How Make A 'dry' Beer

[red ghost]

Hi all,
I'm just starting out with extract and mini mash brewing and I'm looking for some tried and tested advice on how to make a 'dry' lager without using a dry enzyme?

cheers in advance.

 

[DUANNE]

i think your options would be to mash the mini mash part of the recipe really low and use a fair chunk of sugar in the recipe. sugar is fully fermentable so using up to say 30% should lave a rather dry beer.

 

[red ghost]

'Mash low' do you refer to temp?, if so what temp would you rec?

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

'Mash low' do you refer to temp?, if so what temp would you rec?

63-64 is recommended by many for this type of beer.

 

[MHB]

If you arent a mash brewer, arent prepared to use enzymes and find a kit + Dex/Sugar isnt dry enough for you then youre pretty well screwed!
No matter what you add as the balance of your fermentable (the Kilo part of K&K) (both Dex and sugar are 100% fermentable) that wont decrees the body contributed by the malt extract in the kit, there are a couple of kits on the market that are called Dry, several have the enzyme under the lid with the yeast, a couple have it made into the kit. same same, its just enzyme thats been hidden from you.
Take up mash brewing, use enzymes or learn to love what youre brewing.
MHB

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

I would assume you bottle and not keg with the not wanting to use dry enzyme comment?

 

[pcmfisher]

Whats bottling and kegging got to do with dry enzymes?

 

[Pennywise]

Can be a bit tricky to determine how low the SG will get when using dry enzymes, personally, I wouldn't bottle a beer I've use the enzymes in because if it keeps fermenting your bottle's will go boom!

 

[Bribie G]

Can be a bit tricky to determine how low the SG will get when using dry enzymes, personally, I wouldn't bottle a beer I've use the enzymes in because if it keeps fermenting your bottle's will go boom!

Kegging can be very forgiving - mate round the corner makes a very nice medium cider about as sweet as Strongbow and it's fine from the keg, sitting at 2.
On the other hand bottling is extremely unforgiving.

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

Whats bottling and kegging got to do with dry enzymes?

I am trying to work out why the aversion of dry enzyme. I would assume this is due to bottling and potential bottle bombs. If the OP happened to be a kegger and really wants a dry beer, then dry enzyme would be the simplest option.

 

[Pennywise]

The only reason I don't like dry enzyme is because every beer I've made using it tastes like arse, worse than kit twang. I agree it will have it's place for some.

 

[pcmfisher]

Can be a bit tricky to determine how low the SG will get when using dry enzymes, personally, I wouldn't bottle a beer I've use the enzymes in because if it keeps fermenting your bottle's will go boom!

Yeah, I see what you are saying.

However, if your were to get a low FG of say 1004 that hasn't moved for a week at reasonable temperatures, why would you think its going to continue to ferment in the bottle?

 

[Pennywise]

I guess I just put my tin foil hat on when it come to dry enzyme

 

[Aus_Rider_22]

The only reason I don't like dry enzyme is because every beer I've made using it tastes like arse, worse than kit twang. I agree it will have it's place for some.

TBH, I have never used it. I shouldn't comment about its use, I had just seen it included in alot of kit packs for a beer like tooheys extra dry, hahn superdry carlton dry etc.