I have been brewing extract-based beers for about a year-and-a-half now and I continue to be plagued by extremely weak-tasting beers. I thought I’d throw this out there and see if any other homebrewers have had similar problems.
I can’t track down what I might be doing wrong, but other homebrewing friends of mine are using the same extract kits and producing much richer, fuller beers. When you try most of my beers the initial flavor is fine but instantly drops off to water, with none of the malty richness you’d taste in even mild beers.
“Too little malt extract,” I thought, but additions of extract fermentables over and above that included with the kits don’t seem to make a difference. It doesn’t matter the variety, either; a Belgian wit I just uncorked tastes just as bland as any other.
Obviously there is something I’m not doing in the brewing process itself that is leading to the lack of flavor—there’s so little flavor in most of these beers that I’ve been just tossing them out, which is discouraging—but I’ve read dozens of books and howtos, bought quality equipment, and tried to take my time to do everything right. It doesn’t seem to have made the least bit of difference; the most recent beers I’ve made are nearly as weak and flavorless as the first batches I brewed almost two years ago.
This is the longest I’ve ever stuck to a hobby… and I’m not even any good at it. Any ideas?
Before anyone can make a decent reply to this, we need to know what kind of beer you’re trying to make, your ingredients list, and the process you’re using. I made a nice batch of brown ale last month and only now am I going to break some of it out. I had some a few weeks ago to make sure it was carbonating properly but other than that, it was keep away for at least a month.
Well, the variety hasn’t mattered, but let me give you an average recipe and process:
Inventory: http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/kis-html/1531.html
Process: http://www.northernbrewer.com/docs/html/extract.html
Now that’s just the basics. I tend to keep an eye on my temperatures, boil for exactly an hour, aerate with a stone, and keep a very clean kitchen. I’ve only ever lost one beer to an infection and that was because of a silly mistake of adding something after the boil stopped.
When you’re putting the wort into the fermenter, mix it with less water.
Seriously.
Well, worked for me anyway. I got that tip from a master home brewer. If you’re buying from a local place, talk to them there.
debaser,
I have just started to homebrew myself and have only made 3 beers so far, the first two had a wattery after taste, and I have a honey ale right now that didnt seem to ferment completely or carbonate all the way but that’s beside the point, what I would like to know is you mentioned using less water in the fermenter; once the wort has completly fermented, do you then add the remaining water that is required for the standard 5 gal. batch? or do you just turn out with a smaller brew?
I only made a couple of batches of beer but I was immediately disappointed in the flavor and the alcohol %. After a little consulting with the family food scientist we added an extra pound of fermentable sugars and used finishing hops during the fermentation. Turned a 3.5% beer kit into a 7% and tasted more like an IPA than the pilsner it started out as but all in all it tasted pretty good, especially by the second and third bottle…
Your extracts probably aren’t fresh enough. The lose flavor quickly over time. Find a supplier with quick turnover. Alternatively, use grain. If you do use grain, brew very shortly after grinding it. Also invest in a good thermometer because temperature counts when you’re extracting fermentable sugars.
You can also cheat and toss some grain into your extract batch. Go for something with lots of flavor. I like the chocolate, but there are plenty of options. Test the grains to see what you like. Grind a few between your molars to release the flavors. If you like the grain flavor, you’ll like what it does to your beer. Just toss in a pound when you’re boiling it. The temperatures won’t be right to get it to ferment, but you’ll get flavor. Strain well before it goes into the carboy for fermentation.
I’ve been using the method here: http://www.sfbrewcraft.com/learn.html for a couple years and I’ve never had any problems. I usually do the Partial Mash method #1 (check the link just before step 1) and it turns well.
Joel, I highly recommend using a hydrometer to test the wort prior to fermentation and then after fermentation, before bottling. The difference between these two readings will provide an accurate test of alcohol level, but more important, it will give you a final specific gravity reading which you can use as a benchmark on “lightness” vs. “heaviness” or “weak” vs “full”. If you start changing up your recipes to add “Maltiness” “mouth-feel”, etc. you will need some objective measurement to test your success. Apologies if you already have done this. If not, a $15 hydrometer for your hobby is worth it. Hal’s suggestion sounds right, add some grain – maybe consider just a plain 2-row barley slightly crushed for added body. I would also recommend boiling the whole 5 gallons, but this may require added equipment, so experiment, keep good records and dont be discouraged.
I always do a semi mash with my extract. Extra flavor and body. I also only boil out 3 gallons, then add 2 gallons to the carboy, always fresh, reverse osmosis stuff, no tap for me, just a personal preference. Pretty much everyone is dead on, especially the hygrometer part, if you bought a beer brewing kit, they should have given you one. It’s easy to use, also, if you want to pick up some solid understanding, see if your brew shop does lessons, or has a brew club. When I lived out west, I joined up with one and my beer quality when I made them shot through the roof.
Also pick up the book from here if you feel that you’d like to get a little bit of an education. I really like this one:
http://www.beer-brewing.com/
I started out with partial-extract brews. You basically get a giant tea-bag to steep for about half an hour, making sure not to go over 170. Then you remove the tea-bag and add the extract and follow the remaining instructions.
The other thing that can alot to your brews is by doing a full-boil and instead a partial and adding the additional water.
I can recommend http://www.breworganic.com/. Their kits have worked great for me.