Too Bitter

[PostModern]

I've got a APA sitting in secondary for about 10 days now. Sampling the hydrometer readings makes me worry a bit. It has a strong bitterness in the taste. Like "chewing on orange seeds" bitter. The smell is fine (nice cascade floral nose) but I don't know what to do about the bitterness.

 

[kook]

I've got a APA sitting in secondary for about 10 days now. Sampling the hydrometer readings makes me worry a bit. It has a strong bitterness in the taste. Like "chewing on orange seeds" bitter. The smell is fine (nice cascade floral nose) but I don't know what to do about the bitterness.

PoMo, with the OG of 1040 you stated I cant see it being as balanced as blakeys recipe due to lack of malt sweetness. I'm going to have the same problem (my OG was 1045). The recipe is rather high in IBU's, and does need the higher amount of malt to balance out the flavour.

 

[PostModern]

So the solution will be bottle and age for 9 months for the hop bitterness to mellow out? Alternatively, I might rack it onto another 500g of LME in solution and let it ferment out? It is too bitter to drink the way it is

 

[GMK]

Too Bitter

Try This to help balance it out ...

Rack into another fermenter and add the following:
Gypsum - softens the water 1- 3 teaspoons
Lactose - to add some sweetness - add in 100gm lots.

Stir in gently and taste...leave for a couple of days...
taste again and add more if needed to achieve better taste and/or balance.

Let me know how you go if you try this PostModern

 

[PostModern]

Thanks GMK, but I think I might try and correct it along the lines of the original recipe which was all LME. The water here is pretty soft, but I might get some gypsum to help it along anyway

OK, I've got 20 litres of beer and my OG was .010 out (or so). How much LME will I need to add?

 

[PostModern]

I "fixed" this brew on the weekend. I added 1.5 litres of LME and about a litre of water. After racking it brought the volume back to 20 litres. The brew is still bubbling away. I didn't bother with gravity readings... it tastes just a little too sweet now, but that will subside as the malt continues to ferment out, I hope

 

[RegBadgery]

Postmodern - what was your bittering hop and approximate IBUs?

cheers
reg

 

[PostModern]

All up (thru 4 hop additions) there was 125g of Cascade (will get the AA tonight). Unfortunately my kitchen scales are a joke, so I estimate the amount of hops based on "ar, that's about a 1/4 of the bag" = 25g

Likewise, my method of measuring LME out of the pail is by volume. I calculated that 1.33 Litres = 1.7Kg (from measuring an ESB can), so I base my calcs on that. Unfortunately, I couldn't thoroughly remove all the LME from the measuring flask before refilling it... So based on the original recipe (which was 3Kg of DME and anb OG of 1.050) which I tasted and loved, I needed much more LME than I would have put in.

The Iron Wolf Brauhaus needs some serious work in the measuring department

 

[kook]

The Iron Wolf Brauhaus needs some serious work in the measuring department

(A set of digital kitchen scales)

 

[RegBadgery]

A bit off the track, but I'm a bit of a Horizon fan and I can't resist putting in a bit of a plug, so anyway - I've been using Horizon pellets quite a bit lately- high alpha but not harsh (the way I've noticed NZ super alpha can be). Good for bittering - in fact I've had some highly bitter brews that have tasted great. Certainly worth a bit of investigation.

cheers
reg

 

[PostModern]

Bottled the disaster brews today.
The APA mentioned here and a quote-unquote wit. The APA is still a little harsh hop-wise despite the addition of 1.5 litres of LME a while ago... I mean it tastes fine, but there's a slight bitter hoppy aftertaste... might mellow out in a few months in the cellar. It tastes pretty nice for bottling day (I stuck a stubby in the fridge after capping and drinking it now) and it is honestly quite a nice beer given how long it's taken from yeast-pitch to bottle.... can't wait to rip into a session of them once they're carbonated

 

[kook]

My botched-up APA is in keg now too. Been drinkin it a bit over the weekend. Its fine, its still an APA, just a little too bitter IMO (not enough malt to mellow it out). I stuffed up a bit with the aroma too, I put cascade pellets in primary which did stuff-all Next time I'll put a cascade plug in seconday instead.

 

[PostModern]

Ah crap. I added a heap more malt and it tasted better. I added priming malt and bottled. Now the beer, half carbonated, still tastes like orange pits. ffs!