I recently brewed a stout that turned out well as far as taste is concerned, however it seems a bit thin. What would be the best way to increase the body without altering the flavor?
grain bill:
7lbs - 2-row
4.5lbs - Maris
1lb - crystal 40
1lb - flaked oats
.5lbs - roasted barley
.5lbs - Special B
.25lbs - black patent
.25lbs - chocolate malt
.25lbs - cherrywood smoked malt
.5lbs - lactose
What was your mash temp/pH?
the mash temp was 154, i forget exact pH, but it was 5.3 or close.
“Grain brewers can add dextrin malt, caramel malt, unmalted barley or oatmeal” directly from your link, It answers part of my question. How much of which of these to add to increase body with the least impact on the current flavor profile?
1.You just got to brew and find out.
I would start with researching some recipes and see what % of malts that are being used.
B. Experiment with mash temp and pH and see what works for you. Your mineral additions can also influence your perception of the beer.
Lastly check out some podcasts.
I’m assuming the beer is already packaged. A couple of other variables you may be able to tweak are carbonation level and serving temperature. If the beer is in a keg, I have played around with adding maltodextrin powder (dissolved first unless you want a beer fountain), I’ve also used glycerine with reasonable effect.
^^^^
Good point on carbonation. You’ve already got large amounts of oats, crystal and lactose. If that didn’t do it, more of the same won’t. But with a big, heavy bodied, roasty beer, carbonation can often seem lower than it is, making you perceive the beer as thinner than it is. I think you’ll find more on this if you do search the forum. I wouldn’t add maltodextrin. All these body building ingredients will just make it seem more like thin syrup, without adequate perceived carbonation to give it “creaminess.”
I agree with the carbonation comments effecting body. A bit of Carapils (dextrine malt) in the grain bill will also help.
Another question. What were your OG and FG numbers? If it attenuated way down, that could also give the perception of being thin.
May be LME?
OG = 1.070
FG = 1.022
Man, that should have tons of body to it! Bordering on cloying.
I agree, body should be better than it is currently being perceived, that is why I asked the question. Something just doesn’t seem right.
Also, this was bottle conditioned. Unfortunately, I have yet to switch to kegging…hopefully this year…
Are you still use the tried and true 1oz. Dextrose per gallon? That will give a higher carbonation profile than you would typically want in a stout. Ideally, serve this in a keg on nitro. I’ve noticed a big difference since switching to beer gas.
^^^Exactly what I was thinking. Respectfully, another possible reason for why you think the body is thin: your palate. The beer’s numbers and ingredients suggest that it should be full of body and fullness, provided the carbonation is reasonable. Did you get a second and third opinion on the beer? Based on the recipe, there’s not much more you can do to increase the body. You could add a little wheat malt, but if you didn’t get body from the recipe in its current form, you likely won’t detect any more body from adding wheat.
Yes, I have had three other friends of mine try this with a similar response, descriptions included thin and almost watery.
That’s crazy man, the only thing I can think of is carbonation or water profile.
Did you calibrate your thermometer recently? Perhaps that mash temp was actually lower due to the thermometer being off a bit? Just a WAG…
Just to get the question out of the way, did you use a hydrometer for your final gravity measurement or a refractometer?
I agree. It should have lots of body. My stouts all finish in the low 20’s and I have never had a body issue with them. The only things I can think of are either carbonation or measurement error, as mentioned by others on the list.