You only need 6(.6) lbs or less of fermentables to produce a reasonable 5 gallons of beer.
Well that’s my take anyway.
What reasonable beer styles really require more than that?
I think that depends on the fermantable(s), efficiency of your system, the batch volume, and the style of beer you want to brew.
If, for example, you want to brew 5 US gal of a Pale Ale, 6(.6) lbs of grain probably won’t get you to the minimum OG that is normally associated with the style. If you used 6 (.6) lbs of grain you’re going to need some other fermentables (sugar, DME, LME, etc) to accompany it.
On my system I am usually in the 12# range of grain bill for 5 gal batches of the all grain styles I enjoy. I rarely use DME or LME but have used several types of sugar (turbinado, candi syrup, molasses, etc).
I assume you are talking about malt extract? aAnd I can think of lots of styles of beer that use much more than 6 or 6.6 lbs of extract (or equivalent SG) - starting with IPA.
If you figure that 6.6 lbs of DME (at 45 ppg) in 5 gallons gives about 1.060 for an OG, then there are many styles of beer below this. However, the 2015 BJCP style guide lists 19 styles with OGs that are higher than 1.060. I don’t consider them unreasonable. I just brewed a couple of stouts close to 1.090.
Look at Denny’s signature…
Isn’t this sort of a “no true Scotsman” argument? We would have to know what you mean by “reasonable”.
6lbs of pale malt into 5 gallons would get me around 1030 OG, which is about what I aim for in my Quest for the Ultimate Table Beer™️.
…But it’s pretty weak for a Belgian-style Tripel.
Well then let me ask this, if a RIS is attenuated down to 1.000 w/ enzymes and unfermentable ingredients like maltodextrin are added back to get the SG back up will it taste similar to one where the attenuation stopped naturally?
Not sure that’s ever been tested but I haven’t looked through all of the exbeeriments and blogs.
No, it won’t
Why not? (Not being an arse, but just saying that it won’t with no explanation doesn’t help.)
Because you’re using 2 different processes which have different results
I’m looking for something a little more specific than that.
What would the differences be? They both have unfermented dextrins right?
Fermentation creates extremely complex compounds. You could probably invent a machine that would be able add all those dextrines and compounds to a shot of pure ethanol and water if you are smart enough.
Are the flavor compounds not retained even at full attentuation?
I think it would be a worthwhile experiment.
please sir, can i have some more maltose?
tell us what you find
On a related note, I recently watched Jamil Z and John P’s broadcast on non alcoholic and zero alcohol beers and they discussed how the arrested fermentation approach (fermentis interruptus they called it) to low alcohol beer differed greatly in taste from the vacuum stripped, osmotic, added back beers on the market. They also mentioned some yeasts that didn’t ferment anything other than monosaccharides - leaving a Malto Goya like impression.
So, yea, I welcome some experimenting on that. Most have tried a high temp mash with a low gravity grain bill. The Brits seem to have it down - their Bitters are often full flavored and enough body (if not reasonably bodied), to become very enjoyable ales.