Dry Beer

[barney]

Just kegging a beer which started life at 1.052 it finished at 1.007 and tastes a bit dry. Its a Pale ale and the flavour is quite nice with a nice body to it but its dry. Will the carbonation help the cause?

Any advices?

[floydmeddler]

What mash temp? What yeast?

[barney]

Mash was at 65°c, with second generation WLP060.

[Dave S]

Mash was at 65°c, with second generation WLP060.

Hi Barney

65C doesn't seem low enough to cause such an attenuation, but I don't know the characteristics of WLP060. Maybe raising to 67 or 68C next time will fix the problem. Also, high fermentation temp could have played a part.

[barney]

Hello Dave fermentation was 19 for a week then upped to 20.5 for the second week. I think next time I will do as you suggest and up the mash temp. I was looking for a solution to the dryness for drinking really. I suppose I will leave it a month see how things develop.

[Dave S]

Hello Dave fermentation was 19 for a week then upped to 20.5 for the second week. I think next time I will do as you suggest and up the mash temp. I was looking for a solution to the dryness for drinking really. I suppose I will leave it a month see how things develop.

Aye, if in doubt, do nowt! But nevertheless, 1007 is quite a severe attenuation from 1052.

[barney]

85% by my calculations!

[Dave S]

85% by my calculations!

You could have saved money on grain with a lower OG and still ended up with the target ABV

[barney]

Then it would have been even thinner and dryer.LOL as it is its not bad apart from the dryness.

[Maltmaniac]

Drink it, love it and thank the beer gods it's the real deal. If it's too dry 'put some sugar on it' or am I thinking some song lyrics. Anyway enjoy and don't put sugar but some calorie free sweetener in it which would raise it away from dry.

[Dave S]

Drink it, love it and thank the beer gods it's the real deal. If it's too dry 'put some sugar on it' or am I thinking some song lyrics. Anyway enjoy and don't put sugar but some calorie free sweetener in it which would raise it away from dry.

I'd rather 'ave the calories than that there sacharine

[Maltmaniac]

Aye so would I but sugar would only add to dryness in the long term with secondry ferments.

[barney]

What un fermentable sugar options are there and how much per gallon?

[neil smith]

hi, my first brew was lovely but very dry so spoke to my local micro and seems i fermented to long so all sugars turned to alcohol leaving strong but dry, he said put a 1/3rd jar of golden syrup per firkin and leave to condition so i did and result was great, so next brew i stopped fermenting early to retain some sugar and was much better, so hats off to experience.
cheers Neil

[Dave S]

What un fermentable sugar options are there and how much per gallon?

Lactose is unfermentable though I've never used it. I used to see it mainly in sweet stout recipes, so what it would be like in a pale ale, who knows. Can't advise as to quantities.