Most of my beers taste similar, why?

[michiganjoe]

I am still a noob, and I have attempted to make beer at least 8-10 times. I have learned a lot since my first batch, but more often then not my beers tastes similar. Overall, they lack complexity and taste "thin." Is this common? I read alot between batches and try to follow all the rules of homebrewing but I feel unsatisfied with my results........usually.

 

[JLem]

What kind of brewing are you doing? Are these all kits with extract and specialty grains? What kind of beers? What kind of yeast? What kind of hops? etc

More info is needed. Your beers shouldn't all taste the same if they are varied recipes.

 

[jprice]

Are there any common ingredients that are similar in them such as choice of yeast, hops, base grain? Are they within the same styles? If you are bottle conditioning, are you waiting at least 3weeks before drinking them?

 

[rhamilton]

If you are using extract - it is likely just the nature of brewing with the same extracts over and over again. Look into mini-mashes to make your brews a little more complex without having to go all-grain.

Another possibility is your water quality. If you have crap water, it's a common factor between all of your brews.

 

[Revvy]

It's 'cause you belong back in Michigan rather than California. Our water is better here.

Seriously, what are you doing? Canned kits, extract with grains, Partial Mash or All gran brewing. IF you let us know what you're using we can start to help you see what's going on.

 

[michiganjoe]

Wow. Thanks for all the interest.
I am using a variety of yeasts. I used dry and wet malts. I tend to use mostly Light Extracts and dme's. Im using various hops. Steeping grains. My water is good. I generally do partial boils and add to cold water before pitching yeast. I try to splash new brew on to a previous yeast cake whenever possible (best results). I primary for weeks before bottling. Sanitation is good.

My beers just dont have the complexity im looking to achieve (other than my pumpkin ale which is great, but doesnt taste much like pumpkin, lol)

I have been dissatisfied with a Brown Ale, 1st Pumpkin Ale, Amber Bock, California Pale Ale.....

 

[Homercidal]

Fermentation temps?

How long after bottling do you wait to drink?

How much extract and water?

 

[Revvy]

Post some of your recipes, and your process, so we can get a feel for what you do. THere's a huuuuuuge amount of variables that come into play, and we all tend to have our pet ones, but until we see what we do, we're just guessing.

 

[michiganjoe]

Ive read many books, watched every video on youtube, tried to scour the forums to learn from others mistakes before I make them, and follow recipes to the nth degree. This is what makes this all more dissapointing.

My brew tends to have a watery, thin, or simple taste to it. Not the complexity im desiring.

I pay attention to temps, sanitation, hop schedules, yeast health and rate (White Labs wet), aeration, proper fermentation, carbing, bottling, etc.

Ive never actually tested the water but my local homebrew shop assures me our water is excellent. Ive looked on the interent to find info on local water quality and I have never found any reason to believe water is poor. I have boiled all the water the day before and that didnt change the outcome.

 

[microbusbrewery]

There is such a thing as house flavor, but I think that may be only part of what you're dealing with. If you're doing extract brews, some of it may be due to the fact that it's extracts and you're kind of limited by which malts were used to make the extract. Have you tried steeping some grains or doing a partial mash to add some complexity? Maybe add some unfermentable sugars to give a fuller mouthfeel (e.g. malto-dextrin). I've been all grain brewing for quite a few years now, but I remember way back when I did extract brewing I kind of felt the same way. I thought steeping grains and partial mashes resulted in much more flavorful brews.

 

[helibrewer]

You might try increasing the dextrinous malts to increase the body, like carapils, caravienna, or even dextrin powder. Sounds like you are getting good attenuation and ending up with pretty dry (low FG) beer...

You might also try a yeast that doesn't attenuate as well, your FG's will be a bit higher but you will pick up some body.....

OR you could try some partial mashing, replacing some extract with base malt and mashing it in the high 150's to help with body.

Just some thoughts....

 

[tonyc318]

Extract brewing gets a bad rap. Some seriously good beers get made with extracts. However, if you're buying extracts that are old or of poor quality that will produce bad beer. Buy your kits from a busy, well known source and you have a higher chance of getting fresh extract. I second what everyone else has said about ferm temps and length in bottles. Be careful with those.

 

[michiganjoe]

I have been steeping grains and they help, but I think it is just the nature of "extract" brewing.

 

[Homercidal]

Well, I would get a water report, regardless of what someone else says about your water. Our water tastes fine, but I've been told by the city that it contains chloramine.

And there are various minerals that may be in excess. It's just relatively inexpensive knowledge.

If you are sure your water volumes are accurate and you are brewing a good brand of kit then it kind of narrows the diagnosis. Have you tried using a distilled or RO water instead of tap? There is nothing wrong with doing so in an extract kit. They already contain all of the minerals from the extraction process anyway.

