Homebrew beer question? I just brewed some beer and it tastes kinda like?

Question

watered down beer with a very high alcohol content (7.4%) was my content after checking the initial hydrometer readings with the new readings. It fermented for 61/2 days and fermentation had pretty much completely stopped. I have already recognized more hops is in order. But I dont understand why it tastes so watery I was hoping for a thick full flavor. here the recipe I used for a 1 gallon test batch.

1/2 lbs carmel malt 80L/ 60 mins at 160 degreeF
14 grams mount hood hops
1.5 pounds DME mutons 55% wheat 45% barley/ 30 mins 160 degree F
7 grams mount hood (for aroma
2.5 grams Nohtingham danstar

What did I do wrong Is there not enough barley being used or what I know its hard to say with out a taste but has anyone else ever expeirenced this problem? If I add more DME wont that boost the alcohol content as well with ther being more sugar. Also I just bottled it I plan to let the bottles set about a week and try another I have primed with brown sugar 2tbs.

Answer 1

It sounds like you didn't boil.

Boiling is essential after mashing and dissolving the DME and especially for extracting all the goodness from your hops.

After you added the DME, it would be good have a nice rolling boil for at least 60 minutes to caramelize some of the sugars for body. Again, you don't extract all the acids and oils from the hops if you don't boil, either. Obviously, the longer the hops are in the boil, the different the result, but that's why you'll see a lot of recipes include the hops at varying times and intervals of the 60-90 minute boil (some at 30 min, some at 15, some as you kill the heat, etc.).

I'm also partial to using about 2 lbs DME per gallon, but that's just me.

Answer 2

I've only been a homebrewer for about two years, and I won't claim to be a total expert on the subject. Nonetheless, I believe one of the major flaws with your test batch is the length of time and temperature the carmel malt was steeped. Also, I would forget the 1 gallon batchs and invest the time in turning out 5 gallon batchs of brew. I once brewed using a 'MR BEER' kit . A very poorly made 2 and 1/2 gallon keg that uses one pound cans of hopped malt syrup to make a product that's supposed to be beer. Every batch made with the MR BEER refill kits turned out some extremely poor tasting beer. Once I invested in a real homebrewer's set up (five gallon fermenter and bottling buckets, quality ingredients, and a few books on homebrewing) my beer improved dramatically.

Most of the extract brewing recipes I've tried so far that use speciality grains in addition to DME or liquid malt extracts suggest steeping the grains in water (exact amount depending on recipe and the size of your brew pot) until just before it reaches the boiling point. At that time, the grains are removed from the liquid and discarded. If the grains are left to boil, undesirable flavors can be leeched from them. Next, the DME and any other extracts and adjuncts (cane sugar, honey, etc, etc) are added. BE MINDFUL OF A BOIL OVER! Turn the heat down or take the brewing pot off the burner. The wort is vigorously stirred to fully dissolve the extracts and prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching. Once a boil is achieved again, carefully add your bittering hops and be prepared to stir the wort down again as it foams up and attempts to boil over. A 60 minute boil is usually adequate.

Towards the end of the boil, depending on the specifics of whatever recipe you are using, add the aroma hops and be prepared to stir the wort back down again as it tries to boil over. After the 60 minute boil time is up, remove the wort from the heat and cool as rapidly as possible, and follow your normal fermentation procedures.

If you don't already have a copy, I would suggest purchasing a copy of 'The Complete Joy Of Homebrewing' by Charlie Papazian. I've found it to be a valuable resource, as there are plenty of recipes and sound advice for the homebrewer in this book. Also, your local homebrew supply store is a good source of advice. Above all...Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew!

Answer 3

You made a wheat beer.
Wheat beers are not supposed to be thick or full flavored,
they are supposed to be light and refreshing with a lower
alcohol content. As for the hops, wheat beers shouldn't have a
pronounced hop flavor. (Of course there are exceptions)

Did you steep the hops and extract instead of boiling it ? (160 deg. ) The mash needs to be boiled vigorously for about an hour
This could account for the beer being as it is.

