Resuscitating A "too Sweet" Brew. Is It Possible To Add &qu

[WarmBeer]

I've had a Mild in the fermenter for the last week and a half, and have checked the FG before getting ready to bottle it.

The FG is nice and stable (1012), and has been for 48 hours, so confident fermentation has completed...but...the beer is too sweet, very little perceivable bitterness, and a little "bland" (best way to describe it).

I've brewed this recipe before (out of Jamil's book), and it turned out delicious straight out of the fermenter, but this one seems like a shadow of my previous brews. I have a identified a number of possible reasons as to why:

• I upscaled my previous recipe, and all ingredients, from 21 to 25 litres
• Might have under-utilised my hops due to age (been in the freezer for about 6 months)
• The starting gravity was waaaaayyyy off target (1052, I was shooting for about 1040)
• Used steeping grains from a different company
• Brewer might have started drinking too early in the afternoon before commencing measuring of ingredients

Basically, I think the addition of too much DME, and too little AA from the hops ruined my BU:GU ratio.

So, I want to try to rescue this brew using the following:

1. Steep some additional grains in 1 litre water (probably 30g Black Malt + 50g Choc) to add flavour and some grain astringency
2. Bring the resulting liquor to the boil
3. Chuck in an additional 10g of Fuggles or Goldings to add hop flavour (and a liiiitle bit of bitterness)
4. Boil for 10 minutes
5. Chuck the resulting wort in the fermenter

Does this sound like a feasible plan to add flavour, or am I about to commit a big mistake?

Opinions, thoughts and abuse are all welcome.

Can we save it? Yes we can!

 

[tcraig20]

I've had a Mild in the fermenter for the last week and a half, and have checked the FG before getting ready to bottle it.

The FG is nice and stable (1012), and has been for 48 hours, so confident fermentation has completed...but...the beer is too sweet, very little perceivable bitterness, and a little "bland" (best way to describe it).

I've brewed this recipe before (out of Jamil's book), and it turned out delicious straight out of the fermenter, but this one seems like a shadow of my previous brews. I have a identified a number of possible reasons as to why:

• I upscaled my previous recipe, and all ingredients, from 21 to 25 litres
• Might have under-utilised my hops due to age (been in the freezer for about 6 months)
• The starting gravity was waaaaayyyy off target (1052, I was shooting for about 1040)
• Used steeping grains from a different company
• Brewer might have started drinking too early in the afternoon before commencing measuring of ingredients

Basically, I think the addition of too much DME, and too little AA from the hops ruined my BU:GU ratio.

So, I want to try to rescue this brew using the following:

1. Steep some additional grains in 1 litre water (probably 30g Black Malt + 50g Choc) to add flavour and some grain astringency
2. Bring the resulting liquor to the boil
3. Chuck in an additional 10g of Fuggles or Goldings to add hop flavour (and a liiiitle bit of bitterness)
4. Boil for 10 minutes
5. Chuck the resulting wort in the fermenter

Does this sound like a feasible plan to add flavour, or am I about to commit a big mistake?

Opinions, thoughts and abuse are all welcome.

Can we save it? Yes we can!

Cant see why it wouldnt work - you could use 100g of LDME for the boil instead if you wanted.

Another alternative is to get some of Ross' hop extracts and add a couple of drops of that.

 

[marlow_coates]

Sounds fair to me.
Why not boil hops for a little longer? Maybe 30min to get a decent bit of bittering.

Also remember that it will want to ferment the new sugars from the grain, so make sure it gets a little more time to finish out.

Otherwise you could always brew an entire bitter beer, and blend the two.

I had to do this to save an overly bitter beer, and the results were pretty nice.

You won't get what you were aiming for initially, but saves throwing all that beer away :icon_cheers:

Marlow

 

[chappo1970]

...Another alternative is to get some of Ross' hop extracts and add a couple of drops of that.

+1 JC

I would isohop it to bring the bitterness up and hop tea it to bring in some flavour and aroma. Trying to muck around with another boil and ferment at this stage could be a recipe for disaster IMO.

Unfortunately your bottling not kegging ATM by the sound of it so a blend is prolly out of the question but is a good suggestion.

What was the recipe?


Chappo

 

[Swinging Beef]

Go for it.
Blending is a time honoured tradition.
Alternately, brew an IPA, and throw 5 litres of fermented IPA into the mild.

 

[WarmBeer]

What was the recipe?

Chappo

It was pretty much Jamil's "Through a Mild Darkly" from out of Brewing Classic Styles.

Previously it has turned out a very tasty, low alcohol, brew, with a dark, dark ruby color. Most people who see it assume it's a dark ale, until they have a sip, it really does bring me back to some time I spent in pubs in Malvern in the UK.

Not keen to add any more DME, but was planning on giving it a couple more days at 19-20 degrees after adding the steepings.

This was going to be for the upcoming Vic case swap, but if it turns out crap, I'm going to have to start again

 

[chappo1970]

...This was going to be for the upcoming Vic case swap, but if it turns out cr#p, I'm going to have to start again

Pffft! Give it to them anyway most those guys wouldn't be able to tell a VB from a Pilsner Urquell... h34r:

:lol: !

 

[brendo]

Pffft! Give it to them anyway most those guys wouldn't be able to tell a VB from a Pilsner Urquell... h34r:

:lol: !

I heard that Chappo!! :angry:

Brendo

 

[Hutch]

Pffft! Give it to them anyway most those guys wouldn't be able to tell a VB from a Pilsner Urquell... h34r:

Honestly, you think we're devoid of taste down here?
VB is far superior to Pilsner Urquell :lol:

 

[muckey]

I've seen bitterness fixed by boiling some extra hops and adding to keg / fermenter etc before

essentially it works

give some time for the extra hopping to smooth out ( which you will be if you bottle) and all will be good

blending as suggested is also a sure fix and time honoured tradition


:icon_offtopic: I see a mob forming chappo. You should be carefull of those mexicans h34r:

 

[chappo1970]

:icon_offtopic: Completely OT... Just Stirring the pot a little seeing if there's life out there...

I heard that Chappo!!

Brendo

Egad I knew someone would pick up that bait... h34r:

...VB is far superior to Pilsner Urquell

I rest my case Hutch!

I see a mob forming chappo. You should be carefull of those mexicans...

Pffft! At the rate they took that last lot of bait I reckon I have at least 2hr 40min start... Tehehehe!

Run fat boy! run!!!!

Peace and beers to my Mehicoe Brothers

Chappo

 

[hairofthedog]

i f@#ked up batch size on beersmith ended up with an ipa with about 20ibu brought a bottle of iso hop added 1ml per 10lts worked a treat brung the ibu up to about 40ibu in opinion would recommend giving it a go :icon_cheers:

 

[WarmBeer]

It...is...alive!!!

I steeped some more grains, and boiled them up with about 10g of Goldings, and chucked it in with the rest of the beer, and tonight's taste test has brought this baby back to life.

I now have a name for the beer at the case swap next month... Frankenmild.