I was contemplating dumping it because it’s just blah. It’s a 4 gallon batch, mostly Rahr pils, and a little munich, and I think a little acid malt to bring down the pH (used RO water with enough calcium chloride to get to 50ppm and pH to 5.4 as per Bru’n water). Mittelfruh to about 18 IBUs, and fermented with 34/70, 5.3%. It’s just blah. I’m finding I don’t like Rahr pils, just don’t care for the malt character. I’m thinking it has to be the malt I don’t like about this beer. I’ve brewed essentially the same recipe with my tap water, RO water, US-05 fermented at 58F, and 34/70 at 48F. Has the same flavor I just don’t like.
So, last night I was lying sleepless in bed, and the thought popped in my head that maybe I could keg hop it with something. Maybe that’ll turn it around, I don’t know.
What do y’all think? Aside from the malt flavor I don’t care for, the beer tastes pretty clean.
Or is there anything else I could do to make it so I don’t want to dump this beer? I have several others waiting to be drank. Sucks because it’s not bad enough to dump, but it’s not really that good.
Thoughts? Concerns?
I don’t have the keg space unfortunately. I have a chest freezer that fits 4 kegs, 2 taps. All space is taken. So…I could pick something and dry hop it in a bag. I’ve heard it take a few weeks at kegerator temps for the hops to start peaking.
Dry hopping it might help. When I do it I use a women’s white knee-high nylon stocking with a stainless steel nut tied off in the bottom/toe to weigh it down. Drop it in quickly & close the lid fast or you’ll have an old faithful on your hands. Been there! Leave it at room temp for a week or two and then back into the kegerator. You can leave the hops in the keg for the entire time as long as it stays cold.
Another option is to make a Jalapeno tincher and add 2-3 ml to the pint before you pour it. Cheers!!!
I made my first “IPL” back in the day in a similar situation. I took a blander than intended pale lager, threw a few oz of hops into a paint strainer bag, and into the keg. Made it alot more interesting.
Thanks guys. I think I may drop some hops in tonight or tomorrow and let them sit at room temp for a week or so. There’s maybe 3 or 3 1/2 gallons in the keg, so…2 ounces be plenty?
Yes and you can suspend the hop bag by fishing line, if you fear it may become too grassy (or just drink it quickly). I use those cheap stainless tea balls and just leave it in the whole time. Lagers with some nice dry hops are a welcome change from IPA’s for me!
I think it just may be. I think I’ve decided two things from this beer: I don’t like Rahr Pils malt and 34/70 is too bland. I’ve got some 2013 NZ hops coming in the mail tomorrow, so may choose a couple ounces from those and dry hop. An ounce each of Kohatu and Nelson Sauvin maybe?
Throw a pinch or two of gypsum in the glass to see if that brings out the hop flavor more. I know that Czech Pilsners are almost mineral free, but I like some minerals in my german pilsners.
IIRC I used ~ 4oz of 4 "C"s in nearly 5 gallons (it was what I had in the freezer). BTW I brought the keg into warm for 4 or 5 days at room temp. It obviously didn’t have IPA bitterness, but the hop flavor and aroma were definitely there. It was good stuff.
This one was intended to be a helles, but there is nothing helles about it. Rahr pils I think was the absolute wrong choice and perhaps the yeast was also. But I did think about trying a little gypsum and I think I may try that.
I thought about just tossing a bag full of hops in and letting them roam free, but I fear it would want to suck up into the dip tube. Depending on how much beer is in there, I’ll just clamp the bag to the pressure relief valve stem.
That’s a fantastic idea. I was thinking of grilling some brats this week…crap, now I’m wanting to dry hop it to try some new hops. What to do…
Suppose I can do both.
Or maybe I could cook my sauerkraut in it, grill the brats, then put the brats in with the sauerkraut. Yum!
Normally when I cook brats I boil them first in some beer and sliced onion untio cooked through, then throw them on the grill. I really like to fry bacon, chop into bits and fry my kraut with bacon and a little bacon grease. Oh, man, is it good. You can cut the beer down with some water if you want to save some for dry hopping. I go 2 parts beer to 1 part water.
I boiled brats last night in maybe 2qts of beer. It turned out really good. Wasn’t sure if my kraut was still good, smelled like kraut, so I used it. Not sick yet, so I must be in the clear. I’ll dry hop the beer tonight when my hops come in the mail. I may go with an oz of Kohatu and an oz of Nelson Sauvin. Hope they aren’t wasted, just hated the malt flavor of Rahr pils…I don’t know what else it could be. That same flavor has shown up in 3 or 4 beers made with the same malt, different yeasts, different water. Like stale bread or something. It’s not the same issue I was having before (butterscotch beers after a week on gas), I’ve resolved that.
Farmhouse Brewing Supply has a bunch of the 2013 crop from overseas. I have some Best Malz pils now I’m planning to use, so that should be a couple steps up from the Rahr. I have an IPA on tap right now that was just 2-row, munich, and white wheat that I really like. It’s pretty much the first IPA I’ve ever done where I didn’t use any specialty grains. It’s nice how it showcases hops a bit more.