smooth strong blonde

[ChelisHubby]

My normal blonde is simple 9 lbs of pale 6 oz of 10 or 15 crystal mashed at 150 ish . it has a OG of 10.50 and a finish of 10.07 ish . I hop with Willaimette 14 gram FWh and 14 gram at 60. It is pretty nice and smooth easy drinker. I would like to make a smooth easy drinker that is say 7% but my attempts have been poor. I can't seem to get the hops to balance the alcohol, so I either have a pale ale or strong hot blonde. I have only used fuggles and EKG , cascade and centenial for hops. is what I am looking for possible? I am open to suggestions. I use a water bath for fermentation control and I hold it to within 2 degrees of what I shoot for. My go to yeast has been Bry 97 I have tried notty which made a good beer but amplified the hops and 04 and 05 which are temperamental in my experience and also 1318 London which makes a nice beer. Would aging a stronger Blonde smooth it out? Is there a different type of beer I should try ? I don't care for the flavors of the Belgians I have tried. Feel. free to make a suggestion or 3 . I still have not. tried to build water tho I do use camphen before the mash. Thanks !

 

[z-bob]

Don't try to get there in one step. Maybe take what you have now and add a pound of flaked corn? (or an 18 oz box of cornflakes breakfast cereal) That will get you to 1.055 or so.

I've been using K-97 yeast a lot this year. It attenuates well, which boost the alcohol a bit. Fairly neutral ale yeast flavor.

 

[ba-brewer]

What does your grain bill look like for your big blonde, what are doing to boost the gravity?

If you are getting hot alcohol that sounds like you might be fermenting to hot, try lowering the temp closer to the bottom end of the temp range and allow to raise after a few days. I also believe hot alcohol flavors from fusels don't mellow with time.

I know you said you don't like Belgian beer but a Belgian Blond would fit your requirements. Maybe take a look at the guidelines for a Belgian blond and use the gravity and IBU guidelines to help you design your beer.

 

[ChelisHubby]

What does your grain bill look like for your big blonde, what are doing to boost the gravity?

If you are getting hot alcohol that sounds like you might be fermenting to hot, try lowering the temp closer to the bottom end of the temp range and allow to raise after a few days. I also believe hot alcohol flavors from fusels don't mellow with time.

I know you said you don't like Belgian beer but a Belgian Blond would fit your requirements. Maybe take a look at the guidelines for a Belgian blond and use the gravity and IBU guidelines to help you design your beer.

It is not a hot alcohol, I had brews a couple of years ago that I lost control of in fermentation and what I taste is not that. I generally add a couple of lbs of pale and 2 more oz of crystal to the grain bill, I have played with crystal 40 and came up with a malt liquor substitute lol. I have also used some Vienna and tried some Munich. Maybe I just need to look at the Belgians and go from there?

 

[ChelisHubby]

Don't try to get there in one step. Maybe take what you have now and add a pound of flaked corn? (or an 18 oz box of cornflakes breakfast cereal) That will get you to 1.055 or so.

I've been using K-97 yeast a lot this year. It attenuates well, which boost the alcohol a bit. Fairly neutral ale yeast flavor.

K-97 isn't that German lager yeast?

 

[thehaze]

K-97 isn't that German lager yeast?

K-97 is a Kolsch yeast, with minimal esters. I have used it for IPAs and some maltier ales, also at higher temps. and works great. Aggresive in the fermenter and also attenuates quite good.

It can also be used for fermenting " cleaner " at lower temps. ( 59F )