Syrupy sweet after fermentation

[Zimm9]

Hey, and thanks in advance for any advice.

I'm brewing extract. For simplicity's sake, I'll call this a kitchen sink batch. I needed to brew and had to settle for what was on hand but was trying to come as close as I could to copying a recipe. The amounts match the recipe, but the types/flavors differ. It finished fermenting and the flavor is super sweet, like syrup. I'm guessing that I didn't put in enough hops and it's not balanced. Is there any way to save the batch? Can I dry hop before carbing?

Recipe info:

3.3 lbs Bavarian wheat LME
3.3 lbs Pilsen light LME
1 lbs plain sugar
1 lbs plain wheat DME

1 oz German Hallertau Blanc @ 60 min
1 oz sweet orange peel @ 15 min

Saf Ale 05

OG: 1.060
FG: 1.014

 

[lumpher]

I would have skipped the sugar in that, as wheats and sugar (to me) don't go together. Wheat adds mouthfeel, and table sugar removes it. But to address your question, what temp did you ferment at? If it was a little cool, I'd swirl it, warm it up, and try to rouse the yeast. Do you have any way (hydrometer or corrected refractometer) to measure abv?

 

[hotbeer]

It finished fermenting

Are you sure?

Usually with US-05 and the OG you started at, I'd be down at 1.009 - 1.011


But for clarity to others, my experience is all grain. I don't know how LME and DME and any other extract brew criteria affects how well it ferments out or what type sugars are in it's makeup.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I'm guessing that I didn't put in enough hops and it's not balanced.

What were the software estimated IBUs?

It finished fermenting and the flavor is super sweet, like syrup.

What do you know about the age and quality of the LME?

 

[IslandLizard]

It finished fermenting and the flavor is super sweet, like syrup.

Have you measured the current gravity (with a hydrometer)?

Is it possible your yeast was dead, or mostly?
How old was the yeast (there's a "manufactured on" date on the package), and how was it stored?
Had it been opened before?

 

[Zimm9]

Thanks for all the feedback. I had taken a few gravity tests but now I'm thinking they were too close together. I'm going to give it more time and see if it drops a little more. I stirred it up a bit to wake up the yeast. I'm betting ya'll are right that it didn't finish fermenting.

I'd double pitched because I was short on time. I was trying to rush what can't be rushed. lol It had been in primary for only 12 days, which I know is unrealistic but was hoping.... My fault for not watching the calendar and noticing the holiday weekend sooner.

Thanks again for reading and offering assistance!

 

[user 301693]

I'd double pitched because I was short on time. I was trying to rush what can't be rushed. lol It had been in primary for only 12 days, which I know is unrealistic but was hoping....

Ditto what others said; sounds like stuck/incomplete fermentation (I've had it happen a couple times). 12 days should be plenty of time for US-05, especially if double pitched... But what temperatures was it being fermented at? US-05 can handle 64 to 74 fahrenheit, so if it ever got out of that range it may have stalled.

 

[Saunassa]

Most of my beers fermented with us-05 comes in at 1.006-1.010 and that is fermented 66-69f.
Has your beer dropped clear or near clear? If not it may have needed a few more days.

 

[mabrungard]

You didn't tell us what the alpha acid percentage was and that has direct impact on the bittering imparted to the brew. That other thing is that Hallertau Blanc tends to impart a perception of sweetness. There are plenty of other new hop varieties that tend to give that sweet perception, so that might be one of the sources of your perception.

But I would make sure that the beer has actually fermented as far as it can. Do bring the fermenter into a warmer place and see if the fermentation will continue.

If the beer still ends up on the sweet and mouth-coating side, another thing you can do is add gypsum to the finished beer to help dry its perception. A thin pinch of gypsum between your thumb and forefinger, added to a pint of beer will add about 100 ppm sulfate to the beer and that should produce a notable drying of the beer's finish. If that results in a drinkable beer, you might need to scale that up and apply it to the batch.