I'm still trying to figure this one out and i'm at a complete loss. I'm producing beers that taste very good without any flaws but each beer has hardly a difference in flavor. I pitch enough yeast and have excellent temp controls. It seems to me no matter what malts I use there is no difference. I cant get that Pilsner malt flavor like in a heineken or that rich munich flavor. I used plenty of Maris otter in the ESB below and the flavor was just not there. I'm at the point where I am going to blame the malts that ive been buying from Northernbrewer. Perhaps they are old? I'm going to order my malts from Country Malts instead of Northernbrewer for freshness. I just dont know what else I'm doing wrong. I made an ESB a Helles Bock and a chocolate stout that just seem 1 dimensional. I'll give an example of recipes below. And yes! I am treating my water with calcium chlorides to up the malt character. Let me know your thoughts. My water is treated through a carbon filter and was tested at ward labs. Calcium 19ppm magnesium 2 Chloride 6 Sulfates 1 sodium < 0 total Alk 55
As you can see below my FGs are high enough to get that rich/sweet mouthfeel. The sweetness is there but i'm missing that base malt flavor everyone loves in german lagers and some English beers.
Common Room ESB:
Type: All Grain
Date: 10/29/2011
Batch Size: 4.25 gal
Boil Size: 5.54 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.70 lb Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 91.74 %
0.52 lb Crystal Malt - 60L (Thomas Fawcett) (56.0 SRM) Grain 6.19 %
0.17 lb Crystal Extra Dark - 150L (Crisp) (150.0 SRM) Grain 2.06 %
1.10 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (60 min) Hops 25.9 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (20 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.20 %] (20 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.20 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.057 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.31 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.48 %
Bitterness: 32.0 IBU Calories: 256 cal/pint
Est Color: 11.7 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 8.40 lb
Sparge Water: 3.57 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 8.40 qt of water at 164.2 F 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 4.50 qt of water at 207.7 F 168.0 F
And Jamils chocolate cherry stout:
Type: All Grain
Date: 10/6/2011
Batch Size: 3.50 gal
Boil Size: 4.96 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.33 lb Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 84.75 %
0.39 lb Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.54 %
0.33 lb Caramel Malt - 40L (Briess) (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.84 %
0.33 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3.84 %
0.26 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.03 %
1.45 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (60 min) Hops 40.9 IBU
0.29 lb Chocolate un-sweetened (Boil 0.0 min) Misc
3.00 lb Cherry Pure (Secondary 2.0 weeks) Misc
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028) Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.071 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.076 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.06 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.59 %
Bitterness: 40.9 IBU Calories: 347 cal/pint
Est Color: 35.6 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 8.65 lb
Sparge Water: 3.11 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 8.65 qt of water at 166.6 F 152.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 3.93 qt of water at 209.6 F 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 2.6 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F
I also made some sorta Helles bock with 65% contential Pilsner malt and 30% munch with about 30 ibus. Final FG was 1.014 OG was 1.061. It has nice body slighty sweet nice hope flavor with magnums but i just cant taste the base malts grrrrr
Thanks in advance for your input!
As you can see below my FGs are high enough to get that rich/sweet mouthfeel. The sweetness is there but i'm missing that base malt flavor everyone loves in german lagers and some English beers.
Common Room ESB:
Type: All Grain
Date: 10/29/2011
Batch Size: 4.25 gal
Boil Size: 5.54 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.70 lb Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 91.74 %
0.52 lb Crystal Malt - 60L (Thomas Fawcett) (56.0 SRM) Grain 6.19 %
0.17 lb Crystal Extra Dark - 150L (Crisp) (150.0 SRM) Grain 2.06 %
1.10 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (60 min) Hops 25.9 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (20 min) Hops 3.6 IBU
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.20 %] (20 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.25 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (0 min) Hops -
0.25 oz Fuggles [4.20 %] (0 min) Hops -
1 Pkgs London ESB Ale (Wyeast Labs #1968) [Starter 1000 ml] Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.058 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.057 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.015 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.31 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.48 %
Bitterness: 32.0 IBU Calories: 256 cal/pint
Est Color: 11.7 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 8.40 lb
Sparge Water: 3.57 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 8.40 qt of water at 164.2 F 150.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 4.50 qt of water at 207.7 F 168.0 F
And Jamils chocolate cherry stout:
Type: All Grain
Date: 10/6/2011
Batch Size: 3.50 gal
Boil Size: 4.96 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 90 min Equipment: Brew Pot (7.5 gal) and Igloo Cooler (10 Gal)
Taste Rating(out of 50): 35.0 Brewhouse Efficiency: 78.00
Taste Notes:
Ingredients
Amount Item Type % or IBU
7.33 lb Maris Otter (Crisp) (4.0 SRM) Grain 84.75 %
0.39 lb Black Barley (Stout) (500.0 SRM) Grain 4.54 %
0.33 lb Caramel Malt - 40L (Briess) (40.0 SRM) Grain 3.84 %
0.33 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 80L (80.0 SRM) Grain 3.84 %
0.26 lb Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3.03 %
1.45 oz Goldings, East Kent [5.80 %] (60 min) Hops 40.9 IBU
0.29 lb Chocolate un-sweetened (Boil 0.0 min) Misc
3.00 lb Cherry Pure (Secondary 2.0 weeks) Misc
1 Pkgs London Ale (Wyeast Labs #1028) Yeast-Ale
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.071 SG
Measured Original Gravity: 1.076 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.018 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 7.06 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 7.59 %
Bitterness: 40.9 IBU Calories: 347 cal/pint
Est Color: 35.6 SRM Color: Color
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 8.65 lb
Sparge Water: 3.11 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F TunTemperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: FALSE Mash PH: 5.4 PH
Single Infusion, Light Body Step Time Name Description Step Temp
75 min Mash In Add 8.65 qt of water at 166.6 F 152.0 F
10 min Mash Out Add 3.93 qt of water at 209.6 F 168.0 F
Mash Notes: Simple single infusion mash for use with most modern well modified grains (about 95% of the time).
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Corn Sugar Volumes of CO2: 2.4
Pressure/Weight: 2.6 oz Carbonation Used: -
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 60.0 F Age for: 28.0 days
Storage Temperature: 52.0 F
I also made some sorta Helles bock with 65% contential Pilsner malt and 30% munch with about 30 ibus. Final FG was 1.014 OG was 1.061. It has nice body slighty sweet nice hope flavor with magnums but i just cant taste the base malts grrrrr
Thanks in advance for your input!