This is a good idea. Pitch some Brett B and closet that batch for a year.
What to do with "bad" beer batch?
- Thread starter TrickyDick
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk:
This is a good idea. Pitch some Brett B and closet that batch for a year.
OP
OP
Hmm.
Good option brett. I have a OLD ALE yeast pack thats old but might do the trick, with some mixed bugs in it. I had feared that the buggy beers would contaminate the equipment, so have never made one before.
I probably do have the gravity measurement at home. I'll post when I get chance later tonight. Gotta laugh at the comment though! You got a point! I recall I was trying to fast carbonate the beer so I could bring to a NASCAR race I was invited to at the last minute. Never did bring it though.
TD
Good option brett. I have a OLD ALE yeast pack thats old but might do the trick, with some mixed bugs in it. I had feared that the buggy beers would contaminate the equipment, so have never made one before.
I probably do have the gravity measurement at home. I'll post when I get chance later tonight. Gotta laugh at the comment though! You got a point! I recall I was trying to fast carbonate the beer so I could bring to a NASCAR race I was invited to at the last minute. Never did bring it though.
TD
trying to re-ferment that brew that has boiled starches and unfermentable sugars to me, is like trying to squeeze water from a stone. The damage was done when you killed the beta enzymes. then slowly killing what was left of the alpha enzymes leaving your mash with a very low fermentable wort. Then you boiled your unconverted starches and after the low attenuation because of no fermentable sugars are stuck at 1.040
the one thing yeast needs is food. The easiest solution is make up some simple syrup (sugar/water) chill down to fermentation temps and add that to the brew, see where that takes you. you may want to pitch some more yeast and enzymes also. The sugar will dry and thin the brew and boost the alcohol level
the one thing yeast needs is food. The easiest solution is make up some simple syrup (sugar/water) chill down to fermentation temps and add that to the brew, see where that takes you. you may want to pitch some more yeast and enzymes also. The sugar will dry and thin the brew and boost the alcohol level
OP
OP
Oldbrew,
That is one of the reasons I posted it to get some ideas.
It's easy to flush it down the drain, but if it's possible to save it, without a lot of wasted effort, then might be worthwhile.
Do you think using the beer as mash in water is worthwhile? Any ethanol would likely be evaporated, at least partially, at mash temps, but the unconverted starches could be converted potentially with some fresh mash enzymes. My only concerns might be oxidization, though the beer is quite young still and has been kegged.
I've heard and done blending before. Not a fan.
I've personally tried the amylase trick, though without addition of fresh yeast or supporting simple sugars for yeast to consume. I'm leaning this way, and see what happens. Worst case scenario, it's moved inside to warmer temps and nearer to the toilet to flush if it doesn't work out.
TD
That is one of the reasons I posted it to get some ideas.
It's easy to flush it down the drain, but if it's possible to save it, without a lot of wasted effort, then might be worthwhile.
Do you think using the beer as mash in water is worthwhile? Any ethanol would likely be evaporated, at least partially, at mash temps, but the unconverted starches could be converted potentially with some fresh mash enzymes. My only concerns might be oxidization, though the beer is quite young still and has been kegged.
I've heard and done blending before. Not a fan.
I've personally tried the amylase trick, though without addition of fresh yeast or supporting simple sugars for yeast to consume. I'm leaning this way, and see what happens. Worst case scenario, it's moved inside to warmer temps and nearer to the toilet to flush if it doesn't work out.
TD
I secondary at least one brett beer per year in a keg. If you're really concerned set aside a keg for brett beers, but I just use standard cleaning procedures and have never contaminated a batch with these kegs.
OP
OP
Thanks!
I ended up adding amylase and it dropped the gravity like a stone, perhaps too much, though in the uncarbonated and room temp tasting, was pretty good.
TD
I ended up adding amylase and it dropped the gravity like a stone, perhaps too much, though in the uncarbonated and room temp tasting, was pretty good.
TD
![Craft A Brew - Safale S-04 Dry Yeast - Fermentis - English Ale Dry Yeast - For English and American Ales and Hard Apple Ciders - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [1 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41fVGNh6JfL._SL500_.jpg)
carrolte
Well-Known Member
Any update? Amylase is a mirical worker!
Saw something similiar to this on "Drinking Made Easy" yesterday. Guy was making Georgia Char moonshine out of bad homebrew.
COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
Just feed it to one of your sour beers that you keep fermenting for years in the cellar . . . . . . .
OP
OP
Well the beer has further attenuated, perhaps too much in fact.
Its carbonating right now. My hydrometer read 1.004!
I'll let you know how it tastes. May have overly attenuated....
i think you can add Potassium sorbate to limit the yeast from further activity, but I sure wouldn't take the risk of bottling any of this stuff - strictly kegging it.
I'll remeasure the FG when its been carbonated and tasted - already has the amylase on hand, so it didn't coast me anything.
TD
Its carbonating right now. My hydrometer read 1.004!
I'll let you know how it tastes. May have overly attenuated....
i think you can add Potassium sorbate to limit the yeast from further activity, but I sure wouldn't take the risk of bottling any of this stuff - strictly kegging it.
I'll remeasure the FG when its been carbonated and tasted - already has the amylase on hand, so it didn't coast me anything.
TD
OP
OP
Just an update.
The amylase trick seemed to work for me in making an under attenuated and overly sweet beer drinkable.
The amylase trick seemed to work for me in making an under attenuated and overly sweet beer drinkable.
I had the same thing happen a month ago . Brewed DIPA that had a OG of 1.089 got it down to 1.028 and it was still to sweet can not drink it. So you are saying decarb and re ferment with say a 05 or Notty and the enzyme? did you do a big starter? Going to brew Sunday and was going to work on the bad beer any help would help. Thanks
jjbrew said:
Yeah you'll need to proceed just like you would for pitching yeast in a new beer. The starter doesn't need to be huge. Go easy on the enzyme and be patient it takes a few days to start fermenting. It will definately dry your beer out, most likely too much.
OP
OP
I'm not saying what I did made "great" beer, but turned an undrinkable batch into a drinkable one. Flavor profile was a wee bit off, and I had some unusual flavors - not unpleasant, but different than in my other beers.
I added some powdered amylase enzyme and let em sit a few weeks at 70-74 degrees room temp. this dropped them a few points, and I grew impatient. I added some liquid Beano drops and the SG fell like a stone. I added some Potassium Sorbate - a preservative to inhibit further yeast activity then crash cooled them after racking into kegs.
one beer was a Belgian strong golden ale and other was a dead guy ale - both AG kits from NB.
no new yeast was added, no aeration was performed. both beers were in their secondary carboys when they got stuck. I am not sure if it was a mashing problem or a fermentation/yeast health problem that was wrong - I suspect a little of both.
TD
I added some powdered amylase enzyme and let em sit a few weeks at 70-74 degrees room temp. this dropped them a few points, and I grew impatient. I added some liquid Beano drops and the SG fell like a stone. I added some Potassium Sorbate - a preservative to inhibit further yeast activity then crash cooled them after racking into kegs.
one beer was a Belgian strong golden ale and other was a dead guy ale - both AG kits from NB.
no new yeast was added, no aeration was performed. both beers were in their secondary carboys when they got stuck. I am not sure if it was a mashing problem or a fermentation/yeast health problem that was wrong - I suspect a little of both.
TD
Similar threads
