How to mellow the bite?

[LSUeer]

I've been brewing for a while now and I consistently keep coming back to the same question after I brew a batch. How can I mellow the favors of my beer? I've done everything that I know of and I keep having the same problem.

I can't seem to get the finish to be smooth. I always seem to have a bitter finish. Any suggestions?

 

[jonmohno]

On every style you make,bitter finish? All grain,extract? Cut your water with R/0, maybe you have too hard of water? Could be a number of thing. Is it astringent? Maybe try some lower alpha hops. Generally lagering(or refrigerating for weeks)can smooth it out or even just bottle condioning your beer, can smooth it out after carbonation.

 

[homebrewdad]

Sounds like water is a likely culprit if you are getting the same result with different recipes.

 

[JLem]

What is your process and water source? Any common ingredients in your brews (certain hops or extract)?

 

[LSUeer]

What is your process and water source? Any common ingredients in your brews (certain hops or extract)?

I'm using regular south Louisiana tap water. Most of my beers are Belgian wheat styled.

 

[Spinrathen]

I'm using regular south Louisiana tap water. Most of my beers are Belgian wheat styled.

Are you boiling it beforehand or adding potassium metabisulfite to it to get rid of chlorine and chloramines?

 

[jonmohno]

Are they finishing low FG and maybe too dry? That may enhance a kind of bitterness maybe?

 

[GrogNerd]

might be the water

or

are you trying to clone a Blue Moon/Shock Top/Fat Tyre type "Belgian Wheat" with a Belgian yeast? because none of those use Belgian yeast, they use Chico/California strains

 

[LSUeer]

Are they finishing low FG and maybe too dry? That may enhance a kind of bitterness maybe?

Yes

 

[LSUeer]

Are you boiling it beforehand or adding potassium metabisulfite to it to get rid of chlorine and chloramines?

No. I've never done that. Wouldn't it be easier to use distiller water with and aerate it?

 

[LSUeer]

might be the water

or

are you trying to clone a Blue Moon/Shock Top/Fat Tyre type "Belgian Wheat" with a Belgian yeast? because none of those use Belgian yeast, they use Chico/California strains

No, I'm not doing a clone.

My most recent brew was:

Mash
1.8 pounds Belgian Pilsner malt
.4 pound Belgian caramel Pils malt
.1 pound Belgian biscuit malt

Boil
.25 Styrian Golding (adding in 5ths)
.15 pound Belgian candy sugar

Pitch
1/2 packet Safbrew T58 ale yeast

 

[ackbrew]

Probably water? Every extract batch I made had a strange lingering bite, but none of my AG batches do. I blamed it on extract in general, as I used Distilled water....

 

[jonmohno]

Try s-33 or 04 if your sticking with belgian dry yeast see what happens. There are plenty of liquid yeast that dont enhance hop bitterness also. You should have got some sweetness balance from your grainbill,try mashing higher maybe also and the sugar generally lightens and drys the body.Never used carmel pils though. t-58 didnt finish very low for me the few times I used it I think. Maybe you got some astringency from the grain.Im thinking water more though. Pilsner I think you can basically use straight R/o water or soft water.And seems you generally want to when brewing with pilsner. As well as mash/boil longer.
So you used distilled for extract then? Your doing like a 1-2 gal batch then? Fresh malt extract should do you good and you shouldnt have to worry about your water as long as it tastes good and doenst have crap in it,otherwise use R/O or filter it or buy spring water that tastes good.Whatever is cheaper that works.

 

[Spinrathen]

No. I've never done that. Wouldn't it be easier to use distiller water with and aerate it?

You can use distilled water. What I do is fill my bottling bucket and fermentation vessel with water, toss a pinch of Potassium Metabisulfite in and wait 5 minutes. A jar of it is going to last me years and it was like 3 dollars.

All tap water has either cholrine or chloramines in it. You have to either boil the water, use store bought water which is an added expense, or treat it. I opt to treat it.

 

[LSUeer]

You can use distilled water. What I do is fill my bottling bucket and fermentation vessel with water, toss a pinch of Potassium Metabisulfite in and wait 5 minutes. A jar of it is going to last me years and it was like 3 dollars.

All tap water has either cholrine or chloramines in it. You have to either boil the water, use store bought water which is an added expense, or treat it. I opt to treat it.

Do you use it in just your strike water, or do you use it in all places of the brewing process where you need water?

 

[Spinrathen]

Do you use it in just your strike water, or do you use it in all places of the brewing process where you need water?

I use it for anything that is going in to the final product. If you are doing partial boils you would want to use it for your top off, and strike. I did my first kit brew with tap water and had some strange flavors I was not crazy about. Used store bought for a few and now do this instead. I am much more happy with the finished products.

 

[Nightshade]

How long are you allowing it to age? Green beer can come off with harsh flavors sometimes depending on style.

 

[LSUeer]

How long are you allowing it to age? Green beer can come off with harsh flavors sometimes depending on style.

I did 2 weeks in the primary and then bottled. It conditioned in the bottle for 2 weeks before I popped the cap yesterday.

 

[patthebrewer]

There are so many variables here, that with out watching you brew it would be near impossible to figure out. There are somethings you can try though;1) find out if you have chloramined water, if so, add 1/2 tab of campden to your strike water 2) cut back (or eliminate) the 60 minute hop additions 3) try balancing your recipe to include more biscuity, or bready malts (crystal malt are good too!)4) yeast is important to flavor, and some have a much smoother taste. those are just a few things to try. Also don't expect to brew perfect beer(to your taste anyway), right from the start,it takes experimentation, trial & error, and practice. Sometimes it takes a bit of "Mad Scientist", and ya know what? Thats really the fun of this hobby anyway isn't it