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Too Bitter


weggl

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I tasted a Smoty Ale tonight, far too bitter; it has now been bottled 6 weeks.

My question is, do IBU\u2019s accumulate? Dark Ale IBU 590, Pale Ale 340. Does this produce IBU OF 950, or does it produce and average of 950/2= 475 IBU? What ever I am wondering if in the next batch, I added 400g of DME would cure this bitterness level.

I found the Smoty a nice tasting beer but the lingering bitterness on the back of the tongue to great.

In my second glass I mixed a small teaspoon of sugar (did not want to through it out) with a little water and mixed this in, it certainly improved the bitterness level.

I know I will receive feedback, which will say \u201cleave it for 6 months\u201d. That\u2019s out of the question. So would the DME change it?

 

 

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Yes the DME will add sweetness which will make the perceived bitterness level lower. As for how much DME, it all depends on how bitter the brew was to your taste buds. I guess 400g as you mentioned would be a good starting point, but I'm pretty sure in the end it will just be about experimenting with trial and error.

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Biermoaster,

Thanks for the reply, my taste fo bitterness level is around "Original Draught".

As for trial and error, thats too negative, we should all believe in trial and success![rightful]

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Leave it for 6 months and see what you think [lol]

 

Just kidding mate, honestly I'm not sure what you mean. I find the smoty quite "mild" to the taste for a dark beer. Did you make it to recipe? I like bitter beers but the smoty ale isn't one that comes to mind when I think of bitterness.

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Weggl, you could try reducing the SMOTY recipe bitterness by moving the hop additions to the right - rather than boiling, steep the first 10g addtion and dry hop the second 20g addition into the FV. [biggrin]

 

 

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Muddy, Paul, the recipe is, boil is 10g -20 min, 20g steep, does not say how long, I steep 20 min.

Paul what do you mean ""hop addition to the right"?

Muddy my email is- warren.eggleton@mac.com

 

If strike you down at big W, I'll know its you even if you do not have your "brides dress on"![pinched]

 

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Still cant find the answer to the too bitter Smoty. I made as per the recipe, but steeped for 20 min because the recipe does not put a time on the steeping. I asked Paul "what he meant, when he said move it to thre right", still don't know.

The repice says 10g boil 20 min, 20g steep?

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I'm pretty sure Paul meant to reduce the boiling/steeping times of the hops. Hence why he said: "rather than boiling, steep the first 10g addtion and dry hop the second 20g addition into the FV."

This will give a lower bitterness. [cool]

 

 

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If that is the case then the Coopers "who to brew" recipe should be altered!

 

I assume you mean "how to brew"?? [biggrin]

Why should the recipe get altered? Muddy said he found the resulting beer from that recipe to be "quite mild". Different people, different tastes! [joyful]

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No Muddy said the boil I used was too long, that is the time on the recipe. If muddy used a different time to boil then he did not do it according to the recipe,[rightful]

And sometimes Biermosta i do get letters fack to bront, but he that is without sin let him cast the first stone![innocent]

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I'm drinking a made to recipe SMOTY right now and I too would classify it mild on the bitterness scale. I too am a fan of bitter beers though, IPA and English bitter being up near the top of my list of favorite beer kits... Your hop schedule was not to recipe though so your SMOTY is more bitter than mine...

 

Straight from the how to brew section:

 

Method

1. Bring 2 litres of water to the boil, add 10g of hops and let simmer for 15 minutes.

2. Remove pan from the heat, add 20g of hops, fit a lid and let steep for another 30mins

 

That being said you're not far off the recommended hops schedule, just 5 mins of extra bittering (the boil) and 10 mins less aroma time (the steep)

 

What PB2 is saying is that you should skip the boiling of the hops all together and just steep your 10g for 30 min and then dry hop the second addition.

 

I hope that helps clarify what everyone else is saying.

 

Cheers!

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Yea Slurtis, I may well have been over 5 min in the boil (simmer) but I was short 10 min on the steeping. Would that extra 5 min make all that difference? Muddy says wait 6 months!!!!

Keep staggering mate. [roll]

Warren

 

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The longer the boil the more bitterness, so yes it makes a difference. If I were you I would try PB2's suggestion about moving things to the right[ninja] I'd recommend trying one every week or so to get a good idea of how the beer progresses with age. The bitterness will subside over time, how much is yet to be determined...[devil]

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