You used 2 lbs of malt for a 1 gal. batch - way too much for a wheat beer. (1/2 lb carmel + 1 1/2DME) this is another factor

You may not have pitched enough yeast and fermentation could have become "stuck"

Also: for adding mouthfeel and fullness, try adding some toasted malt + dextrine malt to the boil (1/2 pound ea. for a 5 gal. batch)

I'm not a big fan of 1 gal. test batches - too much work and too much to go wrong. More often than not (in my experience)
the test batch is always different than the full batch.

Hoimebrewer for 15 years - hope this helps

Answer 4

I have been brewing different beers from kits for many years and have never had a problem. From experience I would say that you are not checking the SG (specific gravity) or reading it incorrectly, therefore not all the sugar has been fermented out. This could be that the temperature of the room where the brewing is being done may not be warm enough and the sugar has failed to fully activate with the yeast. You can buy a heater that wraps around the fermentation bucket or a base to stand it on that is heated to ensure a better fermentation. On the other hand, if it is too warm, it will kill the yeast leaving the sugar unfermented and leaving a bitter sweet taste.

Answer 5

ok i did a search for beer recipes maybe this can help u out
it says that prep time is 1 hr cook time is 2 hrs and says it will be ready in 42 days and 3 hrs

3 gallons water
8 ounces crystal malt
4 ounces roasted barley
7 pounds pale liquid malt extract
1 ounce Fuggles hops
1/2 ounce Fuggles hops
1/2 ounce East Kent Goldings hops
1/4 teaspoon Irish moss (carrageen)
2 gallons cold water
1 (.4 ounce) packet Irish ale yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (dextrose)


1. In a large pot, warm 3 gallons of water to 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Place the roasted barley and crystal malt in a nylon bag and steep in the water at that temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Remove grains and discard. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and stir in the pale liquid malt extract. Return to a boil, add 1 ounce of the Fuggles and set a timer for 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up, add the remaining fuggles and set the timer for 15 minutes. When that time is up, stir in the East Kent Goldings hops and Irish moss. Let stand for 15 minutes, then cover, remove from the heat and set in an ice bath, being sure to maintain the sterility inside the pot.

3. Pour two gallons of cold sterile water into a sanitized carbuoy. Place a large funnel over the top and fit with a sterile sieve to strain out the hops. Pour the wort you have made into the carbuoy. If the temperature is below 80 degrees F (44 degrees C), then stir in the yeast. Seal the carbuoy with a fementation lock. Ferment for 7 days.

4.After 7 days, siphon the mixture into a secondary fermenter (another sterile carbuoy) using a sterile piece of tubing. Seal with a fermentation lock and ferment for another 14 days.

5. Pour the beer into a large bucket and stir in corn sugar until dissolved. Siphon into sterilized bottles and cap. Store for at least 3 weeks to condition. Imbibe.

Answer 6

1 GALLON? THATS IT? HEY YOU NEED TO BREW LIKE THE REST 5 GALLONS OR MORE.
watered down would mean not enough extract. 7.4 is a excellent fermentation so thats not the problem
although alcohol will give a numbing effect on taste if it gets too high. you have gone high enough. sounds like its a partial mash. in that case you didnt extract enough out of the grains to produce the taste of the beer. if those were just specialty grains then you needed more liquid DME. also remember that wheat will give a lighter taste compared to barley.

Answer 7

Drop some iodine into a small amount of the beer, in a saucer.
If the iodine turns blue-black, then you have not converted the starches to fermentable sugars.
Your reading of 7.4 sounds way too high......

Also you have way too much wheat, relative to the barley. Wheat is notoriously hard to ferment properly. Even a wheat beer from a commercial brewery will likely have only about 10% wheat, compared with the barley.

Answer 8

High alcohol brews are notoriously diffcult to brew as the increased alcohol produces decreased mouthfeel, probably causing the watery palate. The solution is to balance with more dextrins, typically through adding dextrin malt to the mash or following a more dextrin-friendly mashing schedule ( if all-grain ). Using extracts ( DME ) will usually produce a more fermentable wort. What you need is more unfermentables ( dextrins ) to produce the mouthfeel you're looking for.

Answer 9

Not enough malt. You sure about the hyrometer reading? It seems pretty high for having fermented less than a week in such a week brew. More DME will certainly improve the taste.

Answer 10

Yummy!