but if you have a drinkable beer as a result anyway that's great news. For the next beer, you could try a real recipe and make a beer by design and it would be very good.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
Would prefer a yellow fizzy... this one is dark, strong, and malty sweet. Yeah it was a random recipe.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
I would welcome a simple recipe suggestion for a 5 gallon batch that tastes like newcastle ale! I'll do it next! Now that I have about 3 cases of marginal stuff aging that I can booze with
I will be extra patient now that I've had some practice.This thread is all over the place. what was your finish? this doesnt sound terrible and is still beer.Ambers can be malty.But I agree more hops is the call,still I see it more like a scotch ale or someting almost. Think he meant 85% attenuation?
Hi Cheepbeer,
One piece of advice I would like to lend to you: Use a hydrometer for starting gravity and finishing gravity. Take notes on this and it will give you great insight into how dry or sweet you like your beer.
For future brews, you can add corn sugar/dextrose to help the beer finish a little more crisp and dry. Malt extract doesn't have the best attenuation (how much of it ferments) so by itself, it can finish sweeter.
As Yooper mentioned, search for some recipes of beer styles you like. You are sure to find one that has been brewed several times so you can read feedback on it.
If you are enjoying the recipe you mentioned, you have a lot of amazing homebrew to look forward to!
One piece of advice I would like to lend to you: Use a hydrometer for starting gravity and finishing gravity. Take notes on this and it will give you great insight into how dry or sweet you like your beer.
For future brews, you can add corn sugar/dextrose to help the beer finish a little more crisp and dry. Malt extract doesn't have the best attenuation (how much of it ferments) so by itself, it can finish sweeter.
As Yooper mentioned, search for some recipes of beer styles you like. You are sure to find one that has been brewed several times so you can read feedback on it.
If you are enjoying the recipe you mentioned, you have a lot of amazing homebrew to look forward to!
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Windsor yeast is a low attenuator. You should have used Nottingham or US-05 for better attenuation in a higher ABV beer such as this.
The recipe isn't as bad as some folks make it out to be. But it is a little light in the bittering hops. .75 ounce @60, and a quarter at 15 would have brought you a more balanced beer as well. Using an extra ounce for extra late additions would have helped even more.
The recipe isn't as bad as some folks make it out to be. But it is a little light in the bittering hops. .75 ounce @60, and a quarter at 15 would have brought you a more balanced beer as well. Using an extra ounce for extra late additions would have helped even more.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
Its not terrible and it has not aged yet, I do think more hops are needed. I used 1/2 oz in the beginning and finished with 1/2 oz hops. (boiled it all in 1 3/4 gallons) cooled it real fast in sink of ice and 1 gallon cool water. into primary, aerated vigorously and tossed 1 bag of windsor that came with premier malt.
My beginning reading was 1.50 and ended at 1.010
I would welcome a simple recipe suggestion for a 5 gallon batch that tastes like newcastle ale! I'll do it next! Now that I have about 3 cases of marginal stuff aging that I can booze with
This tastes quite a bit like Newcastle:
3.3 LBS Amber LME
2 LBS Amber DME
8 oz Crystal 60L (crushed)
1 oz Williamette (60 minutes)
1/2 oz Williamette (5 minutes)
Yeast: dry nottingham
Pour two gallons water into brewpot and bring to approx 155 degrees. Steep grains (in a grain bag) 20 minutes, dunking grains like a tea bag. Remove grains and allow to drain without squeezing when finished. Discard the grains.
Heat the brewpot to boiling. Remove from heat and add malt extract. Stir until dissolved. Bring back to a boil and add bittering hops. Boil 55 minutes, then add finishing hops. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool rapidly to 70 degrees by using a wort chiller or an ice bath. When cool, put contents into a large fermenter. Fill with cool water until the 5 gallon mark is reached. Using a hydrometer, take an og reading. Sprinkle the yeast in, stir, and secure the lid and airlock. Keep at 68 degrees, or under, if possible.
Bottle after at least two weeks, and a f.g. of 1.012 or less.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the newbie oriented instructions yooper... I will do it saturday.
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
What made you think this was an APA or IPA originally???
I agree with the suggestions here, just couldn't figure out why you initially thought it was ANYTHING near an IPA. 1 oz of a low AA hop with that much crap would make nothing but malt syrup.
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
If you finished at 1.010, then it's not got a ton of residual sweetness left.
I think the issue is that you've got literally no hops in there. If you like the recipe, then add some hops at 60 minutes at the start of the boil and see what you think.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
I never said I wanted an IPA, never attempted to get close to an IPA...
I hate IPA's. I think they taste pretty nasty.
I Prefer a mellower beer, but yes, I needed more hops.
Im drinking it now... it carbed pretty fast and its a boozer for sure. I know its a cheep**** recipe but I believe it has possibilities with added hops. Has a very nice flavor.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
1
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
I was quoting the guy who said your recipe sounded like it was a close Pale or IPA. It's not.
I can tell you don't like hoppy beers if you think your recipe is hoppy enough, but still too sweet.
You probably enjoy a BMC beer, and aren't quite a hop head yet.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
You pretty much nailed it fatcity... I like a 5 or better abv as well... some hops. Thanks man.
BTW I can taste some hops... just needs a bit more I think.
BTW I can taste some hops... just needs a bit more I think.
Wait for more carbonation,sometimes I get a fuller carbonation by waiting longer,and it has a dryer crisper taste where the malts can even seem to fade,but maybe not too with windsor, although I still had a not to malty dry lighter style beer with that and wasnt malty. What you got for a finish is a pretty good finish.
Cheepbeer
Well-Known Member
I just realized after reading this post that it tastes a lot lot lot like this!!
http://www.caminobakery.com/images/old-chub-scotch-ale-i5.jpg
I bought a few 6 packs of this chub scotch ale a few months ago. This is what my beer tastes like.
FATC1TY
Well-Known Member
Scotch Ales' are generally going to be malty, without being shy about their alcohol content.
Unbalanced comes to mind, but I like a good Wee Heavy here and there.
I'd suggest perhaps knocking back the sugar of your beer, and see what you think.
Unbalanced comes to mind, but I like a good Wee Heavy here and there.
I'd suggest perhaps knocking back the sugar of your beer, and see what you think.
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