Obtaining That Drier Taste

[durgarth]

Hi all,

I have been brewing AG for a couple of months (up to my 9th AG brew and loving it). After much research I decided to go with a BIAB type system (thanks to Thirstyboy's postings on this forum) to start and I will probably upgrade over the next couple of months to a three vessel system. Currently I use an old Malley copper boiler (50 litre) and a Rambo type 3 ring burner. Anyway that's just background information not what I'm after.

All the beers I have made have had a 60- 70 minute mash time at around 68 degrees. The brew (whilst sensational in comparison) is a little "sweet" for my liking and I'm wondering if it has to do with my temperature and mash time. I suppose I'm after a drier finish on the beer. Which then I suppose leads to the "style" of beer you are producing......anyway I mainly do APA's with a few English Bitters thrown in.

Any help or advice greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[Adamt]

It does have a lot to do with your mash temperature. Drop it to 63-64 for a drier-finishing beer.

 

[oldbugman]

Get the FGs lower. Mash lower, aeration of wort, large healthy yeast pitching.

Another take could be to up your IBU if you don't want a decrease in body.


Then you could move onto ingredients chosen.

 

[Tony]

I used to mash at 67 all the time when i started and got sweeter fuller beers.

I shifted to lower temp mashes after being advised on here and the old Grumpys forum (before we all came here )

I now mash all my normal drinking pale ales ect at around 64 to 65 deg for a drer finish and it works. I dont find the beers to be thinner, but the yeast will attenuate more, hence less sweetness.

Alsi i had to drop my OG's down a couple of points because you get more alcahol of course.

I made a pale ale (it was like an american but had different hops) for the last HAG case swap and stuffes the infusion amount. It mashed at 61 deg and was fantastic. Dry and crisp. It attenuated down to 1.004

I prefer the cooler mash now but will still use a higher mash temp for beers that call for it like a brown ale or something.

hope this helps.

 

[durgarth]

Yep I thought so, I have had some trouble "fiddling" with the burner and getting the burn time right to maintain temp. I have recently purchased a digital therm and now I have found that I only need to lite that burner for a few minutes every 20 minutes or so.

:blink: Still its all about learning

 

[Dave86]

As already stated mash temp, 68 is pretty high (depending on the style of course) Most of my beers are mashed at about 65-66 and aren't really dry at all. It will depend on your thermometer, bitterness levels and your own preferences in the end. Try and mash a bit lower, maybe not quite so low as 64 for your first attempt though, and see how you like the difference.

 

[durgarth]

Thanks guys I have the day off tomorrow (no wife and kids awwwwwwwww) and am planning a double brew day....early start. I will try mashing at 64 for both and see how I go.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Pick a Wyeast that is less flocculant , these are generally better attenuators and will give you a drier finish and you get to pick your ester profile etc.An the rest already mentioned.
GB

 

[Stuster]

All good suggestions. To echo GB, a highly attenuative yeast will make a difference as well. Which yeast did you use?

Another important issue of course is grain bill. What sort of percentage of crystal have you been using for these beers?

 

[durgarth]

All good suggestions. To echo GB, a highly attenuative yeast will make a difference as well. Which yeast did you use?

Another important issue of course is grain bill. What sort of percentage of crystal have you been using for these beers?

One of the last brews I did that was a bit "sweet" (But hey still very drinkable) had the following

2kg JWM Trad Ale Malt
3kg Maris Otter
500 Meyermann Crystal
and I think I put around 150 Carapils in as well.

hops were a mix of Cascade and Syrian and 60, 30, 15 and 5.

Yeast used was a dry yeast purchased from the local HBS Amercian Ale Yeast no5.

 

[Stuster]

Well, if you want drier I'd say that much crystal is going to be at least as big a factor as mash temp. 500g of Weyermann crystal (which one, there are so many? caramunich??) will definitely add a lot of sweetness. Personally I'd halve that. And again, personal taste, but I don't really see much need for the carapils.

 

[durgarth]

Yep......Thanks guys. It just goes to show you its all about learning and a bit more research. The local HBS gave me that grain bill. The Carapils I had sitting around, that's probably my fault

Thanks for your help on this subject I will read up for tomorrow (planning a brew day) I don't plan on having sweet (meadish its not really that sweet) type beer forever.

 

[Shortz]

Hi Brew Masters,

Is the only way to make it temperature based? seems like there is a lot of variation between flavour in a few degrees of mash.
I'm not an AG brewer, only a beginner partial, but is there another way to get it drier? I seem to remember you could add some yeast which would chomp through the 'sweeter' fermentables, is this a myth? or is my memory misleading me? or is this even possible? Maybe this was to do with all sugar (white sugar) brews, ginger beer, etc.......

cheers

 

[Adamt]

I think you are referring to dry enzyme, which strips out far too much flavour out (leaves practically nothing behind, like low-carb beers) for my liking. This dry enzyme is actually the same enzyme in your mash that is more active at lower mash temperatures. You are better off just lowering your mash temperature.

 

[kevo]

Can dry enzyme be added to a mash? - I do partials.

Or just to the fermenter?

Kev

 

[afromaiko]

I once thought that Dry Enzyme seemed like a good idea. After tasting the beer it produced I changed my tune.. Don't do it! Perhaps use more adjuncts like dextrose instead.

 

[SJW]

Hi Brew Masters,

Is the only way to make it temperature based? seems like there is a lot of variation between flavour in a few degrees of mash.
I'm not an AG brewer, only a beginner partial, but is there another way to get it drier? I seem to remember you could add some yeast which would chomp through the 'sweeter' fermentables, is this a myth? or is my memory misleading me? or is this even possible? Maybe this was to do with all sugar (white sugar) brews, ginger beer, etc.......

cheers

Thats like saying, you can make a V8 go slower by taking out spark plug or doing crazy stuff with the engine to slow it down or you could just take your foot off the gas. Same with brewing drier beer. Just mash cooler, very easy, and match the ingredients ie. dont go nuts with crystal.

 

[mje1980]

I mash my beers around 68, and when i change it up and mash lower, say 65, i cannot pick a difference. No way. How about adding some sugar ( BOO, HISS :lol: ), it will lighten the body, and dry the beer out a little, i do this in most of my bitters, works great. You could also add 1-2% brown, amber,or choc malt, which will take away some of the crystal malts sweetness. And more hops too??.

 

[oldbugman]

. The Carapils I had sitting around,

I get a cloying mouth feel from carapils, used to use it. these days I dont touch it.

 

[SJW]

I get a cloying mouth feel from carapils, used to use it. these days I dont touch it.

+1