How to fix an over attenuated brew

[Beer_Guy]

I brewed up the AHS 1554 Clone back in July and bottled it 3 weeks later. I tasted a couple yesterday and they were barely drinkable. My OG was right on target at 1.060 but the FG was low at 1.011. AHS says it should have been 1.059 OG and 1.019 FG.

I was thinking on ways to salvage the 2 cases I have. I can think of two possible ways to fix it.

Either brew up a strong ALL malt batch to mix with it which is pain since it is already bottled.

Or…

Prepare a batch of LME and water mix (half and half) so the LME will dissolve well. Then add a small amount of this mix into the glass before pouring the beer. Start with a few CCs and increase from there. Once I figure out how much it takes then just keep the jar in the fridge and a syringe handy.

It may never be a 1554 Clone, but at least it won’t be Hop tea.

Any thought guys?

 

[JLem]

i don't know if either is really a great idea. I would just let it sit and see how it is in a few more weeks. In the meantime, get another batch going.

Was this an all extract brew? If so, I am really surprised you hit that low an FG and would be worried about an infection. I used to have a hard time getting my all extract brews to attenuate far enough. If it was AG or partial, what did you mash at?

 

[JJL]

If it's just that its too hoppy,you can always just let it sit in the bottle for another month or two and let the hops flavor and aroma mellow out a little.

 

[prosper]

attenuation depends on a lot of things - recipe, process, etc.

You *could* add in some maltodextrin or lactose, but that will change the character of the beer more than just the gravity. Carbonation alters the *perception* of body, too. Too high and it seems effervescent and soda-like. Too low and it seems flat and watery. Depending how you pour it, you may be able to lower your level of carbonation

1.011 isn't automatically 'bad,' either. I'd be tempted to just leave it.

 

[Beer_Guy]

To answer your questions…

The kit came with 8lbs of Munich LME, 2lbs 10oz of steeping grains and 4oz Malto Dextrin. It had 3/4oz of Nugget hops for bittering and 1oz of Paradise seeds for flavor.

I have other brews in stock and I will be brewing up another batch tomorrow. So I do not mind letting this mellow a while. I was just looking for solutions in case it does not mellow out enough.

I know 1.011 is not bad. It is just this one should have stayed higher.

The AHS answer…
I called AHS and he asked if I did a full or partial boil. The recipe called for a partial boil. Since I had room for a full boil I did. He said in a full boil you would use less hops and that was my mistake. He never mentioned that it may mellow with time.

I never heard this before so if true it was my bad. Next time I will follow directions better. That still doesn't explain the over attenuation.

 

[JLem]

I never heard this before so if true it was my bad. Next time I will follow directions better. That still doesn't explain the over attenuation.

Yes, this is true. When you do a partial boil, your wort is more concentrated during the boil and hops utilization decreases, so you use more hops to compensate. When you do a full boil, your wort is less concentrated and your hops utilization is increased. Basically as you increase wort concentration you increase the amount of break material (relative to boil volume) to which hop compounds glom onto and settle out of the beer (with the break material). The same amount of hops in a full boil will result in higher IBUs.

You're right though that it still does not explain the over attenuation. Also, isn't malto-dextrine non-fermentable? So with that in there I would expect the FG to be even higher.

 

[Beer_Guy]

I just had one and the hops have mellowed a LOT!

I guess they will be ok with time. It is beginning to taste a lot like 1554 just not as smooth.

As someone here once said, Time heals most brews.

 

[Beer_Guy]

There is a fine line between too hoppy and JUST right.

I picked up a few different brews while on the road. One of them was an Old Style Ale with very little hops. I enjoyed most of it last night and put the rest back in the fridge. Today I added about 1oz to a glass and poured one of my Hoppy brews on it. MAN, is it nice.

Time helped a lot, but without the added malty ale it is still more like a Dark IPA. With only 1oz of the added malty brew added to the 12oz of hoppy brew, it is really nice.