Tips On How To Brew Light Beer

[drsmurto]

I like to brew a light to mid strength beer on a regular basis.

During the cooler months its a dark mild based on Warren's "Just a Trickle Dark Mild"

In summer its a Little Creatures Rogers type beer, basically an american amber ale but with an OG of 1.040 of below and lower IBU. Cascade, amarillo and nelson sauvin.

Both around 3, occasionally 3.5%. Both mashed at 69-70C, both fermented with Wyeast 1187 - ringwood which is a low attenuator.

The other light beer on my list to brew is Ross' crazy 1.7% megahopped beer.

Can't find the recipe at the moment but he did post it in the 'What are you brewing II' thread.

I didn't like the look of it on paper thinking Ross was having a seniors moment :lol: but i did have the opportunity of tasting it in his shop and it changed my mind immediately. Tasty, tasty beer. :chug:

 

[Screwtop]

Don't know if it has been mentioned yet but a low OG is the starting point. No real need to mash high IMO, you don't want a cloyingly sweet beer for a low ABV drop. Start with a low OG and a low attenuating yeast such as Windsor. Important aspects with any beer - yeast esters, hop bitterness and flavour, and malt profile are even more so with low ABV beers. Malt profile is more difficult to achieve so caramelising wort or the addition of cara malts or even adjuncts can be useful. All beer styles are a balancing act, low ABV beers even more so.

For a great small beer I use a clone recipe for Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Bitter, a great beer and only 3.25%ABV. Pretty sure I've posted the recipe, a search for "Samuel Smiths" filter by member name Screwtop and show results as post should turn it up.

Screwy

 

[beers]

No real need to mash high IMO, you don't want a cloyingly sweet beer for a low ABV drop. Start with a low OG and a low attenuating yeast such as Windsor.

I was under the impression that a higher mash temp won't enhance sweetness, but they will increase dextrins? If anything I thought a low attenuating yeast would increase sweetness?

Dr Charles Bamforth mentions mashing up to 72c on the Brewstrong Q&A podcast.. has anyone tried going this high?

 

[MarkyMark]

If you wanted to do an extract version of a low alcohol beer, would you use dried corn syrup to add body and decrease the fermentables?

Cheers

Mark

 

[Fourstar]

I was under the impression that a higher mash temp won't enhance sweetness, but they will increase dextrins? If anything I thought a low attenuating yeast would increase sweetness?

Dr Charles Bamforth mentions mashing up to 72c on the Brewstrong Q&A podcast.. has anyone tried going this high?

that is correct. i remember him saying if table sugar is 1 sugar unit, maltose is .7, and maltodextrin is like .01 or something to that effet.

 

[Tim]

This is timely as I was about to brew a lower alc beer. I was planning to brew something along the lines of an Asian lager.
3kg of Pilsner Malt
SA-1 (Chinese Saaz) to 25 IBU's.

I think it would be roughly similar grain bill to a Kirin, Asahi or Sapporo clone without the rice.

 

[Fourstar]

This is timely as I was about to brew a lower alc beer. I was planning to brew something along the lines of an Asian lager.
3kg of Pilsner Malt
SA-1 (Chinese Saaz) to 25 IBU's.

I think it would be roughly similar grain bill to a Kirin, Asahi or Sapporo clone without the rice.

looks the goods to me! nothing better than a simple grain bill! B)

 

[Asher]

AG'rs - Watch you don't oversparge & sponge out to many tannins.

I usually add around 20% of my sparge water direct to my kettle bypassing the tun. Then fly sparge to required pre boil volume as per usual. This method is repeatable & accountable re. efficiency

 

[Fourstar]

AG'rs - Watch you don't oversparge & sponge out to many tannins.

Is this so much an issue with batch sparging?

 

[barls]

heres the one im brewing on saturday


Recipe Overview
Target Wort Volume Before Boil: 54.00 l Actual Wort Volume Before Boil: 54.00 l
Target Wort Volume After Boil: 40.00 l Actual Wort Volume After Boil: 40.00 l
Target Volume Transferred: 40.00 l Actual Volume Transferred: 40.00 l
Target Volume At Pitching: 40.00 l Actual Volume At Pitching: 40.00 l
Target Volume Of Finished Beer: 38.00 l Actual Volume Of Finished Beer: 38.00 l
Target Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.026 SG Actual Pre-Boil Gravity: -No Record-
Target OG: 1.036 SG Actual OG: -No Record-
Target FG: 1.010 SG Actual FG: -No Record-
Target Apparent Attenuation:: 70.4 % Actual Apparent Attenuation: 0.0 %
Target ABV: 3.3 % Actual ABV: 0.0 %
Target ABW: 2.6 % Actual ABW: 0.0 %
Target IBU (using Tinseth): 11.5 IBU Actual IBU: 14.6 IBU
Target Color (using Morey): 20.4 SRM Actual Color: 20.4 SRM
Target Mash Efficiency: 80.0 % Actual Mash Efficiency: 0.0 %
Target Fermentation Temp: 18 degC Actual Fermentation Temp: 18 degC