If you lack mouthfeel, maybe try adding 1/2 lb. of carapils or something else to add body.

Adding some steeping grains is a great idea.

Best help is listing the ingredients and volumes and all of the details of your process. There are some general rules of thumb that someone might spot needs attention. Barring the water being the culprit of course.

 

[TTB-J]

I have been steeping grains and they help, but I think it is just the nature of "extract" brewing.

Nah, there is no "nature of 'extract' brewing," not with the quality of today's extracts. I've only ever done extract or partial mash, my beers taste as full and flavorful as anything I get at the store: no "twang," no watery thinness. I think the fact that you're doing partial boils, combined with water issues, is probably affecting the overall taste. Your recipes may have something to do with it as well. I'd be willing to bet that if you use a proven extract recipe from this site, use store-bought drinking water, and do a full boil (along with all of the other good practices you have adopted), the beer would come out full-bodied, flavorful, and downright delicious.

 

[tonyc318]

Nah, there is no "nature of 'extract' brewing," not with the quality of today's extracts. I've only ever done extract or partial mash, my beers taste as full and flavorful as anything I get at the store: no "twang," no watery thinness. I think the fact that you're doing partial boils, combined with water issues, is probably affecting the overall taste. Your recipes may have something to do with it as well. I'd be willing to bet that if you use a proven extract recipe from this site, use store-bought drinking water, and do a full boil (along with all of the other good practices you have adopted), the beer would come out full-bodied, flavorful, and downright delicious.

I second this!

 

[aidan]

nah, there is no "nature of 'extract' brewing," not with the quality of today's extracts. I've only ever done extract or partial mash, my beers taste as full and flavorful as anything i get at the store: No "twang," no watery thinness. I think the fact that you're doing partial boils, combined with water issues, is probably affecting the overall taste. Your recipes may have something to do with it as well. I'd be willing to bet that if you use a proven extract recipe from this site, use store-bought drinking water, and do a full boil (along with all of the other good practices you have adopted), the beer would come out full-bodied, flavorful, and downright delicious.

+1

 

[aidan]

I have been steeping grains and they help, but I think it is just the nature of "extract" brewing.

Post an example of a typical recipe that you've been dissapointed with. How do your OG and FG readings compare with the gravities predicted by the recipe?

 

[Revvy]

Nah, there is no "nature of 'extract' brewing," not with the quality of today's extracts. I've only ever done extract or partial mash, my beers taste as full and flavorful as anything I get at the store: no "twang," no watery thinness. I think the fact that you're doing partial boils, combined with water issues, is probably affecting the overall taste. Your recipes may have something to do with it as well. I'd be willing to bet that if you use a proven extract recipe from this site, use store-bought drinking water, and do a full boil (along with all of the other good practices you have adopted), the beer would come out full-bodied, flavorful, and downright delicious.

+3.

I made many great tasting, full bodied beers when I brewed extract with grains. I did really well in contests with them.

It's really in the nature of the recipe and the brewers skill that makes good or bad beer, not that it was made with extract.

 

[JLem]

Still need more info from OP. Fermentation temps? OGs? FGs? Bottling routine - how much priming sugar? How long did the bottles condition?

I would not just start throwing extra things into your recipes, like carapils, without knowing if there is an underlying issue that needs solving.

 

[Draken]

I found with sampling my first few batches, the beer tends to taste watery and boring if it hasn't aged enough. Even in bottles the real bulk of the flavor seems to appear after week 2. For example my first MrB kit:
Week 1 in primary: thin watery yuck
Week 2 in primary: better but still thin yeasty still not the best
Week 3 in primary: even better very yeasty.
Cold crash and bottle 3 days later
Week 1 test bottle: yeasty, not clear, bad miller light flavor
Week 2 test bottle: a bit better nothing to write home about
Week 3: full flavor similar to a high life or the like

So maybe you aren't giving the bugs enough time to work?

 

[michiganjoe]

thanks for all the interest. I have decided to only change one or two things at a time and see what happens. I am going to start by trying different water and increasing my boil volume

 

[Chaserb31]

I am no expert but bottle conditioning for 3-5 weeks helps a lot. I am amazed at the difference in the beer the longer it ages.

 

[looneybomber]

Maybe you just need to brew a beer with a higher OG? If they've all been <1.050, maybe try something >1.080? I use local spring water in my beer BTW.

 

[alepale101]

I had pretty much the same experience when I did extract. I could never understand all these newbie posts crowing about how wonderful their beer was. Some I am certain was really good, but I suspect that the "halo effect" affected judgement in many cases.

 

[scubaDAN1985]

I know my first two partial mash brews I didn't mill the grains hahaha I know more now thanks to this sight