All my beers are too thick & rich

[Cheepbeer]

This tastes quite a bit like Newcastle:

3.3 LBS Amber LME
2 LBS Amber DME
8 oz Crystal 60L (crushed)

1 oz Williamette (60 minutes)
1/2 oz Williamette (5 minutes)

Yeast: dry nottingham

Pour two gallons water into brewpot and bring to approx 155 degrees. Steep grains (in a grain bag) 20 minutes, dunking grains like a tea bag. Remove grains and allow to drain without squeezing when finished. Discard the grains.

Heat the brewpot to boiling. Remove from heat and add malt extract. Stir until dissolved. Bring back to a boil and add bittering hops. Boil 55 minutes, then add finishing hops. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool rapidly to 70 degrees by using a wort chiller or an ice bath. When cool, put contents into a large fermenter. Fill with cool water until the 5 gallon mark is reached. Using a hydrometer, take an og reading. Sprinkle the yeast in, stir, and secure the lid and airlock. Keep at 68 degrees, or under, if possible.

Bottle after at least two weeks, and a f.g. of 1.012 or less.

Thanks for the newbie oriented instructions yooper... I will do it saturday.

 

[FATC1TY]

Yea, adding this hops according to the OP puts you around 12-13 IBUs. That is off the charts malty.
http://www.brewsupplies.com/_borders/hopsgraph.jpg

See chart.
First, dextrose should never really be more than 20% of the fermentables.
Second, you need a lot more hops if you are using them at 30 and flameout. Check the chart in the link.
Third, if you don't want such syrupy beers, try session brews or lower ABV recipes. Yours is 6.5% ish with good attenuation.
Last the LME isn't to blame here, it's how you are using it thats causing the issue.

Now a few questions, are your ending with 2.5 gallons or starting with it?
When are you adding the LME? Start of the boil? End? @10 minutes?
With only a 30 minute hop addition, how long are you boiling?
What type of comercial brews do you like? What styles really appeal to you?

What made you think this was an APA or IPA originally???

I agree with the suggestions here, just couldn't figure out why you initially thought it was ANYTHING near an IPA. 1 oz of a low AA hop with that much crap would make nothing but malt syrup.

 

[FATC1TY]

Its not terrible and it has not aged yet, I do think more hops are needed. I used 1/2 oz in the beginning and finished with 1/2 oz hops. (boiled it all in 1 3/4 gallons) cooled it real fast in sink of ice and 1 gallon cool water. into primary, aerated vigorously and tossed 1 bag of windsor that came with premier malt.

My beginning reading was 1.50 and ended at 1.010

If you finished at 1.010, then it's not got a ton of residual sweetness left.

I think the issue is that you've got literally no hops in there. If you like the recipe, then add some hops at 60 minutes at the start of the boil and see what you think.

 

[Cheepbeer]

What made you think this was an APA or IPA originally???

I agree with the suggestions here, just couldn't figure out why you initially thought it was ANYTHING near an IPA. 1 oz of a low AA hop with that much crap would make nothing but malt syrup.

I never said I wanted an IPA, never attempted to get close to an IPA...

I hate IPA's. I think they taste pretty nasty.

I Prefer a mellower beer, but yes, I needed more hops.

Im drinking it now... it carbed pretty fast and its a boozer for sure. I know its a cheep**** recipe but I believe it has possibilities with added hops. Has a very nice flavor.

 

[Cheepbeer]

1

 

[FATC1TY]

I never said I wanted an IPA, never attempted to get close to an IPA...

I hate IPA's. I think they taste pretty nasty.

I Prefer a mellower beer, but yes, I needed more hops.

I was quoting the guy who said your recipe sounded like it was a close Pale or IPA. It's not.

I can tell you don't like hoppy beers if you think your recipe is hoppy enough, but still too sweet.

You probably enjoy a BMC beer, and aren't quite a hop head yet.

 

[Cheepbeer]

You pretty much nailed it fatcity... I like a 5 or better abv as well... some hops. Thanks man.

