Canned Kit with corn sugar - Save This Beer!

[MikeRoBrew1]

Hey gang -

Pics at: http://mikerobrew.blogspot.com/2010/10/muntons-nut-brown-ale-extract-only-kit.html

After my first ten brews or so, I tried a canned kit recently. The kit required additional fermentable sugars. I accidentally added 2.2lbs white corn sugar to a Muntons Connoisseurs Range Nut Brown Ale Extract Only kit instead of DME. Wish I would have researched!

Kegged after three weeks, conditioned for one week. So far every glass has tasted terrible, weak and thin with little body.

Now I know to use DME instead of corn sugar to add to a canned kit. Unfortunately I have five gallons of this beer, AND another five gallons of Coopers Australian Pale Ale that I also made with corn sugar. Dangit!!!

Can anyone suggest any ways to 'save' this beer? Otherwise I am seriously considering tossing it out. Of course, I will go ahead and hold onto the keg for another 2-3 weeks minimum hoping the taste will improve, but I am doubtful. Yes I have read many 'should I toss my beer' threads, hehe!

It's taking up valuable real estate in my keg fridge. Maybe I should take it out and continue conditioning at room temperature? I can always buy more kegs hehe..

Please check out my write up on the making of the kit with many pictures. From start to finish, including a picture of a freshly poured glass from last night. http://mikerobrew.blogspot.com/2010/10/muntons-nut-brown-ale-extract-only-kit.html

Thanks!
MikeRoBrew

 

[drokkenbolt]

Ugh, I have the same problem. Used sugar as the recipe said for 2 batches. Never again.

 

[Germelli1]

Brew a strong beer and blend the two to make a black and tan or something along those lines.

My advice is to go buy an assortment of beers and start blending until you find a style that tastes good with it, then brew something similar!

 

[boo boo]

Sugar has it's place in brewing, but not in place of malt when you are looking for body and flavour.
You can blend it if you want to take a chance on screwing up another brew ( if you don't screw it up then you're a better brewer than me ) or toss it and try again.

 

[Germelli1]

Since you keg, you can take some of the risk out of blending by doing it glass by glass as well (as opposed to an entire batch)

 

[boo boo]

Since you keg, you can take some of the risk out of blending by doing it glass by glass as well (as opposed to an entire batch)

That would probably be the best way to do it.

 

[LaurieGator]

I usually give my brewing mistakes to our "Junior Beer Rats" (the 22-25 year olds who don't know what good beer is yet...)

Have you thought about cooking with them? Maybe a BBQ sauce or some chili? Beer Cheese soup? Beer Bread?

Mixing it with another brew is a good idea too!

 

[ChshreCat]

Me, I'd bottle these up and save 'em. They'll be drinkable, just not as good as they could have been. So if you bottle them and set them aside, one those days when you might want to put away 8 or 10 while watching the game and get sloppy drunk, you drink a few of the good ones and then switch to these when you have that heavy buzz going and don't care. No need to waste tasty beer getting hammered.

 

[danlad]

Me, I'd bottle these up and save 'em. They'll be drinkable, just not as good as they could have been. So if you bottle them and set them aside, one those days when you might want to put away 8 or 10 while watching the game and get sloppy drunk, you drink a few of the good ones and then switch to these when you have that heavy buzz going and don't care. No need to waste tasty beer getting hammered.

Totally!

Always worth having the drinkable-but-not-great batches knocking about for those back from the pub but fancy just that one more before bed moments.

In fact, having one now!

 

[b33risGOOD]

I have been in your situation before and if you have the patience it will be a drinkable usually after 1-2 month in a bottle. But after all that time it will still be only a 5.5 out of 10.

You could mix and end up wiht even more average beer. if you have the funds, I would toss it and call it a day. Do things right and get a beer you enjoy and are proud to share.

I drank over 10gallons of that sort of beer and vow never to do so again lol

 

[ChshreCat]

Oh, this is so not a dumper. If you absolutely can't drink it, it's still good for brats. But I'm willing to bet it's drinkable. Probably more so than Miller Lite.

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

It's definitely drinkable, it just tastes watery and weak.


