extracts/kits always too sweet tasting

[manticle]

I've come across that idea too and certainly overloading a high gravity brew with too much dex or sucrose too early can result in yeast failing to deal with malt successfully but from experience I can guarantee using some dex or doing a straight kk should not see a stalled ferment.

Healthy, sufficient yeast is a concept to which I keep returning.

 

[burrster]

The possible answers to your issue are all out there as far as I understand.
Use Part dextrose - given the beer less body and lower FG over all malt. I personally use this method.
Use a low carb enzyme - it will allow the yeast to eat more of the residual sugars giving lower FG and less sweetness.
Increase Bitterness to mask the sweetness. You might be surprised, that you might like the increased bitterness, as long as its balanced, and not over done.
Ensuring healthly sufficient yeast.
A combination of any or all of the above, with the healthy yeast being non optional!
All you have to do now is experiment!


Good luck

 

[pablo_h]

I think the part of the reason is my palette. When I quit brewing in 2009 I switched to chilli growing as a hobby, and herbs, and also cooking by seasoning food properly IMO- ie salt, spices (and a lot of chilli!).
Never been one for desserts, I would be huge and even fatter if I liked them! I don't like sweet foods or drinks much. For example when I mentioned I hated most ecig stuff because it was too sweet, I don't like sweet stuff much at all.

I bought some coopers pale ale last week for yeast, and it may have been I had to drink it without yeast, or they changed the recipe (reading clone topics people have said they used to have sugar but switched to an all malt recipe recently - plus upped the price and used fancier bottles), but that coopers pale ale was way sweeter than my memory had thought it was)
OTOH, when I used the yeast for a starter, I tasted a bit from the LDME starter and it was as dry and yeasty as I want me my beers to be.
But yeah, take from this what you will, but I found bottled coopers pale ale too sweet.
In 2011 I used to drink a lot of coopers stout though, maybe I just need dark brews or become a hop head?
E: Really though I just want a brew where the yeast shines over the malt, as drinking stout in summer is not a sane option, and I'm not a hop head (was drinking APAs and IPAs as soon as micros sold them in WA, and behind the hops is a cloying sweetness Ids rather do without). I wish I could brew an english style bitter; low on the hops but still not sweet...

 

[manticle]

Saison

 

[Dae Tripper]

Try a different yeast an keep the temperature in its comfort range. I am a big fan of Danstar Belle Sasion. It eats more sugars than most.

Said that one already. No one cared. The yeast is great for a dryer beer.

 

[manticle]

Said in direct response to this:

E: Really though I just want a brew where the yeast shines over the malt,

but you should never feel no-one cares.
We all care.

Deeply.

 

[pablo_h]

Said that one already. No one cared. The yeast is great for a dryer beer.

It was noted, but right now dealing with temp issues and transport.
At the moment only able to get to big-w/woolworths. I did go to a home brew store weeks ago for LDME and fermenter spares but those parts blew my budget so no money left over for yeast (3hrs return it took -2 buses and a bit of a walk each way)
Also dealing with babbys first temp control (I've been banned from filling the laundry sink and not too confident with brewing in a sink of water, or that sink in particular anyway). First few batches recently I did when we had a freak low temp ambient coming up, and I thought I could get away with it. I have 3 old fermenters so did them all simultaneously. But the temps rose during bottle conditioning and the kit yeast was doing me no favours - beer didn't come out so good.

Right now playing around with an old sleeping bag, some eskies and I've got enough empty juice/milk containers to start out in a freezer rotation. Of course i can only one run fermenter now, but doing a kit beer with coopers recultured yeast. If I can keep that cool over a heatwave without running the air con, then I've got something to build on and try other yeasts.
I'll definitely look into you saison recommendation then

 

[manticle]

Saison also won't require the same level of temp control.

All your ingredients can be ordered online so you are never limited to big W or LHBS.

 

[pablo_h]

My "LHBS" is brewmart, and while pretty hard to get to unless you have a car, and has an awful website, bad postage prices, the product range and prices can't be beat especially with grain, hops, yeast. I really need to get there in person so I can get some grain and LME too. Maybe in a few weeks I hope. Planning to buy 3kg LDME, 1.5kg wheat, 4kg MO grain, brown and crystal, and 100g packs of hops then. (E: I'm just saying the trip in a PITA and not much point unless stocking up enough to make the trip worthwhile) Likewise ordering so much/heavy, postage is expensive for over 5kg)

Been looking around for someplace else for yeast, most don't have the range, or charge a lot more, or don't offer express post. Beerbelly seems the best so far though after a lot of time looking up yeast (or ESB).
But screw Ahmed, auspost service and prices, and intentional slow boat delays he wants. It's still $10 to mail some yeast express from BB. So in the meantime I'm just waiting/doing what I can. "Perfect the process with cheaper ingredients so I don't screw up a brew again with more invested in ingredients and time" is what I'm currently thinking. E: Although many will say rubbish in is rubbish out and any money wasted on kits is just wasted as it's not beer. Blah blah etc etc (not saying you'll say that, but many want their 2c so beating them to it). Point is, temp control and sanitation is what I'm working on getting 100% right.

 

[manticle]

Look at online brewing supplies (might be online brewing and distilling supplies): based in Perth (Bassendean from memory) so postage might be cheaper.

Otherwise bulk out your order with a few other things. Making good beer at a fraction of the price of storebought combined with the convenience of having the relevant bits laid at your door deserves more than bigw.

 

[manticle]

Who's ahmed?

 

[Mattrox]

Who's ahmed?

Ahmed Fahuor head of Australia post.

Former head of NAB.

 

[paulyman]

Ahmed Fahuor head of Australia post.

Former head of NAB.

So that's why my banking experience has improved but my postal service has gone down hill. It all makes sense now...

Used to work for NAB under his reign. Quit when I was told by a manager to stop spending so much time on the phone helping customers, apparently I had products to sell...

 

[manticle]

Ahmed Fahuor head of Australia post.
Former head of NAB.

Cheers

 

[pablo_h]

Look at online brewing supplies (might be online brewing and distilling supplies): based in Perth (Bassendean from memory) so postage might be cheaper.

Thanks for that, that looks like it used to be gryphon brewing going by their site.
I think I bought some stuff before from that guy, had a few beers with him and looked at his cool room back when I was a fridgey ~10 years ago.
I wondered what happened to him and if still in business. Needs some SEO that's for sure.

 

[manticle]

Yeah nev from gryphon.
Brewmart looks alright too. Expensive yeast but good range.