Sweet Beer Problem

[chase]

Some of you may have read this thread where I was asking for advice on what to do about a quick brew.

I decided to go ahead with it and bottle today, but there was a problem. It was really sweet, but it had reached the right FG. It was an english ale extract kit. I've never used this kit or company before, but I have made an english ale before and it didn't taste anything like this, even when it was really green.

Any reason why this may be?

 

[TexLaw]

If it's too sweet and you hit your FG, then it sounds like something went awry with your bittering hops. Either you didn't use enough, used a certain amount but they were lower AA% than expected, didn't boil long enough, or got poor utilization (e.g., not a vigorous enough boil or partial boil with very high gravity).


TL

 

[homebrewer_99]

FG good + Still sweet = Underhopped.

Two solutions:

1. Mix/blend with a more bitter beer.

2. Make 1/2 gal of hop tea and add a bit at a time, sample to taste, add more tea to taste.

 

[srm775]

Order Iso-Alpha hops extract. That'll add the hops bitterness you need better than a hops tea.

 

[shafferpilot]

wait wait wait! Did you taste it before or AFTER adding the priming sugar??? If after you're probably already laughing at yourself so I won't bother going any further.

 

[chase]

wait wait wait! Did you taste it before or AFTER adding the priming sugar??? If after you're probably already laughing at yourself so I won't bother going any further.

Actually, I tasted before and after, because I couldn't believe it. You guys got me thinking about the hops though. The kit came with 1oz Perle (bittering) and 1.5 Willamette. I read the labels and everything seemed normal (at least to me). I can't recall exactly but the Perle was around 8% and the Willamette around 2%.

But you guys got me thinking: the hops weren't refridgerated. The whole kit was boxed up and sitting on the shelf. It may have been there for a long time. Aren't hops supposed to be refridgerated?

 

[TexLaw]

I don't know what you were trying to brew. That amount of hops will lead to low IBUs, but that's probably appropriate if you were brewing something with a low gravity.

If the hops were not refrigerated, they will degrade much faster, and that does affect their bittering punch.


TL

 

[chase]

I don't know what you were trying to brew. That amount of hops will lead to low IBUs, but that's probably appropriate if you were brewing something with a low gravity.
TL

It was an english ale. OG=1.045, FG=1.014

 

[Joker]

Another vote for hops causing the trouble.

 

[TexLaw]

Well, there you go. It sounds like your IBUs are pretty low for an English Pale Ale with that OG.

Just running some quick numbers, assuming you boiled the Perle for 60 minutes and the Willamette for 15, you would come in at about 24IBUs with fresh hops and good utilization in a full boil. If those hops had been sitting around on the shelf for a long time, or if you did a partial boil, you came in at less that that. For a 1.045 OG English Pale Ale, I would shoot for about 32-35 IBUs to get the balance I like in that sort of beer.


TL

 

[chase]

Well, there you go. It sounds like your IBUs are pretty low for an English Pale Ale with that OG.

Just running some quick numbers, assuming you boiled the Perle for 60 minutes and the Willamette for 15, you would come in at about 24IBUs with fresh hops and good utilization in a full boil. If those hops had been sitting around on the shelf for a long time, or if you did a partial boil, you came in at less that that. For a 1.045 OG English Pale Ale, I would shoot for about 32-35 IBUs to get the balance I like in that sort of beer.
TL

Great! Thanks. I'm still pretty new at this. I've always just assumed that the kits meet all the proportionality requirements for IBUs and such.

I think I'll just never buy a kit that has been sitting on the shelf for any period of time. And I think I'll just set these aside for a few weeks and see if anything gets better. If not, I'll dump...

 

[TexLaw]

I agree with not buying a shelf-stored kit. Many LHBSs make up "kits" to order and store ingredients properly. That's where I would get my kits.

And, don't dump the batch! That's perfectly good beer you have there! As the others said, you can blend it or add bitterness some other way. Unless you just have to free up some space, don't dump it! Shoot, maybe you can mix it with some tonic water and have a very pleasant cocktail!

Dumping is a last resort for something that is truly, truly undrinkable due to something extreme like bad wort scorching, contamination, broken glass, or something like that.


TL

 

[Danny013]

Buy a bottle of hop extract and add a couple of drops to your glass to your liking before pouring.

 

[chase]

something extreme like bad wort scorching
TL

What does that taste like?
I recently made a Two-Hearted clone, and I noticed some black sheets floating around in the kettle. I think I may have not stirred in my LME. I've tasted a samples during gravity readings, but haven't noticed anything off.

 

[TexLaw]

It tastes like burnt sugar. It tastes bad! If you didn't notice anything off by now, it wasn't a problem for you.


TL

 

[chase]

Great. Thanks.
Everybody says it over and over, but it is true... "Relax. It is fine."

 

[LostDakota]

If your beer doesn't turn out so good, you could always cook with it. I used my failed porter to baste the turkey this year. Damn, was it good. I make a mean stew out of just beef, potatoes, green beans, garlic and beer, too. It's definitely a better idea than dumping it.
-Drew

 

[Danek]

If your beer doesn't turn out so good, you could always cook with it. I used my failed porter to baste the turkey this year. Damn, was it good. I make a mean stew out of just beef, potatoes, green beans, garlic and beer, too. It's definitely a better idea than dumping it.
-Drew

+1. Beer goes great in chillis or lasagnas.

 

[chase]

Thanks for the cooking/etc tips. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I bottled an IPA today, and we are leaving for vacation on Friday. When we get home in a few weeks, I'll drink and IPA and figure out what to do...

Maybe I'll give it to the homeless. :/

 

[ModlrMike]

FG good + Still sweet = Underhopped.

Make 1/2 gal of hop tea and add a bit at a time, sample to taste, add more tea to taste.

How does one make this hop tea of which you speak?

 

[homebrewer_99]

How does one make this hop tea of which you speak?

I start with 3/4 gal water and 1 oz of hops (3-4%, at 6-8% you can use less). Boil for 1 hour. A lot of the water will evaporate leaving a concentrated bittering tea.

Add the tea to the brew about a cup at a time. Gently swirl/stir the tea in. Let sit for a few minutes so it can blend. Take a sample. Taste.

Repeat as necessary.

You'll know you are there (or close) when you find yourself wanting to take a second sample without adding more tea. Let it sit a few more minutes to blend better and try another sample so you don't overhop it.

I saved a batch once by adding 3 cups of tea.

Be forewarned though, my house did smell like someone had lit up a doobie.

 

[ModlrMike]

Thanks for that. I only have 1/2 oz left in the freezer, so I'll scale the recipe back and use that. It should be enough to correct the low IBU from the kit I just made. It's been fairly warm (-5C) here lately, so I'll probably do this outside, or in the garage.