BTW I can taste some hops... just needs a bit more I think.

 

[jonmohno]

I never said I wanted an IPA, never attempted to get close to an IPA...

I hate IPA's. I think they taste pretty nasty.

I Prefer a mellower beer, but yes, I needed more hops.

Im drinking it now... it carbed pretty fast and its a boozer for sure. I know its a cheep**** recipe but I believe it has possibilities with added hops. Has a very nice flavor.

Wait for more carbonation,sometimes I get a fuller carbonation by waiting longer,and it has a dryer crisper taste where the malts can even seem to fade,but maybe not too with windsor, although I still had a not to malty dry lighter style beer with that and wasnt malty. What you got for a finish is a pretty good finish.

 

[Cheepbeer]

This thread is all over the place. what was your finish? this doesnt sound terrible and is still beer.Ambers can be malty.But I agree more hops is the call,still I see it more like a scotch ale or someting almost. Think he meant 85% attenuation?

I just realized after reading this post that it tastes a lot lot lot like this!!

http://www.caminobakery.com/images/old-chub-scotch-ale-i5.jpg

I bought a few 6 packs of this chub scotch ale a few months ago. This is what my beer tastes like.

 

[FATC1TY]

Scotch Ales' are generally going to be malty, without being shy about their alcohol content.

Unbalanced comes to mind, but I like a good Wee Heavy here and there.

I'd suggest perhaps knocking back the sugar of your beer, and see what you think.

 

[Cheepbeer]

OK I did the Newcastle recipe that Yooper suggested to me... all went without a hitch the instructions were perfect. It's all in the fermenter... I warmed up the yeast. I cooled the wort in a cold water sink with ice... I followed the instructions to a tee. About 3 hours worth of work if you count the cleaning and sanitizing. My hydrometer readings were 1.040 - 5.3% - 40brix whatever that may mean (Im still learning)... the brew smelled nice.

Thanks Yooper.

 

[Yooper]

OK I did the Newcastle recipe that Yooper suggested to me... all went without a hitch the instructions were perfect. It's all in the fermenter... I warmed up the yeast. I cooled the wort in a cold water sink with ice... I followed the instructions to a tee. About 3 hours worth of work if you count the cleaning and sanitizing. My hydrometer readings were 1.040 - 5.3% - 40brix whatever that may mean (Im still learning)... the brew smelled nice.

Thanks Yooper.

Great! Keep it cool (try for 65 degrees or so), and then bottle it in a couple of weeks. I'm a little concerned about what you mean by "warmed up the yeast", though!

 

[Cheepbeer]

I put the yeast in 4 oz lukewarm water like it said on packet????? 15 minutes before intro to wort????? It was magical! (really started off foaming)

Temp in bucket is 66 degrees. its pretty cool in my basement now that summer is over.

Is getting the yeast hydrated a waste of time? I wonder. In the past I have just tossed it in dry. This time i stirred in the foamy 4 oz of hydrated yeast. Hope I did right.

I did not aerate the wort too vigorously because the directions did not say to.... I did stir very well though.

There is still time to shake it up a lot if you think I should???

 

[Yooper]

I put the yeast in 4 oz lukewarm water like it said on packet????? 15 minutes before intro to wort????? It was magical! (really started off foaming)

Temp in bucket is 66 degrees. its pretty cool in my basement now that summer is over.

Is getting the yeast hydrated a waste of time? I wonder. In the past I have just tossed it in dry. This time i stirred in the foamy 4 oz of hydrated yeast. Hope I did right.

I did not aerate the wort too vigorously because the directions did not say to.... I did stir very well though.

There is still time to shake it up a lot if you think I should???

It's good. Keep it at 65 degrees or lower, and let it sit for 10 days.

 

[jbaysurfer]

This thread title totally sounds like a first world problem!

http://therealfirstworldproblems.tumblr.com/

OMG, you read my mind. EXACTLY what I was thinking when I read the thread title, and seriously considered adding that response myself. LOL!

