Fizzy Beer - Big Bubbles!

[roosiecharm]

Hi guys,

I'm a fairly new brewer...I make decent beer and I enjoy the beer I brew....but the mouthfeel of my beer could be improved hugely (as could a number of other things...but this is the most pressing I think).

The beer has a somewhat fizzy feel to it - and I notice when I crack a bottle open, the bubbles in the neck of the bottle are larger rounder bubbles....more bubbly than the smooth, small bubbled froth of a commercial beer. When swirled in the mouth, it become gassy (very simillar to coke), which I find annoying in a beer.

Any advice guys?

 

[roosiecharm]

Another quick question guys....I put down a lager yesterday and put it in my fermenting fridge to keep it at around 10-12 degrees - and I noticed this morning that the plug had fallen out of the wall (either by dog or some one having pulled the fridge out from the wall - grr) - anyway the beer could have gotten up to 25-30 degrees last night with the warm weather.

Is the lager ruined? It's now back to it's 10 degrees and should stay there consistently for the remainder of the fermenting time. Will it turn out ok or did that 12 hours from hell ruin it?

 

[waggastew]

On the carbonating side of things there are two likely candidates for over carbed beer.

1. You didn't leave your beer in primary for long enough. If you bottle too early there is still some residual fermentables which will mean too much CO2 when you add your priming sugar. Make sure you measure the FG over a few days and that it has stabilised in a range that sounds sensible (most K&K will be somehwere between 1014-1008).

2. You added too much priming sugar. Try using carb drops or one of those sugar measuring spoon-thingies you get from a HBS. Its important to keep the amount consistent.

You can save the ones you got if they are in PET by either burping the bottles (unscrewing the lid till you hear the gas escape and then retightening the lid) or opening them to let the gas out on the day before you drink them, let them sit in the fridge over night with the lid on and then drink them.

As for the lager only the beer can answer that question. Keep it going at 12degC and then taste it once it hits FG. There has been some discussion on brewing lagers at 18degC on here. Make sure you report back ow it went.

Stew

 

[roosiecharm]

Beauty - thanks for the advice mate - I'll give it a try!

Roosie

 

[MaltyHops]

You could try adding maltodexrin (maybe 500g for 23L batch?) to your next brew.

Have look at: Is Maltodextrin The Same As Dextrose?

T.

 

[mwd]

Fridges are good thermal insulators and quite a large mass of liquid to heat up so I would not worry too much the internal temperature should not have gone up too drastically.

As for fizzy beer sounds like you may have overprimed it. How are you doing it Bulk Priming or adding sugars to each bottle.? If each bottle then follow waggastews advise buy a proper measure and use caster sugar or dextrose way cheaper than buying carb drops.

 

[manticle]

Use at least some malt extract in place of simple sugar.
Boil some hops with the malt extract.
Steep some grains like crystal malt or carapils.
Use maltodextrin.

These should all help with forming a better head, malt, maltodex and the steeping grains will all add to body. More is not necessarily better though - you will need to find the right balance.

There are proper methods for the above you'll need to research - hops, how to boil, what boil length times do etc
Grains - how to steep, what they give, the results of using too much
Overuse of maltodex, etc etc

 

[Kevman]

I've noticed some variability in the bubbles but I also get beers that have the nice tight bubbles that you see in commercial beers.

Other things to consider also is the amount of time in the fridge before you drink it. I find that if it is in the fridge for at least 24 hours prior to drinking, that the head is better and the beer is clearer.

Also the age of the brew. An older brew seems to have a better head than a younger one.