My first two brews where 5 gallon kits which included 6.6# LME and about 1# specialty grains each. Since then, I decided to experiment a bit and try my own recipes or tweaking others. All of my recipes are a base of 6# DME and about 1-1.5# specialty malts. So the issue I have is that the two brewers best kits I made had fuller body and nice head retention. My own recipes turn out pretty thin and have almost no head. Is there something that I'm doing wrong? Also, with the kits, I did not sterilize the included priming sugar. I simply poured into the bottling bucket and stirred. Since I purchased a 3# bag of sugar I sterilize it then pour into bucket. My carbonation doesn't seem the same as when I simply poured it into the bucket.
Homebrew questions
- Thread starter Bert_T
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Do you know what specialty grains the kits were using? Carapils and dextrine malts are not fermentable and can add a lot of body and head retention to a beer. You can try adding a little to your recipes to add body.
For the sugar. Did you buy a 3 bag of corn sugar (dextrose)? That's what comes in the kits. If you're using a different kind of sugar (like table sugar), you'll get different results.
For the sugar. Did you buy a 3 bag of corn sugar (dextrose)? That's what comes in the kits. If you're using a different kind of sugar (like table sugar), you'll get different results.
Have your fermentation or aging temps changed at all? If you are getting higher temps, that could be driving off more CO2 so you are starting with less when you bottle.
Crystal malts (40L and 60L) should already be adding some body. If you think your beer is thin, go ahead and add a 1/2 pound of carapils (or less).
Crystal malts (40L and 60L) should already be adding some body. If you think your beer is thin, go ahead and add a 1/2 pound of carapils (or less).
Funny thing is that I fermented during the summer with the bucket sitting in the corner of the kitchen. Since those initial batches I built a temperature controlled chamber which keeps temps down in the 64 degree range. As for the carapils, I'll try a 1/2 pound to next time I brew and see what happens.
Notice the difference between the red and green. Your malt extract contains some carapils and probably some specialty grains and when you short that amount without making up for it in your recipe, your beer won't be the same.
McGarnigle
Well-Known Member
6 pounds dry is a bit more than 6.6 pounds of liquid, so amounts aren't the issue. And both contain a little carapils (Briess' gold has 1% regardless of form).
You could be getting better attenuation with DME, thus making it a little thinner. My experience is that LME is more likely to stick at 1.020.
You could be getting better attenuation with DME, thus making it a little thinner. My experience is that LME is more likely to stick at 1.020.
