[tommymorris]

My recent batch of Nearly Nirvana Pale Ale finished at 1.019 specific gravity. I tasted a sample and it is slightly sweet. I am wonder what options I have.

I believe I let the mash get too warm. The target was 156F but I know it was at 159-160F. I thought it would be fine and let it ride.  I do BIAB and the temp drops a lot during the mash. But, I guess I denatured some of the enzymes.

I think my options are:

1. Krausen with a different yeast that might like long chain starches.
2. Drink it as is.
3. Dilute it and drink it.

I currently plan to skip #1 and try #2. If I can’t stand the sweetness I will then try diluting by 25% with deaerated water. That would drop the OG from 1060 to 1045, the FG to 1015, and the bitterness to 34 IBU. I am not sure if that will help.

Any other good options?

[BrewBama]

Is blending with a dry beer an option?

[denny]

Those few degrees wouldn't have made that much difference.

[tommymorris]

Those few degrees wouldn't have made that much difference.

Then I don’t know what I did wrong. I have never had this happen before. I have measured with two hydrometers (Tilt and my finish hydrometer) and with a refractometer. Plus tasting a bit sweet makes me think I did something wrong.

The yeast took off in 12-15 hours after pitch. So that seems normal. The beer tastes pretty good. Just a tad sweet. Hopefully, it is in my head and the beer will taste fine after carbonation.

Regarding, blending. I don’t want to brew a special batch. Maybe I could blend by the glass with beers already in the beer fridge, but I don’t like to waste good beer blending it with bad beer.

[Skeeter686]

Mine finished at 1.012 and is certainly malty... I'd probably call it borderline "sweet".  And I mashed at what should have been a consistent 157°F.

Not a suggestion for fixing yours, but I think it reinforces that this isn't a dry beer.   

[dmtaylor]

I currently plan to skip #1 and try #2. If I can’t stand the sweetness I will then try diluting by 25% with deaerated water. That would drop the OG from 1060 to 1045, the FG to 1015, and the bitterness to 34 IBU. I am not sure if that will help.

I think you are on the correct path right here.

If it isn't already packaged, you could attempt to add a more attenuative yeast.  I'm assuming you didn't use US-05 because that one in particular is the highest attenuating American ale yeast strain.  Otherwise you could try a Belgian.  Just ideas.  You might prefer to go with your other options, and there's never a guarantee that any additional yeast will take off again.

[MDL]

Dilute it in the glass with carbonated water. That way you can drink it as is till you’re tired of the sweetness for that day and then switch to diluted pints. Good news is the keg will last much longer!

[pete b]

Part of me thinks it will be ok once carbonated but two more options are available:
1. Make a hop tea to add for increased bitterness
2. Add an enzyme to make more fermentables available and rouse the existing yeast or add more.

[Megary]

Has anyone ever tried to add a bit of Gypsum to the glass to help "dry out" the beer?

[denny]

Has anyone ever tried to add a bit of Gypsum to the glass to help "dry out" the beer?

Yep. CaCl2 also. Both very effective.

[denny]

Part of me thinks it will be ok once carbonated but two more options are available:
1. Make a hop tea to add for increased bitterness
2. Add an enzyme to make more fermentables available and rouse the existing yeast or add more.

Just curious if you've had experience with option 1

[tommymorris]

Part of me thinks it will be ok once carbonated but two more options are available:
1. Make a hop tea to add for increased bitterness
2. Add an enzyme to make more fermentables available and rouse the existing yeast or add more.

Does #2 work after fermentation? I thought that only works during the mash.

[pete b]

Part of me thinks it will be ok once carbonated but two more options are available:
1. Make a hop tea to add for increased bitterness
2. Add an enzyme to make more fermentables available and rouse the existing yeast or add more.

Does #2 work after fermentation? I thought that only works during the mash.

Good question. I know that the enzymes work best at mash temps but I don’t think that means they don’t work at all if added to fermentation. No clue if ph or alcohol hampers it too.
To answer Denny’s question I have never tried adding hop tea to fix a beer but have heard the advice before so thought I a would add that piece of spaghetti to what we were throwing against the wall.

[denny]

Part of me thinks it will be ok once carbonated but two more options are available:
1. Make a hop tea to add for increased bitterness
2. Add an enzyme to make more fermentables available and rouse the existing yeast or add more.

Does #2 work after fermentation? I thought that only works during the mash.

Good question. I know that the enzymes work best at mash temps but I don’t think that means they don’t work at all if added to fermentation. No clue if ph or alcohol hampers it too.
To answer Denny’s question I have never tried adding hop tea to fix a beer but have heard the advice before so thought I a would add that piece of spaghetti to what we were throwing against the wall.

My experience with hop tea has been so bad I could never recommend it. I was curious if you'd found some way to make it work that I'd missed. FWIW, I find most people who recommend hop tea haven't actually tried it.

[biertourist]

Probably too late now, but I'd double-check my mash thermometer's accuracy and mash lower next time.

Upping the gypsum post-ferm is, IMO, the best "fix" post fermentation, unless you've got some 34/70 lager yeast laying around.

The other option would change the beer, but a warm and decently sizeable whole hop dry hop addition to try to get the amylase enzyme to dry the beer out another point or two. (I know Denny's experience has been that it doesn't do much.)

Most of the amylase enzyme products will just keep drying a beer out until near 1.000, so personally I'd avoid them at all costs unless you have access to FAA in reasonably sized quantities: https://bsgcanada.com/fungal-a-amylase-1kg/#:~:text=Fungal%20%CE%B1-amylase%20allows%20brewers%20to%20produce%20highly%20attenuated,allowing%20the%20expected%20final%20attenuation%20to%20be%20attained. (It's a self-limiting amylase enzyme that will get you a couple extra points and then stop.)

I don't know of anyone selling it in homebrewer sizes...


Adam