Beer with no body

[fursey]

As many of you know, I'm a newbie brewer. I've brewed a number of different beer types but keep having the general problem of lacking body. Any suggestions?

 

[RM-MN]

First you have to tell us a little more about your process. What kinds of beer have your brewed, how long did they ferment and at what temperature. Did you use a secondary and if so for how long. Bottles or kegs? How long after you bottled/kegged did you sample.

 

[PhillyMike]

Without any further information, I would venture on two possibilities:

One is over dilution
Two is low attenuation

 

[Mainelybeer]

Without any further information, I would venture on two possibilities:

One is over dilution
Two is low attenuation

Wouldn't it be high attenuation rather than low attenuation? If sugar adds to body, wouldn't leaving some behind instead of fermenting it contribute to body?

 

[CrookedTail]

Without any further information, I would venture on two possibilities:

One is over dilution
Two is low attenuation

Overboiling can do it as well. You shouldn't boil extract beers longer than 45-60 minutes.

 

[fursey]

Overboiling can do it as well. You shouldn't boil extract beers longer than 45-60 minutes.

This could possibly be the cause. Mi was also thing of adding maltodextrin. Do you think this may help?

 

[Curtis2010]

Your recipe, based on where you posted, is extract only I assume -- no specialty grains etc?

One limitation of course of extract only brewing is that you have much less control over the characteristics of the beer...the producer of the extract has mostly already determined that for you...effectively the opposite end of the spectrum of AG where you control almost everything. You might want to consider taking a small step in the direction of what is often called "partial" or "mini" mash which is just extract brewing with some specialty grains.

If you just want to add some body, without effecting much else, then a small amount of flaked oats in your boil will work wonders. Exactly how much depends upon what you are brewing, but in general you want it to be no more than 30% of you total grain bill (counting extract as "grain"). I suggest trying just a few ounces in your next batch and see how that works for you. You can also get a similar effect with Cara-Pils or Malto-dextrin, which also helps with head retention, but the Malto-dextrin will also add a bit of sweetness because the sugars in it are not very fermentable (only about 5%).

 

[fursey]

Your recipe, based on where you posted, is extract only I assume -- no specialty grains etc?

One limitation of course of extract only brewing is that you have much less control over the characteristics of the beer...the producer of the extract has mostly already determined that for you...effectively the opposite end of the spectrum of AG where you control almost everything. You might want to consider taking a small step in the direction of what is often called "partial" or "mini" mash which is just extract brewing with some specialty grains.

If you just want to add some body, without effecting much else, then a small amount of flaked oats in your boil will work wonders. Exactly how much depends upon what you are brewing, but in general you want it to be no more than 30% of you total grain bill (counting extract as "grain"). I suggest trying just a few ounces in your next batch and see how that works for you. You can also get a similar effect with Cara-Pils or Malto-dextrin, which also helps with head retention, but the Malto-dextrin will also add a bit of sweetness because the sugars in it are not very fermentable (only about 5%).

Thanks for the advice.

I've recently brewed a partial with some crystal malt and light DME. It's been sitting in my secondary for just over a week so not quite sure how it's turned out. But will certainly try the flaked oats. As a rule of thumb (I mostly brew lighter also such as IPAD and ambers) what sought of quantity should I aim for for am5 gallon batch.

 

[JordanThomas]

+1 to flaked oats. Just make sure you don't crush them.

 

[Yooper]

I would NOT use flaked oats to provide body. Oats provide a silky mouthfeel, which can be nice but it's not body-producing. Plus oats must be mashed, so you'd be adding oily starch- the exact opposite of what is needed for body and mouthfeel.

Certain steeping grains work great. Grains like carapils (dextine malt), flaked barley, flaked wheat, and crystal malt all can produce an extract beer with great body and flavor.

I've never heard that boiling extract beers for more than 45-60 minutes can cause problems with body- that's a new one on me. I can't figure out why that would be, so if anybody has a link for me to read, that'd be great.

A good recipe for something like an amber ale that has medium body would be something like:

6 pounds DME
.5 pound crystal 20L
.5 pound crystal 80L

1 oz bittering hops (60 minutes)
.5 oz flavor hops (15 minutes)
.5 oz aroma hops (5 minutes)

Ferment with a nice clean ale yeast at 65 degrees.

 

[JordanThomas]

Shut down!

Yooper knows better than I, that's certain. Listen and learn.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Your recipe, based on where you posted, is extract only I assume -- no specialty grains etc?

One limitation of course of extract only brewing is that you have much less control over the characteristics of the beer...the producer of the extract has mostly already determined that for you...effectively the opposite end of the spectrum of AG where you control almost everything. You might want to consider taking a small step in the direction of what is often called "partial" or "mini" mash which is just extract brewing with some specialty grains.

If you just want to add some body, without effecting much else, then a small amount of flaked oats in your boil will work wonders. Exactly how much depends upon what you are brewing, but in general you want it to be no more than 30% of you total grain bill (counting extract as "grain"). I suggest trying just a few ounces in your next batch and see how that works for you. You can also get a similar effect with Cara-Pils or Malto-dextrin, which also helps with head retention, but the Malto-dextrin will also add a bit of sweetness because the sugars in it are not very fermentable (only about 5%).

I went straight to one of those mini-mash or partial-mash kits after brewing two extract only beers...............I'll never go back. The taste and quality isn't comparable.

 

[Curtis2010]

Thanks for the advice.

.... As a rule of thumb (I mostly brew lighter also such as IPAD and ambers) what sought of quantity should I aim for for am5 gallon batch.

De nada.

Its subjective, unless you are trying to be stringent about style, but for a lighter beer I suggest trying just a couple of oz and see how you like it. Going low is not going to hurt anything.