All grain - make it sweeter?

looking to make my all grain bitter a little sweeter any ideas?

Mash it somewhere in the 155-158dF range. It'll cut down the amount of fermentable sugars a little.

Lactose?.....

Recipe would be helpful, as well.

try different yeast. attenuation of a yeast will affect resudial sweetness also.

Try Wyeast 1968 .....you'll have to wake it up on day 3 in the primary but I think this will get you where you want to go.

You could also under pitch the yeast.

Sudster said:

Try Wyeast 1968 .....you'll have to wake it up on day 3 in the primary but I think this will get you where you want to go.

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I'm using 1968 in an oatmeal java stout. I haven't brewed it yet, but the ingredients are here. What do you mean by having to wake it up? Does it go dormant, or take a long time to start?

Higher mash temp and/or Wyeast 1968(WLP002) would get you where you want to go.
This yeast settles out really! fast so you may need to stir it up to get it back in play.

Wow...suprised no one said the obvious...crystal malt.

Crystal/caramel malt has unfermentable sweetness. The more you add, the sweeter the beer...be careful

The other ideas about yeast straings and mash temps are great too.

Cheers!

Cutting back on the bittering hops would do it.

Yeah but let's face it...is that really a compromise you're willing to make? I mean...make the beer LESS bitter??

Heresy!

(Just kidding of course...less bittering hops will definitely allow more sweetness through)

Janx said:

Yeah but let's face it...is that really a compromise you're willing to make? I mean...make the beer LESS bitter?? Heresy! (Just kidding of course...less bittering hops will definitely allow more sweetness through)

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Of course, what was I thinking....?

Welcome back Hop King! I swear I don't know anyone who uses more hops than you. Sometimes your recipe descriptions just makes my whole face pucker!

3rd and Long said:

You could also under pitch the yeast.

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Just revisited this thread since Janx bumped it. The above wouldn't achieve the desired result, I don't think. Sure, it might not attenuate quite as far as a healthy starter would, but you're also increasing your risk of off flavors by a helluva lot.

A highly flocculant yeast is going to be highly flocculant, regardless of how much you pitch. That 1968 yeast is for damn sure flocculant. It takes some prodding to get it to attenuate to where you want to be. But, that does give you a bit more control....just rack it over when you're about at the FG/sweetness level you want. I hadn't thought of that.....but then again, I tend to like my beers kinda dry.

Can't get the yeast you are all talking about in the uk, but i will try the other ideas one by one, all sound good.

Thanks