Thank you all for the sugesstions! I will probably:
-Bottle and save to empty the keg (but I have not built up a bottle collection yet hehe)
-Mix with other beer on tap <-- likely winner


On an unrelated note i kegged my American Dream Ale (Cream Ale) kit from brewngrow.com and man is that yummy brew! Also brewed up Magellians IPA last night, my first IPA, also from brewngrow. Pics added to my blog asap.

 

[grasshopper1917]

Just a tip - in my experience making canned kits I find if you use only malt for the additive it throws the balance off and is too lightly hopped. The best results I find is a combo of Malt extract and corn sugar or even better malt and 'High malt glucose' (liquid syrup sugar). Generally I think 2-3 pounds of malt extract and 1-2 pounds (max) of sugar/highmalt glucose make the best brews. Atleast they make a style I like - cheers

 

[ChshreCat]

Most of my beers taste pretty watery and weak in the fermenter compared to how they will be when they're done and carbonated.

 

[FatherJack]

I just made a Morgan's Lager kit with corn sugar.

I was kinda psyched to get into the hobby, but mildly disappointed with the kit. The resulting beer wasn't nearly as balanced and full flavored as I had wished it to be. I'm drinking them now just to get them out of the way and have no emotional attachment to them.

I feel your pain, I really do...

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

Grasshopper - Thank you very much, best answer yet for future recipes if I ever try a Muntons Can Kit again (not likely...). Thumbs up!

Chshre, you lost me with the last post.... This beer has already fermented for three weeks, and been carbonated and in the fridge for one week. Tastes totally different from any of the extract/hops/grain kits I have done.

Geppu - I would suggest making the jump to an extract/hops kit (grains for soaking are optional). With these type of kits there is no need to add extra fermentables. I have never had a bad batch with this method. Or as suggested above, we likely need to use "2-3 pounds of malt extract and 1-2 pounds (max) of sugar/highmalt glucose"

 

[ChshreCat]

Chshre, you lost me with the last post.... This beer has already fermented for three weeks, and been carbonated and in the fridge for one week. Tastes totally different from any of the extract/hops/grain kits I have done.

Ahh, missed that. I was thinking this was still in the fermenter.

 

[Jawbox0]

Overcarbonate 'em and call them Light Beer.

 

[david_42]

A pound of maltodextrin will boost the body and mouthfeel.

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

Update - After three more weeks in carb'd in the fridge, this beer has become ALMOST 'good'. Many people have tried it. When I explain what I did and how I think it tastes wrong, they get very confused looks on their faces and say, "Hmmm....well *I* think it tastes GREAT!" Now granted these are friends and not critics. To ME it doesn't taste quite right. But I have no issues drinking it! It's just a tiny bit on the 'watery' tasting side still.

I also have the Aussie Pale Ale in the fridge that was made the same way. Once this keg is gone we will tap that one next. I will post another update at that time. Hopefully it will be aged enough by then to taste good! lol

David42 - maltodextrin would have to be added during the boil, though right?? I did not realize my mistake until far too late for that. If I would have just added "2-3 pounds of malt extract and 1-2 pounds (max) of sugar/highmalt glucose"

Thanks again to everyone, I really appreciate the suggestions. Big thumbs up!

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

Update - After three more weeks in carb'd in the fridge, this beer has become ALMOST 'good'. Many people have tried it. When I explain what I did and how I think it tastes wrong, they get very confused looks on their faces and say, "Hmmm....well *I* think it tastes GREAT!" Now granted these are friends and not critics. To ME it doesn't taste quite right. But I have no issues drinking it! It's just a tiny bit on the 'watery' tasting side still.

I get this a lot too... even on batches I have problems with. I think it amounts to people's perception of homebrew. Most will assume you're making undrinkable swill that will make them go blind. When they finally taste it and it is not offensive to their palette, they will be surprised and tell you how much they like it.

Luckily I have my brother. He's not a huge beer geek by any means, but he does enjoy craft beer and will always give me an honest opinion. He doesn't hold my beer to a lower standard because it's homebrew.

 

[ChshreCat]

+1 I'm way more critical of my beer than any of my friends. I have one that I absolutely trust to give me a straight review because he's a home brewer as well and he never finds as much fault as I do. The tiniest things are huge flaws to me while everyone else thinks they're fantastic.