1st Brew is Sweet....What Happened?

[Neomich]

I just opened up my first bottle of my first batch and it's pretty sweet.

I had a really hard time getting my water to boil and I think my temperature might have been too low. Would this cause the hops to not do its job very well? I made a belgian wit recipe from AHS. Pretty straight forward recipe and instructions but I think its due to the water temperature.

Could this be the cause? I'd like to fix it before this coming weekend when I do my next batch.

Luckily, I won't mind a sweeter brew. SWMBO would like it and my other friends I'm sure would help finish it off.

 

[gmal1]

Sounds like it didnt ferment long enough. Did you take a hydrometer reading? Too much sugar left in brew usually means the yeast didnt finish the job.
Boil...should be a long boil, most recipes, like 30-60 minutes at a nice roiling boil. If you didnt boil, thats part of the problem too.

 

[david_42]

The Belgian Wit is a low bitterness, sweet style. Sounds like you made it correctly.

[A good boil is important for bittering. A simmer can be 5-10 degrees below a boil and hop utilization drops rapidly.]

 

[malkore]

lack of a decent boil lowers hop utilization
boiling only a couple gallons (partial boil) instead of a full 5+gallon boil lowers hop utilization too

what is the gravity? need to make sure its really done. a Wit isn't real bitter, but it shouldn't be too sweet either.

 

[Liquidicem]

How long has the beer been bottled for? It could still just be young.

 

[BierMuncher]

A low bitter Wit and a low boil efficiency means your wit is sweeter than designed.

Give us some more details on your process and hydrometer readings you've taken.

 

[Neomich]

I've been at bit busy here at work and just now had a chance to respond.

My OG reading wat 1.057. The FG reading was sitting right at 1.012 - 1.013. It sat there for a few days and I believe the fermentation was completed. It sat in primary for 3 weeks around 73 degrees.

I think I might have jumped the gun a bit on claiming it is 'Too' sweet. I have been drinking some hoppy rye ales lately and the taste caught me off guard. Just to be sure, I got me a Blue Moon at dinner last night after trying mine and sure enough, it tastes real close. Maybe my flavors are a bit stronger but I think adding a slice of lemon in the glass will offset some of the sweetness and letting it sit a little longer might help. The beer had only been in the bottle 5 days.

I did have issues keeping a good boil going, my flat top electric stove just doesn't keep up that well. I attempted to boil the wort for the full 60 minutes. I'll use less water this time and see if it helps.

Overall, I think this beer is fine. I just forgot what a Belgian Wit really tastes like and my palate was expecting something much different.

Thanks everyone for the input. I think I'll start keeping at least one commercial brew that resembles my current batch to use as a control.

 

[Liquidicem]

Give it another 2 weeks in the bottle and see what happens.

 

[malkore]

I can vouch that fermentation looks complete with that starting and ending gravity.

I agree, I think you just weren't expecting such a different brew flavor. Kinda like the first time a BMC drinker tries a real beer, especially a stout or porter.

Like my dad...he ******* how 'heavy' wheat beers are...cuz he's a die hard Bud Light guy.

 

[Neomich]

I'm a big fan of wheat and wit beers, I just forgot how unique the flavor was. That's the whole reason I chose to brew one! I've been 'sampling' a few this evening and it's really tasting well. I put a couple six packs in the fridge so me and my buddy can 'sample' more while I show him how easy it is to make great beer at home this weekend.

Yeah, I like beer.