1.060 - 1.008 too dry.

[Gabe]

I brewed an IPA last weekend and my primary has since stopped bubbling. I checked the gravity and it's at 1.008! I used WLP 013 London Ale. I tasted the sample and it's way too dry. I know it's done but I would like to balance it up with some sweetness. Is there anything I can add to my keg that will do this for me, or is this a lost cause ? Please help.
Cheers

 

[Bobby_M]

How about some lactose?

 

[cweston]

Maltodextrin will give it a more body--we could argue over whether or not it will actually taste "sweeter."

Lactose would probably be more likely to make the taste sweeter.

 

[david_42]

Lactose or steep a little C40L.

 

[cweston]

How did you get 87% attenuation? Was this an AG or extract brew?

 

[Orfy]

What was the recipe and what was the mash schedule?

 

[Evan!]

I also suggest a maltodextrin solution. Steep some nice toasty grains (like Victory) in a bit of hot water for 30 mins or so. Add the maltodex (Try 6-8oz) and stir till it's dissolved. Cool that and add it to the fermenter.

 

[Gabe]

Heres the recipe.
10# 2 row
3# Vienna
1# Wheat malt
1# crystal 10L
.5# biscuit

I took the reading at 60 deg so it's dead on at 1.008. I just pitched a healthy starter of WLP 013 and away it went. So Lactose or grain ? Whats the best?

 

[RichBrewer]

I wouldn't sweeten it with lactose. If anything I would go for some steeped crystal. I might even be tempted to leave it alone and see how it finishes. I don't think you want too much sweetness in an IPA.

 

[Yooper]

I'd nix the lactose, too. My Dogfish Head is at 1.010 and, while a bit dry, is not out of line for an IPA. I'd steep the Crystal 60L if you absolutely have to do something- but the truth is, I'd leave it alone. Maybe dry hop with cascade to give it some grapefruit-y notes and call it done.

 

[Gabe]

The prob is it's way dry, and kinda bland. I think a little sweetness might bring out the flavor a little more, then again I don't know. I might put it on the gas and try it . I guess I can always add something later.

 

[cweston]

I'm still curious how this happened, especially with a lb of crystal (albeit 10L) in there.

What was your mash regimen? That kind of attenuation just seems almost freakish.

 

[Gabe]

I hit my mash temp dead on at 152 deg. Held for 1 hour and mash out at 170 for 10 min. I then sparged with 170 for approx 25-30 min until I hit 1.010 on my run off. Not unusual I don't think, but I was shooting for a more fermentable wort, just not that fermentable ! So what do you think----no sweetner or steep some grains ?

 

[Orfy]

Well I was thinking if this'd work. Make wort with base and malto. Leave it till it hit's 1012/10 then using a few cambden tablets to halt fermentation then condition and force carb

 

[mysterio]

I would be pretty happy with that kind of attenuation to be honest, but then again I like a dry beer. Then again, IPAs, historically, are supposed to be dry.

I would stay away from Lactose unless you're making a sweet stout.

 

[Gabe]

I am going to put this on the gas and see how it tastes in a few days. If I need to sweeten it up can I just boil some DME up and pitch it in? I figure DME is about as sweet as it gets .

 

[Orfy]

Gabe,

If you add more fermentable sugars it will just feremnt out dry again with increased ABV. Thin and strong will just be harsh.

You NEED to get no fermentable sugars in.

Adding sugar to a brew makes it dryer not sweeter. Unless you over load the yeast and they can't cope.