How do you make a beer with a "dry" mouth feel? (Like Magic Hat #9)

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McDingleberry

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I was just wondering how this is accomplished. I googled around didn't find much info. Magic Hat #9 has a very dry mouth feel that I haven't really experienced in other beers.
 
sorry, never tried it...

dry mouth feel is typically accomplished by lower mash temps, more attenuative yeast and higher carbonation levels. It's a English/Pale Ale-ish brew. Pale malts + some crystal. Reasonable ABV. SRM of 9.

If you're trying to clone it, do a google search for a Magic Hat #9 All grain clone (or something like that). Take a read on the different attempts and see what's similar between your choices.

I'd bet that you'll see mash temps ~ 150 degrees for an hour. I'd bet that your volumes of CO2 are ~2.5 or so. Lastly, I'd bet they chose one of the more attenuative English Ale yeast strains (probably of the 68-72% attenuation range).
 
There are clone recipe's for #9 readily available. The BYO 250 clone recipe edition has a recipe as does the 200 clone recipe book I have... Looks like the dry mouthfeel comes from both lower mash temps (150F for one recipe, 152F for the other) and a lower FG (1.012-1.013)... The yeast also plays a part there, even though both sources list different yeast strains. Another part could be from the hops used. Both clone recipes list different hops though... :rolleyes:

So, pick your recipe, brew it and see how you like it... If you don't like it, try the other one...

In general, though, lower mash temps will help a brew finish with a lower FG, making for less body and a drier brew... You can also get more of the crisp, dry, feel from the yeast used.

This is all part of the fun of home brewing... Making something with the flavors and character YOU want in a brew. :D
 
sorry, never tried it...

dry mouth feel is typically accomplished by lower mash temps, more attenuative yeast and higher carbonation levels. It's a English/Pale Ale-ish brew. Pale malts + some crystal. Reasonable ABV. SRM of 9.

If you're trying to clone it, do a google search for a Magic Hat #9 All grain clone (or something like that). Take a read on the different attempts and see what's similar between your choices.

I'd bet that you'll see mash temps ~ 150 degrees for an hour. I'd bet that your volumes of CO2 are ~2.5 or so. Lastly, I'd bet they chose one of the more attenuative English Ale yeast strains (probably of the 68-72% attenuation range).

Thanks for the info. I'm not really trying to clone it, but I do like the idea of doing something dry with a low ABV for the summer. It really does have a crisp taste.
 
There are clone recipe's for #9 readily available. The BYO 250 clone recipe edition has a recipe as does the 200 clone recipe book I have... Looks like the dry mouthfeel comes from both lower mash temps (150F for one recipe, 152F for the other) and a lower FG (1.012-1.013)... The yeast also plays a part there, even though both sources list different yeast strains. Another part could be from the hops used. Both clone recipes list different hops though... :rolleyes:

So, pick your recipe, brew it and see how you like it... If you don't like it, try the other one...

In general, though, lower mash temps will help a brew finish with a lower FG, making for less body and a drier brew... You can also get more of the crisp, dry, feel from the yeast used.

This is all part of the fun of home brewing... Making something with the flavors and character YOU want in a brew. :D

Thanks. I didn't realize that the mash temps would affect the mouth feel. I don't have an all grain setup yet, but I am slowly piecing it together. I can't wait to get it up and running and try some stuff like this. I wouldn't really want to clone it, but I would like to do a lighter, crisp beer for summer, maybe with a bit more hops.
 
I have brewed with champagne yeast (EC1118) to get that dry crisp taste in beers, however it will dramatically increase the alcohol content.
 
Thanks. I didn't realize that the mash temps would affect the mouth feel. I don't have an all grain setup yet, but I am slowly piecing it together. I can't wait to get it up and running and try some stuff like this. I wouldn't really want to clone it, but I would like to do a lighter, crisp beer for summer, maybe with a bit more hops.

Mashing at 150 creates more fermentable sugars, whereas mashing at 158 increases the amount of non-fermentable sugars that are generated. The non-fermentables contribute to your mouthfeel.
 
Mashing at 150 creates more fermentable sugars, whereas mashing at 158 increases the amount of non-fermentable sugars that are generated. The non-fermentables contribute to your mouthfeel.

Exactly...

So, if you brew two batches with the exact same grain bill, hops, yeast, etc, and mash one at 154-158F and the other at 148-152F the one you mash lower will finish with a lower FG and higher ABV%. The OG should be the same for both brews.

Personally, I'm starting to make in the 150-152F range more often. I'll do some in the 154F range, but after the results of my first 158F mash came out, I decided that most of my brews will be mashed lower. Especially when I got to drink some of the ones mashed lower. :rockin: :drunk: You can get more kick, from the same amount of grain, when you mash lower... :ban:

Loving the flexibility and freedom you get when you start brewing all grain...
 
US-05 dry yeast will also produce a relatively clean dry finish compared to some other ale yeasts, esp at the lower end of it's temp range if your still in extract brewing.

Magic Hat #9 also has a bit of apricot (probably flavoring) which on tap is ok, but really lacking out of the bottle for me.
 
The clone book recipe has 1/2 cup apricot beer flavoring added post fermentation (before bottling)... If you brew it, let it ferment for a couple of weeks, then add the flavoring and let it sit for another week or two before bottling it up... They say to do the secondary racking method, but I would ignore that... So once primary fermentation is complete, you can add the flavoring and let it ride a while longer to blend/meld/mellow a bit before bottling it up...

IF I knew people that bought that brew, I'd be tempted to make it... I might at some future point, but it's not even near my lists...
 
In bigger beers, the use of corn sugar (up to 10%) can also help to dry a beer out, even for extract brewers. I'm doing an extract Pliny clone coming up and may go with just LME and 10% corn sugar with no steeping grains just to see if I can keep the final beer drier than a .... well just dry.
 
I wouldn't exactly describe Magic Hat as dry. I remember it being a bit sweet to my taste.

Yeast selection is one way, although I wouldn't use a wine or champagne yeast with beer. PacMan Yeast seems to get a bit dryer in my experience than most ale yeast.
 
Agreed on Magic Hat #9 not being the best example of dry, esp since it is a fruit beer.

Hard water beers always taste dry to me as well. Gypsum in substantial quantity could result in a very dry, almost sharp, flavor. I've over gypsumed before, (don't drink and brew) but it wasn't enough to ruin the batch, it was a English Pale.
 
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