Thin (watery) beer

[LlewBru]

Hi guy's,
Can anyone tell me what could cause a beer to turn out like this?

[mozza]

Too much water

[Belter]

Too low mash temp.... You may think you're mashing at a certain temp but your thermometer may be broke.

[gnutz2]

To higher fermentation temps can make watery beer so I've heard, well read off the internet.

[Matt12398]

Low mash temp or use of lots of simple sugars.

High fermentation temp tends to have the opposite effect hence why you might mash a bit higher for something like a mild.

[Dr. Dextrin]

Hmm. From where you've posted I guess you're brewing from extract. So changing your mash temperature will be difficult.

Other things that give thin beer are:

1) Adding a lot of sugar instead of using malt extract to increase gravity.

2) A yeast which is too attenuative (i.e. ferments the beer too dry). Most dried yeasts do this to some extent and you'll normally get more body in a beer from using a good liquid yeast. For ales, the Fullers strain (WLP002) is hard to beat if you hate thin beer.

[LlewBru]

Thanks guy's, sounds like a compilation of errors on my part. Mebbe could be the Nottingham ale yeast I used as well as the amount of mash water (I did lose count along the way with SWAMBO interference!) as well as the LME I used (the tin looked a bit 'blown') - the mash temps were a bit on the high side leaning toward 70'C. After an hour of mashing the iodine test did not come out too well! Back to the drawing board!

As another thought - could I re-use some this in another brew rather than just bin the whole lot?

[DaveyT]

What grains did you mash/steep? I find the more I use, the less watery the beer turns out. CaraPils is fantastic for giving body. I'm trying to get hold of some malted oats as they are meant to be good too.
As for using it again, I'm not sure. You'll have to boil it/pasteurise it as it's a haven for bacteria. Perhaps you've just created some amber liquid malt, or another equivalent.

[LlewBru]

What grains did you mash/steep? I find the more I use, the less watery the beer turns out. CaraPils is fantastic for giving body. I'm trying to get hold of some malted oats as they are meant to be good too.
As for using it again, I'm not sure. You'll have to boil it/pasteurise it as it's a haven for bacteria. Perhaps you've just created some amber liquid malt, or another equivalent.

Hi DaveyT,
I used 150gm Crystal; 250gm Chocolate; 250 Cara aroma & 150gm Dark in the mash. I then added 1 tin of Coopers Dark Malt with 480gm Molasses syrup with the boil. I did have some flaked barley that I forgot to add! The hops were HH, fuggles & Southern Brewer - all in the boil. Mash was for 1 hour with (I think !) 9litres of water. Removed the grains after sparging with (again about!) 2litres. Boil was for 45 minutes (mebbe the prob?). Sugars added were dextrose (300gm) & Brew enhancer (200gm). Bottled with 180gm Dextrose after finishing in secondary (10 days). Smells good, looks good (except for the head!) & Tastes C@#P!

[DaveyT]

Strange. I only boil for 15 min and I extract brew like you've described. I'm also surprised it's watery. That's all good grain for texture.
Does it tastes or molasses? I haven't used it, but I've been looking into it and that seems a lot to add. Perhaps it's taking over the other flavours.

[LlewBru]

Strange. I only boil for 15 min and I extract brew like you've described. I'm also surprised it's watery. That's all good grain for texture.
Does it tastes or molasses? I haven't used it, but I've been looking into it and that seems a lot to add. Perhaps it's taking over the other flavours.

Molasses is good, not overpowering although I did use a bit more than normal. It mellows out over time is why I used more & I love the flavour! I have used this same recipe (as close as dammit) except for the dark LME. Normally I chuck a can of Coopers stout in & it comes out A1. Mebbe the LME was off or old - I did'nt check the date on the can & I used a new supplier or , as someone else said, just too much water for the mash! :/