Help with body/residual sweetness

[tkone]

So, in hopes that summer would one day come to new york city and bring temps above 70, I brewed a Blueberry Cream Ale.

Just cracked open a bottle last night (been in there for 1 1/2 weeks; wanted to check on the carbonation) and its' delicious, aside from some minor points:

1) the color is a horrid purple-grey!
2) the carbonation is a little low (but it's only been 1 1/2 weeks, and a cool 1 1/2 weeks at that)
3) it's a little too bitter!

this is only my second batch of all-grain, and i'm just making my way though new lager brewing, but i wanted to know how i get a little more residual sweetness in the beer.

Here's the recipe:

BeerSmith Recipe Printout - BeerSmith Brewing Software, Recipes, Blog, Wiki and Discussion Forum
Recipe: Blue Cream
Brewer: Todd Kennedy
Asst Brewer:
Style: Cream Ale
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (35.0)

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.41 gal
Estimated OG: 1.051 SG
Estimated Color: 3.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 19.8 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 65.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
3 lbs Fruit - Blueberry (0.0 SRM) Adjunct 24.00 %
4 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 32.00 %
4 lbs Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 32.00 %
12.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) Grain 6.00 %
0.75 oz Cluster [7.90 %] (60 min) Hops 19.8 IBU
12.0 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (1.0 SRM) Sugar 6.00 %
1 Pkgs Kolsch Yeast (Wyeast Labs #2565) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 8.75 lb
----------------------------
Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Mash In Add 10.94 qt of water at 170.1 F 154.0 F

Batch sparged, 60 minute boil, 2 liter starter (just the slurry)

 

[Yooper]

Hmmm- I'm no fruit expert but one way to get more body and sweetness in beer is to ditch the sugar in the boil. Sugar boosts the alcohol, but thins and dries out the beer. 12 ounces isn't much, but next time try it without any.

The wheat should give you a good head, but you might want to consider some crystal/caramel malt to give you some body and residual sweetness. I'd try a pound of crystal 20L, for some light color and just a bit of sweetness.

The mash temperature looks fine for a medium bodied beer. Did you hold it at 154? I wonder if the temperature dropped a bit and you might have a more fermentable wort. What was the FG? At 19 IBUs, it shouldn't be very bitter- I assume that will mellow in a couple of weeks.

Can't help with the color- sorry! Blueberries are purple, after all!

 

[tkone]

Good point on the sugar, hadn't thought about that.

The head actually is great -- lacing, foam, everything, so i'm happy with the wheat.

The temp dropped 3 degrees over the hour, so wended at 152 (i over shot and got 155 to start).

I might try this again if it ever gets warm around here and drop the sugar and add some c20 for the sweetness i'm looking for.

the bitterness is definitely from the blueberry -- ti's that puckering blueberry astringency you get -- which is nice since it adds to teh blueberry flavor, but since there's not as much body as i'd like it's a just a little off balance.

 

[tkone]

Oh and the OG was 1.051 and the FG was 1.011. Primary for 2 weeks, then split into two 3 gal secondaries, the fruit went into one.

 

[michael.berta]

Sounds like green beer to me. #2 & #3 will improve over time. Maybe give it a month or so in the bottle and try again? As far as the color goes I have no idea.....