Bad brew

[Nicknacknoo]

Done a brew a few weeks ago........something was awry. I was down by 10 points 1036 not 1047... (52% efficiency). I was using stuff I had left over, think some of the grains were over a year old......tasted it 2 weeks into fermenting and its bitter as a witch whose cat just died.

Should I keep going or bin it all............

recipe was
1.5 kg UK 2 row
1kg Oats
.7kg carapils
1kg flaked barley
.4kg roasted barley
40g challenger @60
25g styrian goldings at 10

 

[Sadfield]

Looking at that grist I'm not sure there was enough enzymes (diastatic power) to fully convert the starch in those unmalted gains. This may explain the poor efficiency and lack of residual sugar to counterbalance the bitterness.

Other than bitter, how does it taste?

May as well continue and see what you get. You could back sweeten with lactose. An off the wall suggestion, but tasting some with a pinch of table salt in as chloride reduces bitterness.

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[Nicknacknoo]

ok cheers....tastes ok just very bitter. How much lactose should I use, should I then let that ferment out .......can I use anything else.

cheers Nick

 

[Sadfield]

Lactose doesn't ferment with brewing yeast, so you can add it at any point. Best thing to do is put 100g of beer in a glass, add lactose a gram at a time until your happy with the effect, then multiply up to however many litres of beer you want to treat, then bottle or keg as normal. It will add sweetness, body and a creaminess to your beer.

 

[Personal91]

Unless you know a brew has gone bad then don't bin it, especially if you haven't got another brew on the go to replace it. It's always good to have brew fermenting or conditioning ....

 

[The Baron]

Hi
I think your ibu will be just under 50 with those hops which may come across as too bitter depending on your palate just a thought

 

[chewie]

That 400g of roasted barley is what i would put into a 4.5kg base grain bill never mind a 1.5kg, a good chance that you are getting high bitterness from that.

 

[BeerCat]

Comes in at close to 70 IBU on here. More like a BIPA. Personally i like that style and it will mellow in a few weeks. As Sadfeld said not enough base malts.

 

[Leon103]

What was it supposed to be?

 

[Sadfield]

Comes in at close to 70 IBU on here. More like a BIPA. Personally i like that style and it will mellow in a few weeks. As Sadfeld said not enough base malts.

In that case, I change my advice. Dry hop the hell out of it with American hops. [emoji1]


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[Nicknacknoo]

Cheers for all the advice chaps......it wasn't supposed to be anything, I just had a load of old stuff left that I wanted to use, but I see my mistake.... not enough basemalts....the IBU was supposed to be round about 39 as the AA of the hops was 6 and 3 respectively.

Ill lactose the brew up and see what happens.

Nick

 

[The Baron]

Hi BeerCat
I think it was 40 grams at 60 mins and not the other way around
Thanks

 

[Nicknacknoo]

Right chaps, my lactose has just arrived, do I just stir it in or dissolve it first......should I take it out of the Primary into a secondary

Nick

 

[Thumper]

Comes in at close to 70 IBU on here. More like a BIPA. Personally i like that style and it will mellow in a few weeks. As Sadfeld said not enough base malts.

I keep seeing this acronym, "BIPA", knocking about... what does the "B" stand for?

 

[Sadfield]

I keep seeing this acronym, "BIPA", knocking about... what does the "B" stand for?

Black

As I have to post more than 10 characters, here are the Style Guidelines.

Specialty IPA: Black IPA
Overall Impression: A beer with the dryness, hop-forward
balance, and flavor characteristics of an American IPA, only
darker in color – but without strongly roasted or burnt flavors.
The flavor of darker malts is gentle and supportive, not a major
flavor component. Drinkability is a key characteristic.
Aroma: A moderate to high hop aroma, often with a stone
fruit, tropical, citrusy, resinous, piney, berry, or melon
character. If dry hopped, can have an additional floral, herbal,
or grassy aroma, although this is not required. Very low to
moderate dark malt aroma, which can optionally include light
chocolate, coffee, or toast notes. Some clean or lightly
caramelly malty sweetness may be found in the background.
Fruitiness, either from esters or from hops, may also be
detected in some versions, although a neutral fermentation
character is also acceptable.
Appearance: Color ranges from dark brown to black. Should
be clear, although unfiltered dry-hopped versions may be a bit
hazy; if opaque, should not be murky. Good head stand with
light tan to tan color should persist.
Flavor: Medium-low to high hop flavor with tropical, stone
fruit, melon, citrusy, berry, piney or resinous aspects. Mediumhigh
to very high hop bitterness, although dark malts may
contribute to the perceived bitterness. The base malt flavor is
generally clean and of low to medium intensity, and can
optionally have low caramel or toffee flavors. Dark malt flavors
are low to medium-low; restrained chocolate or coffee flavors
may be present, but the roasted notes should not be intense,
ashy, or burnt, and should not clash with the hops. Low to
moderate fruitiness (from yeast or hops) is acceptable but not
required. Dry to slightly off-dry finish. The finish may include a
light roast character that contributes to perceived dryness,
although this is not required. The bitterness may linger into the
aftertaste but should not be harsh. Some clean alcohol flavor
can be noted in stronger versions.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-light to medium-bodied
mouthfeel without significant hop- or (especially) roasted maltderived
astringency. Dry-hopped versions may be a bit resiny.
Medium carbonation. A bit of creaminess may be present but is
not required. Some smooth alcohol warming can and should be
sensed in stronger (but not all) versions.
Comments: Most examples are standard strength. Strong
examples can sometimes seem like big, hoppy porters if made
too extreme, which hurts their drinkability. The hops and malt
can combine to produce interesting interactions.
History: A variation of the American IPA style first
commercially produced by Greg Noonan as Blackwatch IPA
around 1990. Popularized in the Pacific Northwest and
Southern California of the US starting in the early-mid 2000s.
This style is sometimes known as Cascadian Dark Ale (CDA),
mainly in the Pacific Northwest.
Characteristic Ingredients: Debittered roast malts for
color and some flavor without harshness and burnt qualities;
American or New World hop varieties that don’t clash with
roasted malts. Hop characteristics cited are typical of these
type of hops; others characteristics are possible, particularly if
derived from newer varietals.
Style Comparison: Balance and overall impression of an
American or Double IPA with restrained roast similar to the
type found in Schwarzbiers. Not as roasty-burnt as American
stouts and porters, and with less body and increased
smoothness and drinkability.
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.050 – 1.085
IBUs: 50 – 90 FG: 1.010 – 1.018
SRM: 25 – 40 ABV: 5.5 – 9.0%

 

[Sadfield]

Right chaps, my lactose has just arrived, do I just stir it in or dissolve it first......should I take it out of the Primary into a secondary

Nick

I always dissolve mine a small quantity of boiling water.

 

[Nicknacknoo]

Just an update guys. I did what you suggested and sweetened with lactose (500g). Tested it 2 weeks after bottling and its really turned around, still slightly bitter but I'm positive that'll come round in a month or so of conditioning.

Thanks for your advice guys it really helped, I was so certain i'd have to bin it.

Cheers Nick

 

[foxbat]

Ever dipped your finger in the trub and tasted it? You should, it's... educational, and is a concentrated version of the bitterness you get while tasting beer that still has bits floating around in it during fermentation. The mellowing you get after the early stages of conditioning is that stuff settling out into the bottom of the bottle.