Recipe Design

[Murray]

I am trying to design a recipe for a standard bitter. I am trying to hit the following :

1.036 OG
28 IBU
12 EBC
3.7% abv%

as this is in the standard range for an ordinary bitter, and I want to try to make a beer which is fairly light in color, and not too hoppy.

One thing I have got from Beersmith is the estimated FG for this beer will be around 1.008 given the recipe I have chosen. I want to add some body to the beer and get the FG up to about 1.011 which is the top of the allowable range.

My initial thinking was to add some Maltodextrin to the end of the boil, but I am seeing in Beersmith this has had not effect on the estimated FG. This is clearly a glitch in the software. How would I anticipate the quantity of Maltodextrin to add in order to hit a 1.011 FG? Any other unfermantable sugars you might suggest?

 

[Walker]

I don't think ANY of the software packages actually calculate a FG. I think they just throw in a number that is typical for the style. There are way too many things that factor into a FG number for any program to actually calculate (mash temp, water chemistry, pitching rate, mash conversion specifics, etc, etc, etc).

Any software that gives you a FG number is really just taking a wild guess, IMO.

 

[944play]

According to AHS, MD ferments out about 12%. It contributes ~40 ppg, ~35 of which should stick around, so very roughly speaking, a typical half-pound addition to a typical 5-gallon batch should add about maybe threeish points to the FG.

 

[ChadChaney]

I was under the impression maltodextrine is non-fermentable?

 

[silverbrewer]

Why not stick with the ESB

I don't suppose you have a decent water profile for ESB do you? I am going to use all the ESB info that John Keeling of Fullers put out on brewradio broadcasts, but I can't get a definitive target water, this side of "Burtonised"

I was thinking of emailing him and asking, but that seems a bit cheeky! Perhaps I will anyway......I have even sent some Birmingham water over to Ward Labs to get it analysed.....so I am trying!

 

[Brewpastor]

Yeast variety, pitching rate, aeration, mash temp. grain bill, water hardness will all effect your FG/body of your beer. You can always add things to "artificially" boost your FG, but you should learn to control it without their use. It just takes time. Paul Farnsworth (professor, writer, brewer, all around good guy) told me to bump my mash temp up to 156-158 to get the body. Made a great bitter!

 

[Murray]

Thanks for the replies, guys. That is a good rule of thumb on the Maltodextrin. I would love to hit the desired FG without any additions, but the recipes I am using give me the flavour and aroma I am after, and these recipes finish up the beer at 1.008 ish. My ideal mouthfeel comes from the 1.014 area beers, so I am trying to get a lightish, fruity beer come in a little fat on mouthfeel, hence trying to make a lit beer and then fatten it up with unfermentable adjunct. Have heard the mash temp thing, and typically try to mash at around 156, but will look to bump that next time.

 

[Malticulous]

Water profile can influence perception of mouthfeel. London water should be very good for that.