I’m still pretty new at this, only on my third batch. The first was the Block Party Amber Ale that came with my starter kit. Two weeks in the fermenter then two weeks bottle conditioning and I was quite happy with the results. I wasn’t fond of fighting the lid of the fermenting bucket, so I picked up a 6.5 and a 5 gallon carboy. My next two attempts were Irish Red and Dunkelweizen extracts. Same process as the Block Party, only after two weeks in the 6.5 carboy, I transferred to the 5 gallon for two weeks. I figured the main benefit of using a secondary would be less sediment to deal with when bottling. While the flavor was there, both batches were extremely light bodied. I quizzed a local brewer who said I might be fermenting too long. That seemed to contradict the “longer is better” philosophy espoused here, but his reasoning was that it’s best to stop fermenting once you’ve hit your desired/expected FG. Admittedly, I haven’t been very good about taking gravity readings at this point, I’m just following the recipe. But I’ve never had the impression that I should have a specific FG in mind beforehand. What I’ve read here says I should take regular readings towards the end of fermentation, and when the reading stays steady, it’s pretty much done. Sorry for being so long winded, but any thoughts on where I’m going wrong?
Without gravity readings, it will be hard to pinpoint where in the process to make improvements.
Does the beer seem over carbonated?
Not really. Are you referring to taste or head when poured?
Without taking a gravity reading you can’t really know when the beer is done so leaaving it longer is a good way to make sure the yeast finishes up. Within reason, longer IS better.
Yeast will reach terminal gravity on the beer in it’s own time depending on how much fermentable sugar is in the wort. Leaving it for a longer period of time WILL NOT cause the beer to “over ferment”. That just won’t happen.
There are lots of things that can contribute to light body. WIthout seeing the recipe, and the yeast used to ferment it, it’s hard to pinpoint an issue. Introduction of “wild yeast” or infection can cause a lower FG and lighter body but would usually affect taste as well.
You are correct with regard to determining FG with multiple readings and not aiming for a specific FG.
I only asked, because sometimes over carbed beer will feel “thin” and taste sharp, but it would be pretty obvious.
The FG is dependent on the fermentability of your extract. Hard to know this and I haven’t touched extract in over a decade so I wouldn’t know what extract manufacturers have higher FGs.
You can add maltodextrin to your next beer to give it some body.
Stop the fermentation huh? Would like to know how he’s doing that…
Longer better it cleans up the yeast and. Other particals. What was og and fg. Best thing take more grav readings. So you keep track on the grav of your beer. After you transfer to secondary. Take several readings. If they are the same you did reach your. Terminal gravity. Time to transfer to keg or bottle than.
Welcome to the forum and the hobby! Doing extract kits I’m not sure how you can affect the process much to make it different bodied than designed. You’re not adding additional sugar or other fermentables are you? Have you compared your beer to a similar beer of the same style? Does the body improve with age after bottling at all? One possibility is that sometimes I’ve rushed drinking my beers before they’re fully carbed and they’ve seemed “thin”.
On the Irish, I held back a six pack for some extra bottle conditioning (~ 6 weeks total) and it didn’t seem to make much difference. Doing the same for the Dunkel now. The Dunkels I’ve had (Free State Brewery in Lawrence, KS and KC Bier Co. in KC, MO) have a much fuller body. I’m still in the “follow the recipe to the letter” stage right now, so I’m not experimenting with any other additions. I’ll get in the habit of taking gravity readings on the next batch (I guess I have an excuse to order another today…) and see if that sheds some light. One thing I’ll throw out here that my wife suggested, we have a pretty high end water filtration/softener system. Could that have any impact?
When brewing extract beers distilled water is really the best option for you. The extract was created from a mash using treated water and should have all the minerals you need and pH balance is really not an issue since you’re not mashing.
So try distilled water on your next brew day and if the result is better then you have your answer.
I call bullshit on “fermented too long” from your brew pal. It’s either fermented or it’s not. If it’s not fermented enough then you will have bottle bombs and gushers.
Tell us what yeast you used and what’s in your kits. Most likely you just don’t have a complicated kit that yields a complicated depth. Some yeasts are vigorous fermenters and/or give off no complexity. You might just have a boring yeast… that’s pretty common…some people like beers with no yeast profile. So there are a lot of “clean” yeasts out there that do their job without being noticed
The “fermented too long” made zero sense even to this noob. I was thinking perhaps he was coming from a pro’s perspective when he talked about the “desired” FG. I suppose when you brew the same thing over and over again because it’s always on tap, you get to know what the FG should be, vs a home brewer trying out different recipes. Yeast-wise, I’ve been using the dry yeast recommended with each recipe (Safbrew WB-06 for the Dunkel). Even though the yeast packets direct you to “sprinkle into wort”, when brewing the Dunkel, my wife said to go ahead and activate it by mixing with water. I guess that’s coming from the baker in her. Beer was still light. Now that it’s colder out here, perhaps I should be ordering liquid yeast?
I don’t bother to rehydrate anymore but there are plenty that do. Did you have some wheat in your grain bill? Safbrew WB-06 is meant to be paired with wheat.
'I suppose when you brew the same thing over and over again because it’s always on tap, you get to know what the FG should be, ’
Definitely some truth to that. I can accurately predict the FG on many of the beers I brew because I’ve done them so many times. “Desired FG” is a good description of what I anticipate from familiar recipes. I generally have an anticipated timeline as well but that doesn’t mean I won’t let it sit in the fermenter much longer if my pipeline is full. Still, I wouldn’t anticipate that the gravity would change.
I guess if your kegging you could reach a gravity and keep it cold to hold it there or let it naturally carbonate the keg. But bottling best to let it finish for sure
I would look into a kit that does a partial mash. Did the kit have specialty grains? Some of the extract kits make a very simple beer. Sounds like it’s time to step up your game as you mature as a brewer/taster
I know this is a pretty old thread, but I am having the same problem. I don’t think it is related to time in the fermenter. I just dusted off my brewing equipment used several years ago and made two batches with extract kits, Inn keeper and Irish Red Ale. Neither batch offers any flavor. No mouth feel. More of a Coors Lite, Alka-Seltzer experience. I don’t think it’s a yeast problem because I use a starter dry yeast on a stir plate 48 hrs prior to pitching. I do use tap water that my local water utility reports is pretty soft (high Ca and Mg, hardness less than 1 grain/gallon, CaCO3 at 8.07 ppm). Time in fermenter as directed in build sheets. I don’t have a way to control fermentation temp, so left it at room temp (68 to 75 degrees F in Texas). Measured OG and FG both batches at all looked similar to build sheets. Good ABV and good carbonation so I don’t think my problem is fermentation or racking. I talked to a buddy who suggested my wort boiled too hot. I didn’t know you could get wort to boil at a temp greater than 212 F, the overboiled wort theory makes sense. All the things you add to give beer flavor are added during the boil, and all the things that make beer alcoholic and fizzy happen in fermenter and bottles.
What do you think.
Lets see the recipe.
What was the OG and FG.
Mayby your brew water. Volume off.
Your friend is maybe confusing heating grains too high and denaturing the converting enzymes with boiling wort. It’s true that one cannot boil wort much higher than boiling temperatures. Since these were extract brews you don’t have to worry about enzymatic conversion. So either you have boring recipes, your yeast is over attenuating and or boring or you lost your sense of taste somehow. Mineralization of your water can add some mouthfeel but unfermentable proteins will do the job even better IMO. So flaked oats, flaked wheat or flaked rye steeped at the beginning of your process might do the trick. I know some who just go and buy plain unsweetened oat milk to add to their wort since it is so readily available now days.
