Add body to brew

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gartj

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I've recently noticed that some of my brews seem , hope this the right word, thin. They lack body or mouthfeel and just seem thin. Is this a byproduct of extract brewing? Are there specialty grains that can overcome this? Please give me some ideas.
 
Do you typically have it boil over when you brew? Partial boil method or full 5gal boil? How long do you ferment? Just curious, because if you are using a kit, they're proven recipes that should yield a good result.

My Dry Irish Stout (northernbrewer) I just tapped has very nice body- beer is clear, but you cant see through the pint it's that dark (reach foamy head too).
 
I'm not trying hijack here, but what IS the correct time to add malto-dextrin? All my AHS extract kits say to add it when you add the LME before you bring it to boil.
 
You can add Malto Dextrin at any time. It is slighly fermentable so we like to add it during the boil.

Forrest
 
MoRoToRiUm said:
Do you typically have it boil over when you brew? Partial boil method or full 5gal boil? How long do you ferment? Just curious, because if you are using a kit, they're proven recipes that should yield a good result.

My Dry Irish Stout (northernbrewer) I just tapped has very nice body- beer is clear, but you cant see through the pint it's that dark (reach foamy head too).
Click to expand...

No boil overs, usually 3 gallon boils, week in primary and a week to 2 in secondary depends on brew. We don't use kits just proven recipes found here and in books.

Maybe it's just me. We just got done kegging a Rogue Hazelnut clone and while the taste was right on I just wasn't pleased with the body. This brew was in prime for a week and secondary for a week. Maybe longer ferments? We made a Chocolate porter that is remarkable. Which is why I dont understand.
When you say 20% is this of total grain bill or just base grains? Can I add malto dextrin or any "body" grain to any recipes or do provisions need to be made for it's incorporation? Thanks for any and all help.
 
gartj said:
No boil overs, usually 3 gallon boils, week in primary and a week to 2 in secondary depends on brew. We don't use kits just proven recipes found here and in books.

Maybe it's just me. We just got done kegging a Rogue Hazelnut clone and while the taste was right on I just wasn't pleased with the body. This brew was in prime for a week and secondary for a week. Maybe longer ferments? We made a Chocolate porter that is remarkable. Which is why I dont understand.
When you say 20% is this of total grain bill or just base grains? Can I add malto dextrin or any "body" grain to any recipes or do provisions need to be made for it's incorporation? Thanks for any and all help.
Click to expand...

Perhaps try 3 weeks in primary and no secondary. Let it sit on the yeast cake and see if that helps.
 
Steep a specialty grain. Its easy, cheap, and will satisfy. It really transforms an extract from thin to good.
 
I tried an extract based recipe that used 3 pounds of steeping grains (Munich 1 lb, Victory Domestic 1.25 lb, and Caramel 60 3/4 lb). Even after all those steeping grains it still had thin body, I was a little disappointed. Nothing like a full sail amber which I was trying to clone.

Anyhow, I tried 1/2 lb of malto dextrin in a porter I made a few months after the amber. It turned out to have a lot more body, very smooth mouth feel. It only cost $1.25 for the 1/2 lb. I added it at the start of the boil. Seems like it did the trick!
 
larrybrewer said:
I tried an extract based recipe that used 3 pounds of steeping grains (Munich 1 lb, Victory Domestic 1.25 lb, and Caramel 60 3/4 lb). Even after all those steeping grains it still had thin body, I was a little disappointed. Nothing like a full sail amber which I was trying to clone.

Anyhow, I tried 1/2 lb of malto dextrin in a porter I made a few months after the amber. It turned out to have a lot more body, very smooth mouth feel. It only cost $1.25 for the 1/2 lb. I added it at the start of the boil. Seems like it did the trick!
Click to expand...

Would this be the equivalent in any style? Does it need to replace something or added on top of the grain bill?
 
its in addition to the recipie.

Malto dextrin vs. steeping grains. There are pro and con to both I guess. The steeping can bring some different flavors and colors to the table, while the malto dextrin is all body and is probably easier to use.

I like to steep, then do up my bittering hops in the "tea", and then add the extract near the end of my boil...
 
Bad pic, but here is my dry Irish Stout

CIMG0157.jpg


2 gallon boil

1 lbs Simpsons roasted barley
6 lbs gold malt extraact
1 oz yakima magnum (60)
Safale S-04

I kept this in primary fermentation in corny for about a month; I put a 'sure screen' stainless steel screen filter on the dip tube before I racked. Bled this into final keg and am fairly happy; Great nutty stout flavor, clear, but very dark, and good head (really fine too). Oh, and about 3 days under 30PSI, serving at 10PSI 1FT 3/16 micromatic lines and perlick taps.

I think longer primary fermentation might help as well.
 

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