Should it still be sweet?

[Admiral]

Im brewing your standard IPA extract. I had it in the primary for 1 week and the secondary (dry hopped) for an additional week. I just racked it to my keg. It has lost most of it's bitterness and is pretty sweet. From what I remember, the temp of the wort was about 65 degrees or so when I pitched the yeast. A coworker of mine says when he force carbonates his beer, that his is ready in 3 days. No way will mine be ready in 3 days. It's too sweet and I can't really smell the hops (granted I did just mistakenly sniff c-brite fumes when rinsing that shiz out of my keg OUCH).

Hop Recipe
1oz Bittering hops @ 60 minutes
2 oz cascade @ 55 minutes
2 oz dry hop in secondary for 1 week

 

[Yooper]

If it's still sweet, it may not be finished. What's the current gravity reading?

1 ounce of hops may or may not be enough for bittering. It depends on the alpha acids % of the hops, and the type. If the beer is underhopped, that could be a reason for the sweet taste.

When you say you added hops at 55 minutes, I assume you mean at 5 minutes before the end of the boil? That would be flavor/aroma hops and not bittering hops?

 

[Admiral]

If it's still sweet, it may not be finished. What's the current gravity reading?

1 ounce of hops may or may not be enough for bittering. It depends on the alpha acids % of the hops, and the type. If the beer is underhopped, that could be a reason for the sweet taste.

When you say you added hops at 55 minutes, I assume you mean at 5 minutes before the end of the boil? That would be flavor/aroma hops and not bittering hops?

Yes. I boiled the cascade for 5 min before the end of the boil. I can't remember the name of the bittering hops so I can't give you the alpha acid number. Were sitting at 1.15 on the hydrometer. Temp is 69 degrees.

 

[Yooper]

Yes. I boiled the cascade for 5 min before the end of the boil. I can't remember the name of the bittering hops so I can't give you the alpha acid number. Were sitting at 1.15 on the hydrometer. Temp is 69 degrees.

At 1.015, it shouldn't be sweet unless it's underhopped. That's the only thing I can think of. It should still be hoppy with the 2 ounces of cascades at 5 minutes and the dryhopping, so maybe carbonation will provide a counterbalance to the sweetness.

 

[Admiral]

I forgot to mention. These were whole cone hops.

 

[Admiral]

At 1.015, it shouldn't be sweet unless it's underhopped. That's the only thing I can think of. It should still be hoppy with the 2 ounces of cascades at 5 minutes and the dryhopping, so maybe carbonation will provide a counterbalance to the sweetness.

I hope so! I can't make a beer my wife would drink! That would just be sissy!

 

[Yooper]

I hope so! I can't make a beer my wife would drink! That would just be sissy!

Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, I sort of like ultra bitter IPAs myself, with the big "smack you in the face" hoppiness. That's my favorite style. Does that make me girly?

 

[ajf]

Yes. I boiled the cascade for 5 min before the end of the boil. I can't remember the name of the bittering hops so I can't give you the alpha acid number. Were sitting at 1.15 on the hydrometer. Temp is 69 degrees.

If you boiled the cascade for 5 minutes before the end of the boil, when did you add the bittering hops?
They should have been added 60 minutes before the end of the boil.
If you added them at flame out (i.e. 0 minutes left in the boil), then that would explain the sweetness.

-a.

 

[Apoxbrew]

an ounce of whole leaf hops isnt a lot... especially for an ipa. even if it were pellet hops, that would be a very mild hop for an ipa.

what was your og? a week in the primary isnt very long. two weeks is the standard minimum.

 

[ShermanTank]

I did an extract kit from Brewcraft for Rogue Brutal IPA and had the SAME problem. The beer tastes sweet and malty without being hoppy at all. I did notice that after 8 weeks, the sweet/maltiness has gotten a lot lower and I can smell and taste the hops now. I did two weeks primary/three weeks secondary by the way.

i would say, wait. If you are anxious, make some more to take your mind off the problem!

 

[Admiral]

If you boiled the cascade for 5 minutes before the end of the boil, when did you add the bittering hops?
They should have been added 60 minutes before the end of the boil.
If you added them at flame out (i.e. 0 minutes left in the boil), then that would explain the sweetness.

-a.

Sorry, my post was confusing. I boiled the bittering hops FOR 60 minutes, then the aroma hops at 55 minutes FOR 5 minutes

 

[Admiral]

an ounce of whole leaf hops isnt a lot... especially for an ipa. even if it were pellet hops, that would be a very mild hop for an ipa.

what was your og? a week in the primary isnt very long. two weeks is the standard minimum.

Didn't record the OG

 

[Admiral]

I did an extract kit from Brewcraft for Rogue Brutal IPA and had the SAME problem. The beer tastes sweet and malty without being hoppy at all. I did notice that after 8 weeks, the sweet/maltiness has gotten a lot lower and I can smell and taste the hops now. I did two weeks primary/three weeks secondary by the way.

i would say, wait. If you are anxious, make some more to take your mind off the problem!

After being carbonated in the keg for 3 days, I can already taste the sweetness dissipating.

 

[Admiral]

If the yeast is still busy chomping away at the sugars, will introducing CO2 cause any problems?