Ryepa too bitter in fermenter. Help me save it!

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beauvafr

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I think i've really over hopped my RyePa.

My last tasting from the fermenter tell me it really have a pungent hop taste.. The brew have about 74 IBU for a 5.7 abv target. I am really near the end of fermentation so I don't think the higher abv/IBU ratio on completion will save the thing. I'm 1.020 now down from 1.059. Gravity target is 1.015.

So what do I do now before it's too late. I would prefer to get a higher abv than diluting the beer if that's possible. Is it? Adding juice or sugar?
 
By the way I was already thinking about splitting the batch in 2 and adding mango puree to one of the batch in secondary.
 
Any idea to rescue this? I've read in other posts of the forum that I could go for one of these 3 options :

1. Make another batch less hopped and mix in the secondary before bottling
2. Transfer to secondary and let it ages until it taste good to me
3. Let it ages into bottle for a long time (how long.. I dont' know!)

Since I am lazy and I can't wait so long I would prefer to dilute it in the primary with some mango juice and by the same time start the fermentation again.

What do you guys think of this idea?
 
Id just let it ride, the bitterness will meld away a bit when it get bottled and conditioned. At least thats my experience
 
Had the same issue with my IIPA. Way too bitter in the fermenter. Just let it sit and cold crash if you can. The yeast will pull off a lot of the bitterness. Then, as suggested above, let it mellow for a couple of weeks. My IIPA is very drinkable now and has a very pleasant bitterness. Cheers!
 
Don't just the final product by what is not coming in the fermenter. Once it's primed, bottled, and carbonated, the taste and bitterness will have changed drastically.
I would say to just relax, don't worry and have a (home)brew.
 
jrgtr42 said:
Don't just the final product by what is not coming in the fermenter. Once it's primed, bottled, and carbonated, the taste and bitterness will have changed drastically. I would say to just relax, don't worry and have a (home)brew.

+ 1000

I'd say it's a very rare beer indeed that was "improved" by adjusting a flavor midstream....
 
Personally, I'd just suck it up and drink it, but you could add maybe a half pound of lactose to it to sweeten it a bit, if you really think you're going to hate it as is/will be.
 
beauvafr said:
@FarmerTed Thanks for the tip. How and when?

Sounds like you're thinking of adding lactose. Have you ever had a "milk IPA"? There's a reason!

The most important thing you can learn in brewing is patience. It's good to taste your samples during fermentation. It helps you learn what the yeast are doing during various stages. It does NOT help you anticipate the finished flavor. Great beers don't necessarily taste great at all stages, and definitely taste different when completely done and properly aged. That's the ONLY time you can taste the true outcome of your labor. Even if this batch comes out too bitter for your taste, you will have learned what the recipe truly tasted like. If you Jack with it now, it will almost certainly not taste as intended, and you'll never know what your recipe and process actually produced. Relax, don't worry, have a home brew. Were truer words ever spoken?
 
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