BIAB came out very sweet

[reibrew]

Hey everyone,

I did my first BIAB a couple months ago and mashed the grains way too hot (around 170-165, got it down after ~10 minutes or so) and the beer I'm drinking now is really cloudy and sweet. I did 10# MO with 2oz EKG for a 5 gal batch.

I'm thinking of doing this recipe again, might drop a pound or two of the malt and see how I like it, and I'll certainly watch my temperature much more closely. What I have here is overwhelmingly sweet, and its been in the bottle a couple months now. Better than before though

 

[iambeer]

Hello reibrew,

What yeast did you use? Did you measure gravity throughout fermentation?

 

[reibrew]

s-04, at about 71 degrees consistently. OG was 55 ended at 18 I believe after 4 days, I left it in the primary 2 weeks.

 

[iambeer]

Did you shake up or otherwise aerate the wort before adding yeast? 71 degrees is too warm for s-04 in my opinion. It was probably up to 77F in the fermenting beer if you add the heat generated by the yeast. I always wait three weeks minimum, even at such temperatures.

Or it might be just as you suggested---unbreakable maltose from the hot mash.

 

[reibrew]

Aerated it well, and I'll take your advice and wait a few weeks on my next batch.

I bought enough malt and hops and yeast to make two batches, so I'll be able to come back and say if the high mash temperature was the culprit. I think it was, for some reason I put the grains in at 170 thinking it would get down to 155 and that was not the case at all.

 

[beergolf]

I see two problems. Both temp related.


First is your mash temp was way to high, which could cause unfermentables so the beer will taste sweet.

Second the ferment temp is to high for that yeast. This also will cause off flavors.

Learning to control temps in brewing is big for making good beer.

 

[Ogri]

71f isn't "too" hot for S-04, but I've been getting great results down around 58 to 62 for the first few days, then letting it climb over the next couple of weeks.

Have got a similar batch to yours on the go right now but only 2.5 gallons. Used
2.25kg MO, 250g English Crystal 70, 250g brown sugar and 14g chocolate wheat. Using Kent Golding and Fuggles.

Here's the recipe;

Malt & Fermentables

% LB OZ °L PPG
81% 4 15.4 Marris Otter (Crisp) Mash 4° 38
9% ~ 8.82 British Crystal 70-80L Mash 75° 33
9% ~ 8.82 Brown Sugar, Light Boil 8° 46
1% ~ 0.49 Chocolate Wheat Mash 400° 33
Total grain bill 6lbs 1.5Oz
Specific Gravity
1.069 OG
(1.061 to 1.072)
16.8° Plato
1.019 FG
(1.016 to 1.020)
4.8° Plato
Measured Values
Edit Gravities / Edit Color
Color
15° SRM
30° EBC
Light Brown to Medium Brown
Mash Efficiency
75 %
Hops

Usage Time OZ AA » IBU
boil 60 min 0.494 Nugget ~ pellet 11.4 » 35.9
boil 15 min 0.353 Fuggles ~ pellet 4.1 » 4.6
boil 15 min 0.353 Kent Golding ~ pellet 5.1 » 5.7
boil 5 min 0.282 Fuggles ~ pellet 4.1 » 1.5
boil 5 min 0.282 Kent Golding ~ pellet 5.1 » 1.8
Bitterness
49.4 IBU
ƒ: Tinseth
6 HBU
BU:GU
0.72
Yeast

Safale S-04 Dry Yeast
yeast in dry form with high flocculation and 73% attenuation
Alcohol
6.7% ABV
5.0% ABW
Calories
228
per 12 oz.


Don't forget that East Kent Goldings are supposed to impart a sweet flavour.

Don't think you necessarily have to decrease your grain bill any, is what I'm trying to say.

Seems to me that the OP realizes, and said in his first post, that keeping the mash temps better adjusted would be one of the objectives next time he brews this one. OP's OG to FG of 1.055 to 1.018 definitely suggests slightly low attenuation which could be attributable to some unfermentable sugars from a high mash.

With the batch I did, BIAB, the mash temps were between 149-155 for an hour and then I left the wort to cool down for a few hours after. Hit my post boil OG near enough spot on, 1.068 to 1.070 and the sample I took a week ago, after ten days of primary, was right on 1.018 to 1.020. Tasted OK, as in not overly sweet so I'm wondering if the Fuggles' earthiness acts as a good balance for the EKG's sweetness.

 

[iambeer]

71f isn't "too" hot for S-04, but I've been getting great results down around 58 to 62 for the first few days, then letting it climb over the next couple of weeks.

It's on the edge. The yeast manufacturer says 75F is the limit.

Our beloved John Palmer wrote in the old unrevised testament that internal yeast temperature can go as far up as 10F which if my maths are correct would mean the OP ferment was over 75F and potentially nearing 81F.

But anyway, high temps don't usually result in 'overwhelmingly sweet' off taste.

 

[Ogri]

It's on the edge. The yeast manufacturer says 75F is the limit.

Yeah, not advocating it, as I mentioned I tend to go much lower, but if 71f was the brew's temp it would still have been within the range.

But anyway, high temps don't usually result in 'overwhelmingly sweet' off taste.

Exactly.

 

[reibrew]

I appreciate all the advice and support!

 

[user 103238]

When I first started doing BIAB I was using the "standard" 10 degrees over your intended mash temperature - until I realized I was heating up twice the volume and thus had to compensate. I typically start with 8-8.5 gallons, and overshoot my intended mash temperature by 5 degrees, and I'm usually within a degree of where I want to be. Some experimentation with your system will help you dial in your process.

Aerated it well, and I'll take your advice and wait a few weeks on my next batch.

I bought enough malt and hops and yeast to make two batches, so I'll be able to come back and say if the high mash temperature was the culprit. I think it was, for some reason I put the grains in at 170 thinking it would get down to 155 and that was not the case at all.

 

[RM-MN]

Due to a thermometer that was out of adjustment I mashed a red ale about 4 degrees lower than intended and got a FG or 1.002. Yes it was very fermentable but with a couple months in the bottle this beer is very good and the head is incredible, lasting clear to the bottom of the glass and it took me half an hour to drain the glass as I drank it with my meal. Your high mash temperature is the reason for the sweetness.