Fermentables
Ingredient Amount % MCU When
Australian Traditional Ale Malt 4.190 kg 71.0 % 3.0 In Mash/Steeped
German Carahell 0.571 kg 9.7 % 1.2 In Mash/Steeped
Australia Joe White Choc Chit Malt 0.571 kg 9.7 % 32.2 In Mash/Steeped
Australian Crystal 140 0.571 kg 9.7 % 8.8 In Mash/Steeped


Hops
Variety Alpha Amount IBU Form When
super pride 15.1 % 7 g 8.9 Loose Pellet Hops 60 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Goldings 2.3 % 29 g 2.6 Loose Pellet Hops 15 Min From End
Slovenian Styrian Goldings 2.3 % 22 g 0.0 Loose Pellet Hops Dry-Hopped

and heres the one im brewing tomorrow

Recipe Overview
Target Wort Volume Before Boil: 56.00 l Actual Wort Volume Before Boil: 56.00 l
Target Wort Volume After Boil: 42.00 l Actual Wort Volume After Boil: 42.00 l
Target Volume Transferred: 42.00 l Actual Volume Transferred: 42.00 l
Target Volume At Pitching: 42.00 l Actual Volume At Pitching: 42.00 l
Target Volume Of Finished Beer: 42.00 l Actual Volume Of Finished Beer: 42.00 l
Target Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.028 SG Actual Pre-Boil Gravity: -No Record-
Target OG: 1.037 SG Actual OG: -No Record-
Target FG: 1.010 SG Actual FG: -No Record-
Target Apparent Attenuation:: 72.9 % Actual Apparent Attenuation: 0.0 %
Target ABV: 3.6 % Actual ABV: 0.0 %
Target ABW: 2.8 % Actual ABW: 0.0 %
Target IBU (using Tinseth): 31.3 IBU Actual IBU: 40.2 IBU
Target Color (using Morey): 10.3 SRM Actual Color: 10.3 SRM
Target Mash Efficiency: 80.0 % Actual Mash Efficiency: 0.0 %
Target Fermentation Temp: 18 degC Actual Fermentation Temp: 18 degC


Fermentables
Ingredient Amount % MCU When
Australian Traditional Ale Malt 6.000 kg 94.0 % 4.1 In Mash/Steeped
Australian Crystal 140 0.140 kg 2.2 % 2.1 In Mash/Steeped
Australian Dark Crystal 0.140 kg 2.2 % 3.1 In Mash/Steeped
Australian Chocolate Malt 0.100 kg 1.6 % 7.6 In Mash/Steeped


Hops
Variety Alpha Amount IBU Form When
UK Golding 5.5 % 74 g 30.0 Loose Pellet Hops 60 Min From End
US Cascade 4.5 % 90 g 1.3 Loose Pellet Hops 1 Min From End

 

[Screwtop]

I was under the impression that a higher mash temp won't enhance sweetness, but they will increase dextrins? If anything I thought a low attenuating yeast would increase sweetness?

Dr Charles Bamforth mentions mashing up to 72c on the Brewstrong Q&A podcast.. has anyone tried going this high?

Like all things brewing.............it depends. What yeast are you using, what malt, what OG do you intend for your beer. In some cases 72 may be required using the house yeast strain. Mashing high for dextrinous wort means that some unfermentable sugars will be left in the beer, these don't necessarily taste sweet. Using a low attenuating yeast leaves some fermentable and unfermentable sugars in the beer, so in the case of two beers finishing at 1.010 one mashed high and the other fermented using a low attenuating yeast, the latter would appear sweeter but both have the same amount of residual sugar. While not being as sweet, dextrinous wort that finishes high after fermentation ceases, still tastes sweet. The important thing is to have a low OG, to ensure the beer finishes dry but with just enough body and mouthfeel for it to be drinkable/sessionable, that is the forte of the small beer..

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[Gout]

well i have my first Low(er) alc beer almost ready to drink. I did not mean this beer to be as low but as it turns out its coming along very well.

1099 Whitbread yeast, SG 1045 FG 1017 hoped with EKG. (i wanted a lower efficency and in turn lower starting Gravity and finishing)

it has a bit more body than i expected and i will try and lower this and maybe in turn lower the alc.

currently its 3.4% Alc ( mid strength) hopfully i can get in the high 2% and still taste nice next brew

50Lt
8.00 kg Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 92.0 %
0.50 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 20L (20.0 SRM) Grain 5.7 %
0.20 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2.3 %

75.00 gm Pride of Ringwood [8.90%] (60 min) Hops 36.2 IBU
35.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [4.80%] (10 min) Hops 3.3 IBU
35.00 gm Goldings, East Kent [5.00%] (0 min) Hops -

 

[Nick JD]

I've found mixing beer with lemonade makes something for the ladies. I hear it's called a "shandy" and get's them all giddy.

Perhaps try this.

 

[Gout]

oh yuck! unless you like sweet water like beer - i wouldnt advise

 

[Henno]

The best lower alcohol beer I have ever had is AndrewQld's Oliver Cromwell Bitter. It simply has a lower grain bill and therefore an of of 1.037 and should finish at 1.090 or so. I can't find it in the DB though so it may be secret squirrel.