Is there a fix for a sweet stout that is TOO sweet, or do I dump it?

[passedpawn]

I had a barleywine that was too sweet. I boiled some hops on the stove, filtered them through a coffee filter, and added the result to my finished beer. It helped a lot, and in fact that barleywine won a local competition later.

 

[wobdee]

This stuff?

I could do like three shots to raise the IBUs

I asked N Brewer about this and yes you need to boil it to achieve bitterness.

Something else I've been reading about is hop tea. A small amount of say 1/4 to 1/2 oz steeped in hot water and strained into the stout may take some of the sweetness out.

 

[MetallHed]

It appears that Hop Shot should be boiled to achieve bitterness (the oils in the resin still need isomerization). I would not add that to a finished beer - particularly a sweet stout.

Nor would I add bourbon. I generally dislike strong bourbon flavors in beer, but more to the point, I get a sweet note that I doubt would complement an already sweet brew.

I would brew a low OG, dry, bitter stout and blend 50/50. Shoot for 1.040-ish and 30-40 IBUs, with a healthy dose of roasted barley and high alpha bittering hops.

Yeah after having a bourbon stout, I don't think I'm going to add any. Not a liquor guy to begin with so it doesn't really appeal to me.

I had a barleywine that was too sweet. I boiled some hops on the stove, filtered them through a coffee filter, and added the result to my finished beer. It helped a lot, and in fact that barleywine won a local competition later.

That sounds like a good idea. Someone earlier suggested boosting the recipe IBUs to at least 40 next time. This would be like a homeade "hop-shot" that I could add.

I asked N Brewer about this and yes you need to boil it to achieve bitterness.

Something else I've been reading about is hop tea. A small amount of say 1/4 to 1/2 oz steeped in hot water and strained into the stout may take some of the sweetness out.

I think I may end up doing that after you and PP suggested it. I think it would help a lot to balance it out. Now the only question is how much hops and what kind. I would probably want a higher AA with an earthy flavor.

Any suggestions?

 

[wobdee]

I have some Magnum that might work well. High AA and very smooth bitterness and flavor. I'd say maybe 1/3oz would do it.

 

[MetallHed]

I just checked my freezer and I have about a .5 oz of Columbus hops left over from that Surly Bender clone. I'll throw that in there first and wait to see if it needs more.

 

[lunshbox]

I have the same answer for all of the too-sweet beers: add brett b or c and let it go for a few months.

 

[wobdee]

The OP gave me a growler of this stout to try again after a few more months of conditioning and It does taste better to me than before.

I don't think it's overly sweet anymore but I'm getting a hint of apple aroma and taste. It also seems to fade as it warms up.

Pretty hot and humid day to be drinking stout but I'll suffer through it lol.

 

[MetallHed]

Thank you for your sacrifice, wobdee.

 

[MetallHed]

Just to be clear I didnt do anything with it except for let it sit at room temp.