Crystal 60L as main ingredient.

[ECUbrewer]

Well I brewed my first all-grain yesterday and was going for a light cream ale. Picked up 5lbs of what I thought was a standard 6-row pale grain (boy was I surprised when my wert came out dark as night). Turns out I mashed 5lbs of Crystal 60L and 3lbs of rice. After some research I found that this grain is generaly used sparingly to add color and body. I pitched the yeast anyways, any ideas on how this will turn out? Still drinkable? Live and learn I suppose.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Did you take a gravity reading?
You wouldn't have gotten conversion with no base malt. Don't know if rice has enzymes, but I'm guessing not. You'll most likely end up with sweet malt water regardless of how long you wait.
You could try saving it but dissolving Malt Extract into boiled water and adding that. But you'd probably need quite a large batch to compensate. Probably best to pitch it and re-brew.

 

[babalu87]

 

[ECUbrewer]

I see, I forgot to mention that I added 1lb of strawberry/sugar puree at flame out (Didnt really have a direction with this beer, just kinda went at it). The OG was 1.035, but it was my first time using a hydrometer haha. Its fermenting, but probably just eating the table sugar used in the puree right? So 60L doesn't provide any soluble sugars? Thanks for the help.

Haha seems I've made sugar water...

 

[babalu87]

I see, I forgot to mention that I added 1lb of strawberry/sugar puree at flame out (Didnt really have a direction with this beer, just kinda went at it). The OG was 1.035, but it was my first time using a hydrometer haha. Its fermenting, but probably just eating the table sugar used in the puree right? So 60L doesn't provide any soluble sugars? Thanks for the help.

It provides SOME but not nearly enough to carry a beer.

Maybe try dumping some bugs in there (Roselare, Lambic blend) and put in in a carboy for about a year or two.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

You got no conversion of the rice.

Crystal beer isn't horrible but it ain;t great either. i have done an all crystal beer. small batch. It was a nice lesson in what fermented crystal tastes like. won't do it again tho'.

 

[AnOldUR]

i have done an all crystal beer

Thought I read that the sugars converted from crystal grains were not fermentable?

 

[philrose]

Maybe try dumping some bugs in there (Roselare, Lambic blend) and put in in a carboy for about a year or two.

If I were in this predicament, I'd do exactly that. Over time, the bugs can eat those nonfermentable sugars. That would be an awesome thing to bring in to a brew club meeting. Even if it doesn't taste good it would be good experience.

 

[ECUbrewer]

Bugs... can someone elaborate or perhaps provide a link?

 

[IrregularPulse]

search Roselare and/or Lambic Blend. Those are the bugs of which they speak. It's an "infection" on purpose.

 

[dukeredhair]

They mean bacteria in the lambic style. Brettomyoscese etc...

 

[ArcaneXor]

I agree... turning it into a sour beer is the only realistic way to salvage this mess. You may want to add some wheat DME as well, just to try and get *some* base malt character in there.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Thought I read that the sugars converted from crystal grains were not fermentable?

I would say not completely fermentable. It dropped some in gravity but never got terminal.

Like I said, it wasn't great.

 

[ECUbrewer]

Wikipediaed the Lambic style. I love the science behind brewing, sounds very interesting. I just ordered a lambic blend (Wyeast 3278) from Rebel Brewer along with the CORRECT malt for my next batch. Who would of thought a botched recipe would have ended up as a potential strawberry lambic?

 

[HairyDogBrewing]

They mean bacteria in the lambic style. Brettomyoscese etc...

Brettanomyces is a species of wild yeast.
Lambic styles also use bacteria such as Pediococcus and Lactobacillus.

 

[Teacher]

Wouldn't brett eventually eat away at these sugars, too?

 

[foltster]

You might look into adding some amylase enzyme, it might convert some of the sugars for you right in the fermenting bucket.

Another option would be to use some or all of your current wort as the "water" in another mash. Heat the wort up to 153 or so and throw in 3-4LB of 2-row. It wouldn't be perfect but that should convert at least some of the un-fermentable sugars and starches.

Also, I see you're in greenville. Its not a long ride up to Raleigh for our little brew get-together this Saturday. I'm sure some of the guys there would have ideas on what do with the brew now. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f20/grabass-brew-n-q-4-3-10-a-168926/

-Scott

 

[ECUbrewer]

I could recycle this thing, but I'm kind of curious as to what I might stumble upon once it has sat for a while with the new yeast. I'm from Cary actualy so I'll send a message your way.