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urgent- too bitter

Posted: Sunday Dec 14, 2008 8:38 am
by Cadbury
G'Day men,
I've put down a belgian double and omitted the candy sugar(didn't have any and didn't think it would make a huge difference) Took a SG reading prior to bottling and had a little taste. Very bitter. Is this due to me leaving out the extra sugar or will that bitterness not be as bad when it is due to be drunk? Can this brew be rescued if that bitterness remains?
Cadbury

Re: urgent- too bitter

Posted: Sunday Dec 14, 2008 10:06 am
by Bizier
Age it and monitor the bitterness. It might be your favourite beer in the world in a year.

Candi sugar is very fermentable, and any sweetness won't hang around, will just turn to alcohol.
You could try to add some kind of complex dextrins to the brew - like caramel malts, but you risk stuffing the brew more.

If you have another 2 fermenters, you could make a very lightly-hopped (or late hopped only) Belgian beer and blend the two together like a mongrel gueuze.

I suggest cellaring it upright for as long as you can and not disturbing it too much when you do go to open it. I am reading "Brew Like a Monk" atm, some commercial Belgians are pretty damn bitter, 40 IBU + 90% attenuation kinda stuff.

My 2c only, of course.
Dan