Hop utilisation/maltiness

kev · Sep 4, 2011

Just kegged a couple of brews of similar (but different) styles and both are quite malty. One is slightly hopper than the other but they both have a malty sweetness.

Is this because :

1. My system doesn't utilise hops at 100%?
2. I didn't ferment long enough? (both went to 1.010)
3. My taste buds are knackered?
4. I didn't/did do something during the mash?

Any other thoughts are appreciated.

K

Dunfie · Sep 4, 2011

Are you saying that the beers are too sweet?

If your mash temperature is too high it can cause the alpha amylase to take over and produce a lot of unfermentable sugars.

Other than that we would need to know a bit more about the recipes and yeast you have used?

luckyeddie · Sep 4, 2011

As far as the maltiness is concerned, it could be that your mash temperature was a little too high - that seems most likely from what you said. It could just be that your beer is a little out of balance (i.e. you used insufficient hops). I doubt that the fermentation time was anything to do with it - but just to be sure, what yeast did you use and what was your OG?

I'm using exclusively Belgian bottle cultures at the moment and just about everything as far as my latest brews are concerned ferment out to around 1006 from an OG of around 1070. Total awesomeness. I did use Nottingham and Windsor in a couple of brews a few months ago though from a lower OG (1046-1050) and they finished slightly higher (1008-1010).

Here's a thought - dry-hop it to buggery. Whack 30g of Northern Brewer, Citra, Cascade etc etc into it - whatever you fancy - to salvage it. Mmmmmm, hoppy goodness.

kev · Sep 4, 2011

My mash temps were a bit high TBH but I thought bugger it and went for it anyway.

Lesson learnt.

K

luckyeddie · Sep 4, 2011

kev said:
My mash temps were a bit high TBH but I thought bugger it and went for it anyway.

Lesson learnt.

K

A good guide is to aim for no higher than 66C, irrespective of what you are putting together. I sometimes give it a very long mash from a slightly lower starting point but I've never had a starch test fail yet (a few drops of iodine dripped into the wort on a porcelain plate is a very good indicator) - brown = good, purple = bad.

I never bother with a mashout now but sparge with water at 75C - I measure the gravity of the runoff with a refractometer and kill it if it gets too low (say below 2 Brix - equivalent of 1.008 OG)