How do you adjust the strength and sweetness of a beer?

[DiBosco]

Hi all,

I've done one all grain batch of just over forty bottles and am amazed how well it's turned out. I really expected it to taste home made, but a few of us had a taster after it had sat in the bottles for a good couple of weeks and we all thought it tasted like bought beer!

It's a very dry beer (if that makes sense). There's no sweetness to it at all. It's not too hoppy (I don't like really hoppy beers so I'm happy about that), but it would be good if it could be rounder and have a little more malty sweetness to it.

So, if I understand correctly, the mashing releases the sugar. Warmer mashing produces more sugars? So, if you have more sugar, there is presumably more alcohol as the yeast feasts on the sugar? If that is the case, it suggests to me that this wouldn't necessarily make a the beer sweeter, but stronger. Does the amount of yeast make a big difference?

Is there something else again I've not thought of that affects it.

From the sound of it, Golden Promise malt might be a good one for me to try as it apparently gives a sweeter beer.

Finally, is it not too risky just to try any hop with any malt and see how it comes out? i.e. Are there some malts that just taste awful with certain hops or do all of them work and it's just a matter of taste as to who likes what the best?!

Many thanks :)

Rob

 

[brisboy]

The other thing you can add to your mash for a bit more sweetness is crystal malt.
Also, consider the strain of yeast you've used. Some leave a higher final gravity, thereby leaving some sugar unfermented (that's my understanding anyway).

Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I've just started drinking my first brew too and pleasantly surprised at how nicely it's come out.

 

[rodwha]

A higher mash temps leaves unfermentable sugars (think stouts)making them thicker/sweeter, whereas a a cooler mash temp will potentially ferment quite well leaving a thinner beer. The average seems to be about 67* C.

I'm unfamiliar with any sort of base malt not working with any type of hop.

As was mentioned, assuming you didn't, work with various crystal malts for some sweetness. Honey malt may be nice if it's available there (Canadian malt IIRC?).

 

[DiBosco]

Thanks for the tips! I did use some crystal malt actually, the recipe I followed did ask for that. I'll chat to the bloke at the home brew shop about different yeasts.

 

[clibit]

Yes use malts like crystal and Munich, mash high, around 68-69C, and use low attenuating yeasts like Danstar Windsor, Safbrew S33 or Whitelabs WLP002.