AG belgian blonde help

[LAXflyguy]

Hi all- I'm requesting input on possible help with my first AG batch. I was low on OG (1.055 instead of .065) due to MLT false bottom creating a side channel and I had to relauter with some runnings. Also, the mash out water addition never raised the temp to 168 as per calculations. 170 sparge water was likely low too. So-- suffice it to say I boiled my 6.5 gal and had low OG as me tioned.
Now after a week of fermentation, I am down to 1.010 which equates to 5.9% ABV-- which I am fine with.. But after tasting, it tastes a little thin and perhaps watery. SWMBO thinks its ok but I'm concerned.
Is there a way to fix this or will carbonation help?? Maybe adding more sugar in secondary??
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Magic8Ball]

She Who Must Be Obeyed has spoken! Putzing around with your beer at this late stage would most likely end badly. A lower body in your beer could be the result of mashing at lower temps. IMO Give your beer some time and listen to SWMBO.

 

[BlackGoat]

agreed, she is right. It may be thin, it may not but there isn't much you can (or should) do about it now so just push forward with it and I'm sure you'll be happy to some extent with the results. Earlier this year I made a blonde that was just ok for the first month or two that it was bottled, I wasn't crazy about it - something seemed off-balance. But after about 3-4 months it really developed well, so conditioning time really helped that one out. Then, later I made a wit that had some efficiency issues similar to yours and had the same reaction - thin body, not much flavor in the early samples. This one certainly improved a bit with carbonation and aging but its never going to quite be what I had intended. You live and learn on these things and make the necessary adjustments in the next batch. Good luck!

 

[LAXflyguy]

I've been reading about some maltodextrin (2-6 oz) added along with corn sugar for priming & bottling. Thoughts on that? Pros & cons??

 

[splashmike]

Carbonation may help add a little body and time may help bring out some of the flavors. But otherwise, I think you would have to address "lack of body" issues earlier in the process. I've started adding a quarter to a half a pound of carapils to my grainbill to address the "thin" issue in some of my lighter beers. I'm still waiting to sample the results so I can't say if this addresses the issues I am having. I have not seen much difference in mashing higher (e.g., 154 vs. 152) or with a thicker mash, which are some other tools that are supposed to help achieve better body.

 

[Magic8Ball]

I've been reading about some maltodextrin (2-6 oz) added along with corn sugar for priming & bottling. Thoughts on that? Pros & cons??

Adding MaltoDextrin with sugar for bottle priming on its face doesn't sound like a good idea. I think it would get you a lot of floaters in your bottles, but I haven't tried it.

If you are set on trying something, I would do it in a secondary fermentor. Boil the Maltodextrine (8oz) in water, cool it, add to secondary fermenter, rack beer on top(to mix), let sit for a week, then bottle.

Not 100% on the amount of Maltodextrine. Post how it works out M8B

 

[adamreef]

I would advise against malto dextrin at bottling because some organisms can metabolize it creating some risk of bottle bombs.

 

[kingwood-kid]

I would advise against malto dextrin at bottling because some organisms can metabolize it creating some risk of bottle bombs.

The beer is full of dextrins already. I'd second the plan of letting it sit for a week before bottling, but unless the beer is brett-infected, there's no risk of bombs.

 

[LAXflyguy]

I ended up nixing the MD and just primed with corn sugar and Duvel yeast from the dregs of 2 bombers. We'll see in about 3 weeks how it came out!
Thanks for the help, everyone.