Watery low flavor Märzen

[Chile Con Carne]

Hi. Just did my second all grain brew. Used Jamils Munich Madness recipe with BIAB method.
4lbs of Pilsner
3lbs of Munich
2lbs of Vienna
12ozs of caramel/crystal 60l
1.5ozs of hallertauer at 60 mins
0.5 ozs of hallertauer at 20 mins
Used 34/70 lager yeast
Mashed at 152 degrees for 75 minutes
Boiled for 60 minutes. OG 1.048
I used STRAIGHT RO WATER no salt additions
Fermented at 54 degrees for 7 days. Raised temp to 65 degrees for d rest for 3 days. Cold crashed at 33 degrees for three days. Kegged and set regulator to 12psi at 39 degrees. FG 1.048. So I did hit my target OG AND FG.
My beer taste watery and can barely taste the malt and hops low flavor profile. My first batch of all grain was a blonde ale it also tasted slightly watery but not as bad this recipe. Trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong before attempting another brew. I sent a water sample to ward Labs for analysis. All opinions and analysis would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[BigEd]

Two initial thoughts: bad grain crush and no water adjustments

Beyond that I'm not experienced in BIAB method but if you did not get a good & thorough mixing of the grain and mash water it would limit your extraction of both sugars and flavors. Too coarse a crush would also limit the actions during the mash.

Re water, if you are going to all-grain brew you need to know what your water's composition is and how to modify it for the beer being brewed. Using unknown water will make beer but that is another factor that can severely limit your desired results. BTW this style of beer is supposed to have a very modest hop profile, just enough to balance what should be a big malty profile.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Thanks. I forgot to mention my mash conversion efficiency which was 83% if I did it right. Thinking it’s something with water too but wanted to ask experienced brewers don’t want to have throw away another batch.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

For BIAB brewing can you use a recipe as is or do you have to increase the amount of grains in recipe?

 

[cubalz]

Boost your grain bill by 20% and mash at 154.

 

[GoeHaarden]

I don't think crush would be the issue since you hit your gravities, and got good efficiency. Were your grains crushed a long time prior to brewing? This and lack of water adjustments would be my guess.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Don't throw it away. Make another batch on the heavier side and blend them.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

No grains were crushed 2 days prior to brew day. 20%

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Read in John Palmers How to brew that lack of calcium can leave beers watery maybe that’s it since I used straight reverse osmosis water

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Leary about going down the water chemistry hole. But may have too. All my extract and partial mash beers came out great

 

[schematix]

Few things here

1. OG too low. Bump by 15-20% as someone else said.
2. Use CaraMunich 2 (or 3) not American crystal 60.
3. You fermented too warm. Go for 48-50.
4. Step mash would go a long way here if you can do it. Look up Hockhurz mashing.
5. Straight RO water is too bland. Add .7g/G of CaCl2 to your strike water. My “secret ingredient” for malty beers is .2g/G of table salt (NaCl). That 25ppm of sodium really makes it pop. The CaCl2 will get your pH in range too. Was likely too acidic before.

 

[Chile Con Carne]

Cool thanks