Brewing with confidence

[Nimrod3388]

First, my last post recieved 48 views and no replies, not even an opinion! Second, the same maibock looks great and now taste great, though "green" and a bit buttery. The brew looks to be headed to 8% but rather bland. As previously posted, I look to dry hop this lager ,in order to impart some flavor,with a .5 oz Mt. Hood. In addition, I was wondering how I can add flavor at this point (fruits, hops, etc)?

I didnt actually intend for this extract brew to be so strong thus efficiency is not of the utmost importance to this novice! Moreover, Im concerned with the dryness of the brew due to the high alcohol content and a strong barley base. Its great now but I want more for this batch to really capture the palates of my chronies. Thanks!

 

[Nimrod3388]

I must pay my membership then, I see.

 

[Yooper]

Well, no, that's not it. You're asking some unusual questions that I don't think many of us have answers to. To me, a maibock that tastes buttery needs a diacetyl rest. A maibock is clean and malty, and to me should never be dry hopped. I especially won't consider fruit.

I don't know what efficiency has to do with your extract batch, so I have no idea what you mean. You didn't mention how long it's been lagering, if it's done fermenting, the OG and the FG, etc, so I'd have to guess at all of that. You mention it's dry, but I don't know how dry, or why you think it might finish dry. Maibocks are quite malty, and not dry at all. You said you want to capture the palate of your chronies- but I don't know them or what the expectation would be. I do know my maibocks, though- and if it's dryhopped and not lagered and has diacetyl, it's not a maibock.

So, I don't have any answers to your questions, even though I racked my brain. It doesn't have a thing to do with your membership status- I think we do a good job of treating everyone the same. It's just that I can't answer what you are asking.

 

[niquejim]

Well, no, that's not it. You're asking some unusual questions that I don't think many of us have answers to. To me, a maibock that tastes buttery needs a diacetyl rest. A maibock is clean and malty, and to me should never be dry hopped. I especially won't consider fruit.

I don't know what efficiency has to do with your extract batch, so I have no idea what you mean. You didn't mention how long it's been lagering, if it's done fermenting, the OG and the FG, etc, so I'd have to guess at all of that. You mention it's dry, but I don't know how dry, or why you think it might finish dry. Maibocks are quite malty, and not dry at all. You said you want to capture the palate of your chronies- but I don't know them or what the expectation would be. I do know my maibocks, though- and if it's dryhopped and not lagered and has diacetyl, it's not a maibock.

So, I don't have any answers to your questions, even though I racked my brain. It doesn't have a thing to do with your membership status- I think we do a good job of treating everyone the same. It's just that I can't answer what you are asking.

Yeah, what she said

 

[Nimrod3388]

The brew is at 1.022 and im striving for 1.016-1.018 FG, a few more days in primary (no d rest yet). I think it will finish clean but I have to at least ask if there is any way to untraditionally add flavor. I take it not many folk brew this style or most folk brew to traditional standards and dont expirement (cant be the latter). See "extract maibock" post for recipe. For my first lager and only a handful of extract batches im pleased with this afternoons tasting.

 

[Yooper]

Well, I'm glad if you're happy with the tasting! That's a great finish, then.

I make a lot of maibocks, but I do them traditionally. To me, a great maibock is like a great cabernet sauvignon, and full of flavor. So I've never really experimented.

Ok, what you can do now if you're at 1.022 is to raise the temperature in the 60s for the diacetyl rest while it's still fermenting and on the yeast cake. After the diacetyl rest, it should be finished. Then you can rack to secondary, and lower the temp 5 degrees per day until you're at 34 degrees, and lager for 6-12 weeks. Then it would be ready for anything else you want- I'd bottle at that point.

 

[Bobby_M]

And I wouldn't be surprised if the flavor develops during lagering. My lagers have tasted NOTHING like the finished product at any time during active fermentation.
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