Adding back body to overattenuated English IPA

[Worthabrew]

Hi All

I'm a new forum member but a long time homebrewer, now enjoying a greater understanding of the science of it all. I've searched the archives for this and picked up some pointers, but was hoping for some clarification.

I'm dialing in a smaller BIAB 14L system (Using a Gigawort and batch sparging) and my latest brew, a Worthington White Shield Clone, came in at 1.005 vs 1.010 as the mash temp dropped from 150 to 145 over the course of the mash despite tun insulation. I've already cold crashed and am considering adding some back body with Maltodextrin at bottling (boiled with my priming sugar), figuring it will take about 175g (6oz) to my bottling volume to raise the AE 5 points or so. I realize adding it to the secondary would have been preferable, but I've already cold crashed. If I go on the conservative side with 4oz does anyone see any downside to this vs just leaving it as is? Thanks for the feedback as I look forward to learning more.

 

[brewdude88]

How do samples taste right now?

I usually just let stuff ride when it comes to lower FG. Carbonation helps a lot, and 5 points doesn't seem to make a massively perceptible difference.

It might also be interesting to chock this one up to learning. Add priming sugar to the full batch and bottle half, then add some maltodextrin to the second half before bottling.

Definitely report back with results if you go this route!

 

[downzero]

If you add a bunch of fermentables to raise your gravity and bottle, you're going to make nothing other than bottle bombs. Don't worry about your final gravity and enjoy your beer. You won't be able to tell the difference anyway. Nobody pours a nicely carbonated beer into hydrometer cylinder and warms it to room temperature to take its gravity. Gravity is just a measurement tool to figure out when fermentation is complete; the number at the end of the fermentation is less important than that it's the same for 3 days. Don't sweat those five points one bit.

 

[IslandLizard]

If you add a bunch of fermentables to raise your gravity and bottle,

Maltodextrin is not fermentable.

I agree with @brewdude88 that carbonation will increase mouthfeel. Maybe use maltodextrin too.
One of our club's brewers uses Glucoamylase (the anti-dextrin) in all his beers now, they finish around 1.000, and are far from thin tasting.

 

[bracconiere]

One of our club's brewers uses Glucoamylase (the anti-dextrin) in all his beers now, they finish around 1.000, and are far from thin tasting.

it would be too late for my strategy, i use a lot of crystal malts, and black patent....i agree with just leaving it as is and calling it "Worthington White Shield Clone Lite"

edit: or in other words (if i did this right in beersmith) you get 0.6% more ABV, and 2 less calories a beer....

 

[McKnuckle]

Don't pre-judge lack of body (or any other flaw) 'til it has finished fermenting, carbonating, and conditioning. Sure, by then it'll be too late... but chances are you'll be totally fine. Five points of FG ain't nothin'. If you mess with it, you'll never be able to evaluate the recipe and other process details related to the brew.

 

[bkboiler]

Could pull a small taster glass and try adding lactose in varying amounts to see if that gets you what you want.
Malto dextrin is a great option, but sometimes in tasting it is easy to confuse sweetness with body due to the interacting of flavors. Helpful to trial with each to see if that gets you what you want.

 

[Worthabrew]

Thanks all for the great feedback each worthy of consideration. Each brew is a lesson unto itself that's for sure and the fun of it all. I've decided to go the maltodextrin route and also a small dilution at bottling to up the volume slightly and bring the ABV closer to style (although my deaeration technique leaves a lot to be desired). The mixing formula aA + bB = cC is great for figuring stuff like this out with pen and paper. The cool part about a smallish system is you get to brew more and tweak things. In my case the small footprint also keeps peace around the house!

 

[isomerization]

If you haven’t already proceeded, I’d recommend bottling half as is, then adding the boiled maltodextrin (recalculated to the new volume) to the remainder of the bottling bucket.

True side-by-side should be revealing as to whether you notice a difference in body between 1.005 and 1.010 with this recipe.

I do this a lot with trying different adjuncts (non-fermentable) in the same base stout.

 

[Worthabrew]

In light of recommendations, I've recalculated and am bottling the split batch today and will report back after bottle conditioning. Thanks to all for this idea which takes no real additional effort and will yield a good answer. I already have plans in place for a more stable mash temp on the next batch, no hating here... a Fat Tire Clone of my own design :O