 

[Cheepbeer]

Haha the thread title may be a bit misleading... I did not mention it was thick, rich, and tasted like crap.

Well last night my kids felt a little "Chilly" so they turned the baseboard heater on downstairs and forgot to turn it off...
Making the room and my wort 74 degrees. probably for about 8 hours straight... Im cooling it down now. Hopefully no real damage done.
65 is a hard temp to maintain in my house.

 

[Yooper]

Haha the thread title may be a bit misleading... I did not mention it was thick, rich, and tasted like crap.

Well last night my kids felt a little "Chilly" so they turned the baseboard heater on downstairs and forgot to turn it off...
Making the room and my wort 74 degrees. probably for about 8 hours straight... Im cooling it down now. Hopefully no real damage done.
65 is a hard temp to maintain in my house.

Well, what's done is done. But I didn't mean 65 for a room temperature, I meant 65 for fermentation temperature. Often, fermentation produces heat and so the fermenting beer is typically 5-10 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.

It might help keep the temperature more constant if you put the fermenter in a water bath, that way room temperature changes wouldn't really change the temperature of the beer too much, as it would take a long long time for 5 gallons of beer, plus 5 gallons of water surrounding it, to change temperature.

 

[Cheepbeer]

Well, what's done is done. But I didn't mean 65 for a room temperature, I meant 65 for fermentation temperature. Often, fermentation produces heat and so the fermenting beer is typically 5-10 degrees warmer than the ambient temperature.

It might help keep the temperature more constant if you put the fermenter in a water bath, that way room temperature changes wouldn't really change the temperature of the beer too much, as it would take a long long time for 5 gallons of beer, plus 5 gallons of water surrounding it, to change temperature.

Understood about frementation temp... I put it in a large tub of cold water and its dropping now. Scolded the kids. lol. Thermometer on bucket is now 68. All is well and Im going to leave it in cool water tub.

 

[Cheepbeer]

Ice daily in tub to keep at 65 degrees. Winter may be easier for brewing.

 

[Cheepbeer]

quickly and cleanly extracted a sip... Malty... seems like it needs more hops. Can I add hops this late in the game?

 

[jonmohno]

ehh,samples are pretty vague as far as outcome.Let it be,but I personally dont see what more hops can hurt.It will just be aroma though which will fade with time. It wont balance your maltiness really,your bitter is done and done with the boil.Shure you can mask some stuff with hops until it fades quickly. Although youd be surprised how they dry up and become differnet with bottle conditioning.

 

[Cheepbeer]

ehh,samples are pretty vague as far as outcome.Let it be,but I personally dont see what more hops can hurt.It will just be aroma though which will fade with time. It wont balance your maltiness really,your bitter is done and done with the boil.Shure you can mask some stuff with hops until it fades quickly. Although youd be surprised how they dry up and become differnet with bottle conditioning.

I'll leave it be. Probably should not have tasted. Lol. A few more days and then to bottle.

 

[Cheepbeer]

Day 10 on the Newcastle tastealike... 1.005 or 6 hydrometer will check again tomorrow.

Took a bigger taste sample... Yeah Its GOOOD.

No seeming infections or cider taste. Nice.

1.040 to 1.005 = 4.59 ABV

Hey Yooper do you have a simple tastealike recipe for Fosters ale? Thanks for your help.

 

[Cheepbeer]

Hydrometer practically bottomed out.... checked twice to make sure.... Bottled it into 2 cases of 22 oz bottles with 2 sugar balls per bottle. Im going to wait at least 2 weeks before refrigerating a few. My basement is getting cold... should I condition these upstairs in 55 - 75 degrees or downstairs in 35-55 degrees.

 

[HawksBrewer]

Upstairs ~70F is best for conditioning. After 2-3 weeks you can store them downstairs for as long as they last!

 

[unionrdr]

Ok,I can't stands it no more. Wgy is thick & rich beer a problem? Some might be jelous since theres are thin and watery. It's a good thing,if balanced,& no I didn't read through....