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Overcarbonated and too sweet

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kokonutz

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 5, 2020
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Location
Campbell River
Hi all - first all grain batch was tasted yesterday. Final consensus is that its way too carbonated, but also a bit too sweet. Initially i thought maybe i used too much priming sugar. On bottling day, I was quite pleased with the results and I hadn't felt it was too sweet when i tested before bottling. Then my thoughts ran down the rabit hole of reasons . My understanding was that sweet means the yeast is not done and the fermentation did not complete. But does that conflict with the overcarbonation? Some stats for you all about this beer.

BIAB (No sparge)-3gl
67% efficiency
Batch Volume: 2.63 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
Mash Water: 4.03 gal
Total Water: 4.03 gal
Boil Volume: 3.4 gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.055
Vitals
Original Gravity: 1.065
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU (Tinseth): 65
Color: 6.5 SRM
Mash

Temperature — 150 °F60 min
Malts (7.002 lb)
6.001 lb (85.7%) — Briess Brewers Malt 2-Row — Grain — 1.8 °L
8 oz (7.2%) — Carafoam — Grain — 2 °L
8 oz (7.2%) — Victory Malt — Grain — 19 °L
Hops (2.49 oz)
0.49 oz (32 IBU) — Centennial 10% — Boil — 60 min
1 oz
(16 IBU) — Citra 12% — Boil — 5 min
1 oz
(17 IBU) — Simcoe 13% — Boil — 5 min
Yeast
1 pkg — Fermentis US-05 Safale American
Fermentation
Primary — 68 °F — 14 days
Target Carbonation: 2.4 CO2-vol
Conditioned 14 days ~70 degrees

Most importantly, can i salvage it? Wait longer? Get them cooler/warmer? I've even read i could pop the tops slowly and add more yeast/recap. Is that for real??
 
With an FG of 1.012 it shouldn't be to sweet. I am not sure what your target was but 1.012 is a decent number. I would lean towards to much sugar during bottling. Especially if it is highly carbonated.
 
Too much priming sugar, once carbonation has finished, would not make the beer taste sweet. The sugar would be gone.

I sometimes get an almost artificial sweetener taste from Simcoe.

Also, oxidation can make hoppy beers taste sweet-ish. Is the beer dark-ish compared to what you expected?
 
Too much priming sugar, once carbonation has finished, would not make the beer taste sweet. The sugar would be gone.

I sometimes get an almost artificial sweetener taste from Simcoe.

Also, oxidation can make hoppy beers taste sweet-ish. Is the beer dark-ish compared to what you expected?
I also believe it’s over priming. Your recipe and final gravity shouldn’t produce a sweet beer. If it’s that over carbed and still sweet it’s probably your issue. How much sugar did you use?
 
Too much priming sugar, once carbonation has finished, would not make the beer taste sweet. The sugar would be gone.

I sometimes get an almost artificial sweetener taste from Simcoe.

Also, oxidation can make hoppy beers taste sweet-ish. Is the beer dark-ish compared to what you expected?
not really...it's a color i'm quite happy with and expected
 
Thats a bit more than I normally use for my 3G batches. It's been awhile since I batch primed, but I'm fairly certain I was in the 2-2.25oz range when it came to table sugar. I could see that extra half oz causing the over carbonation, but not necessarily the sweetness. That sugar would be eaten up in carbonation.

I do not have any experience with victory malt (or carafoam, for that matter). Does that have a sweetness aspect to it?
 
Thats a bit more than I normally use for my 3G batches. It's been awhile since I batch primed, but I'm fairly certain I was in the 2-2.25oz range when it came to table sugar. I could see that extra half oz causing the over carbonation, but not necessarily the sweetness. That sugar would be eaten up in carbonation.

I do not have any experience with victory malt (or carafoam, for that matter). Does that have a sweetness aspect to it?
now that you mention it, carafoam is supposedly supposed "to aid in creating better foam improvement, improved head retention and a fuller body"-

well moving onward...sounds like i can't do much now. Just be more careful on the packaging. Maybe time will soften the sweetness , no idea
 
If your mash temp was high, you'll get less fermentable sugar which could leave the beer on the sweeter side. I also think a little extra hop at the 60 minute mark will give you a more balanced beer.

I would give it another week in the bottle and see if it cleans up.
 
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