How to make my bitter better....?

[Grinch]

I did a recipe about a month ago that didn't quite turn out as I had expected. No aroma to speak of & bitter. Not terrible but now I have two cases of it and want to be able to choke it down easily. It's already bottled (about 1 week old) Any suggestions? Recipe as follows:

11 LB Weyermann Vienna Malt

boil 60 mins 0.5 Chinook
boil 40 mins 0.5 Chinook
boil 10 mins 0.5 Cascade
boil 10 mins 0.5 Centennial
boil 5 mins 0.5 Cascade
boil 5 mins 0.5 Centennial

WLP001

 

[Transamguy77]

Let it sit longer, I did a pale ale that was too bitter for me at bottling, but now been bottled for 7 or 8 weeks tastes great. Just give it some time a week in the bottle is just not long enough.

 

[iron_city_ap]

Howdy neighbor. Looks like you are at about 54 IBUs, which isn't too bad. I think your only options at this point is to either do the ol' Corona lime/lemon thing, or just pinch your nose and drink it quick.

The next time you make this recipe, if you up your 40 and 60 additions to a full oz, your IBUs will jump to about 93. I would have thought the 10 and 5 minute additions would have given you good aroma. Try dry hopping with an oz of whatever. Personally, I like Cascade. That should help you out there.

[edit] If you want it less bitter, the only thing you can do is let it sit and move on to your next batch of whatever. I did a black IPA not long ago that was WAY too bitter for my taste. I put it in the back of the closet and 6 months later gave it another go. It really mellowed out kinda nicely.

 

[KoedBrew]

I agree, it will lose some some of the bitter bite after a month or two of aging. I think that your main problem is you didn't use any non fermentables (sweet malts) - crystal/caramel, carapils, ect. to counter the bitterness..If you pitched a big enough batch of yeast you probably had a pretty low final gravity.

Next time put at least .5 lb of a crystal 40 or something

 

[unionrdr]

My pale ale was very bitter at the 2week test. 3rd week,it mellowed out a little too much I thought. And I only used an ounce of US Perle at 20 mins,.5oz Czech Saaz at 10mins,& .5oz Saaz at -10. The cooper's OS Draught I used as a base was said to be bitter,but not for long. I'm beginning to think you have to catch it at the right amount of bitterness to bottle,so that when it conditions,you get the right balance of hop flavors sealed in. Maybe that's what needs to be done to help the hop flavors last longer.?...

 

[LKABrewer]

Has it only been in the bottle 1 week? You will not know how this beer REALLY tastes for a couple more weeks...

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Has it only been in the bottle 1 week? You will not know how this beer REALLY tastes for a couple more weeks...

+1 beers not done. The malt will come back around once it's carbed. I let my bottled beer site 3 weeks @ room temp and another week in the fridge.
I also agree with adding some crystal or honey malt or something to that recipe next time. You need some sweeter malts to Balance out the bitter hops.

 

[Grinch]

Thanks everyone for all the responses! I'll give it another week or so and taste again, throw a lime in if it's still necessary. Again it's not that it's too bitter or really bad tasting, just kind of plain - even as far as the hops. I probably should have used more cascades late in the boil. I was just trying to mess around with the SMaSH idea except using three varieties of hops. Gave it the name SMaTCH - single malt and three choice hops. Maybe I used the wrong malt. Perhaps MO would have been better. We'll see.

 

[unionrdr]

The thing is,you have to add malts that give sweet flavors (non fermentables) to balance against the bittering/strong flavors from the hops. That's another reason people started using hops,was to balance all that malty sweetness without gruits that could be poisonous or make one ill. Not just as a preservative.

 

[slant7541]

I have a batch of doggy style ale clone. I cut back on the hops but it is still bitter. It has been kegged and carbonated its about a month old now. Its still bitter can i add anything now to keg to cut bitterenss?