How to Save a Bad Batch of Beer- Part 2

[daniel_cerveza]

Finished up this article with a few techniques for recovering from a stuck fermentation and giving a meh beer a make-over.

How to Save a Bad Batch of Homebrew- Part 2 - Beer Syndicate Blog

Any other tips you guys ever used?

[blatz]

interesting article - but i’ve always been of the mindset to just dump and brew again - happens only once in a while but I’ve rarely been happy with ‘fixes’

[erockrph]

@blatz

interesting article - but i’ve always been of the mindset to just dump and brew again - happens only once in a while but I’ve rarely been happy with ‘fixes’

Agreed.I find the amount of effort needed to fix a batch is generally disproportional with the end result. If it’s a small problem then I just live with it and tweak things on a rebrew. If it’s a big issue I’d rather just start over.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

@erockrph

@blatz

interesting article - but i’ve always been of the mindset to just dump and brew again - happens only once in a while but I’ve rarely been happy with ‘fixes’

Agreed.I find the amount of effort needed to fix a batch is generally disproportional with the end result. If it’s a small problem then I just live with it and tweak things on a rebrew. If it’s a big issue I’d rather just start over.

+2

[daniel_cerveza]

I’ve had to dump as well and it sucks, even after some masking tape techniques.  Trying to make the best beer possible from the start and follow brewing best practices is ALWAYS the way to go.

That said, I would still try and recover from a stuck fermentation, and I probably wouldn’t automatically dump a beer that was OK but not great.

I’ve heard of some people adding honey to a batch to make a sort of mead hybrid, braggot concoction with success. Of course, the better the starting beer, the better the final result.

[kramerog]

I recently put Brett into a saison that didn’t finish dry enough, but I wouldn’t call the fermentation stuck.  I’m still waiting for the saison to finish.

I’ve also made an Old Ale that had way too much caramel character.  After a lot of aging, I blended it with a smaller beer and got great Old Ale taste with a relatively light body.  Delicious.

[daniel_cerveza]

Any tips on blending?

[denny]

@erockrph

@blatz

interesting article - but i’ve always been of the mindset to just dump and brew again - happens only once in a while but I’ve rarely been happy with ‘fixes’

Agreed.I find the amount of effort needed to fix a batch is generally disproportional with the end result. If it’s a small problem then I just live with it and tweak things on a rebrew. If it’s a big issue I’d rather just start over.

+2

+3

[denny]

@daniel_cerveza

I’ve had to dump as well and it sucks, even after some masking tape techniques.  Trying to make the best beer possible from the start and follow brewing best practices is ALWAYS the way to go.

That said, I would still try and recover from a stuck fermentation, and I probably wouldn’t automatically dump a beer that was OK but not great.

I’ve heard of some people adding honey to a batch to make a sort of mead hybrid, braggot concoction with success. Of course, the better the starting beer, the better the final result.

I have had virtually zero luck trying to “save” a bad beer.  You just end up with a beer that’s less bad.  And I’ve dumped batches that had no problems but I just didn’t care for.

[Brewday]

@denny

@daniel_cerveza

I’ve had to dump as well and it sucks, even after some masking tape techniques.  Trying to make the best beer possible from the start and follow brewing best practices is ALWAYS the way to go.

That said, I would still try and recover from a stuck fermentation, and I probably wouldn’t automatically dump a beer that was OK but not great.

I’ve heard of some people adding honey to a batch to make a sort of mead hybrid, braggot concoction with success. Of course, the better the starting beer, the better the final result.

I have had virtually zero luck trying to “save” a bad beer.  You just end up with a beer that’s less bad.  And I’ve dumped batches that had no problems but I just didn’t care for.

+1

I’ve eventually dumped every batch that I’ve “fixed”.

[kramerog]

@daniel_cerveza

Any tips on blending?

There is blending for uniformity and consistency.  We are not talking about that.

First the original beer can’t be bad (infected beers probably can’t be saved), it has to be good with a flawed characteristic.  Second the beer to be blended with has to have a characteristic opposite to the flawed characteristic.  So an overly sweet Old Ale with great aged character can be saved.

[brewinhard]

@kramerog

@daniel_cerveza

Any tips on blending?

So an overly sweet Old Ale with great aged character can be saved.

+1.  Have done that twice (not intentionally). Last batch (years ago)  finished at 1.038 FG (too many specialty malts). Added some WL sour mix and Russian River dregs (2 bottles) and let it sit for another year and half.  The bugs worked it down to a 1.024 FG!  Finished with an awesome “vatted” Old Ale (12% ABV).  A sipper that lasted a couple years after I finally kegged it.  Even a took a couple medals along the way…