Extreme bitterness
Extreme bitterness
Hi guys first up, it has been a year on Sunday since I first started all grain and it has been a great year indeed.
I have just upgraded my kit to be able to brew in batches of 50 to 75 litres (the beer never seems to last very long) and on Monday this week I did my first large (for me) batch a modest 25 litres.
It is a potter recipe I got from this very site and have brewed with great susses.
However this time after I rapid chilled after the boil (about 25 mins chill to 26c) the bitterness was very high. I was hopping it was just me of that it would settle down a bit. Anyway I did my first hydrometer reading last night (dropped from 1.050 to 1.020) and the bitterness was still as bad.
Now I like a good bitter like the next guy but this is just too much.
Have I lost the batch?
Can I add anything to even it out a bit?
The porter is for drinking the weekend of the 17th November.
Pot is stove based chilling in purpose build fridge unit – primary and racking also in climate controlled fridges. I carry out the same water treatment (per-boiling and use of Campden tablets and a filter based runoff – Thames water for you) the grain bill and hops up scaled to match required output.
Could the fact that the first 10 to 15 mins in the mash tun where in the late 60s have caused the issue? (that was an error )
I have just upgraded my kit to be able to brew in batches of 50 to 75 litres (the beer never seems to last very long) and on Monday this week I did my first large (for me) batch a modest 25 litres.
It is a potter recipe I got from this very site and have brewed with great susses.
However this time after I rapid chilled after the boil (about 25 mins chill to 26c) the bitterness was very high. I was hopping it was just me of that it would settle down a bit. Anyway I did my first hydrometer reading last night (dropped from 1.050 to 1.020) and the bitterness was still as bad.
Now I like a good bitter like the next guy but this is just too much.
Have I lost the batch?
Can I add anything to even it out a bit?
The porter is for drinking the weekend of the 17th November.
Pot is stove based chilling in purpose build fridge unit – primary and racking also in climate controlled fridges. I carry out the same water treatment (per-boiling and use of Campden tablets and a filter based runoff – Thames water for you) the grain bill and hops up scaled to match required output.
Could the fact that the first 10 to 15 mins in the mash tun where in the late 60s have caused the issue? (that was an error )
Re: Extreme bitterness
i'm no expert at all, but maybe you could've just increased your hop utilisation with this new equipment?
Re: Extreme bitterness
I doubt itrval wrote:Could the fact that the first 10 to 15 mins in the mash tun where in the late 60s have caused the issue? (that was an error )
What was the recipe,What was the target IBU, and what was your actual hop schedule?
Re: Extreme bitterness
You could always flog it to Brewdog.
Maybe all it needs is time to mellow a bit (e.g. a couple of months). I would hesitate to chuck a batch just because it tasted a bit hoppy when it was still in the fermenter!

Maybe all it needs is time to mellow a bit (e.g. a couple of months). I would hesitate to chuck a batch just because it tasted a bit hoppy when it was still in the fermenter!
Re: Extreme bitterness
What exactly where you expecting IBU wise? What hop schedule do you have? Reason I ask is because 25L isn't a lot, so it'll be immediately obvious if you've "overhopped"
I love my hoppy brews, so i reckon ye just keep it in the bottle for a bit and brew summet else for that weekend.
I love my hoppy brews, so i reckon ye just keep it in the bottle for a bit and brew summet else for that weekend.
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- Steady Drinker
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:29 am
Re: Extreme bitterness
Is it hop bitterness? Could potentially some tanin bitterness from some of the grains used.
What was the recipie?
What was the recipie?
Re: Extreme bitterness
Highly unlikely, unless he boiled the grain. Even then, I made a [censored] up of a TTL clone where without thinking I launched the grain in at 92c, doesnt taste of much, but im starting to think this is another "homebrew legend", took me a few minutes to get the temp down to 68ish, but it still worked fine and sits at about 4%dogchillibilly wrote:Is it hop bitterness? Could potentially some tanin bitterness from some of the grains used.
What was the recipie?
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- Hollow Legs
- Posts: 418
- Joined: Tue Jun 29, 2010 6:40 pm
- Location: Gloucestershire
Re: Extreme bitterness
If I read correctly you tasted the brew from the fermenter? Invariably vile and bitter. Relax, patience is required.
Re: Extreme bitterness
Thanks guys, Turns out i got a gain bill wrong by about a kilo so might have washed some tannin's and other nattiness from the gain.
How ever the bitterness has started to drop now and i can taste that it is more likely from the orange zest that I used.
Seems however that for the moment that the fermentation has decided to get stuck at around 1.020 for the last 3 days. Might give it a kick start tomorrow.
How ever the bitterness has started to drop now and i can taste that it is more likely from the orange zest that I used.
Seems however that for the moment that the fermentation has decided to get stuck at around 1.020 for the last 3 days. Might give it a kick start tomorrow.
Re: Extreme bitterness
Thanks guys, Turns out i got a gain bill wrong by about a kilo so might have washed some tannin's and other nattiness from the gain.
How ever the bitterness has started to drop now and i can taste that it is more likely from the orange zest that I used.
Seems however that for the moment that the fermentation has decided to get stuck at around 1.020 for the last 3 days. Might give it a kick start tomorrow.
How ever the bitterness has started to drop now and i can taste that it is more likely from the orange zest that I used.
Seems however that for the moment that the fermentation has decided to get stuck at around 1.020 for the last 3 days. Might give it a kick start tomorrow.
Re: Extreme bitterness
Ahh, your brewing with added funky stuff! Is it a Belgian Wit? which grain did you get wrong?