Lack of flavor

[SteveLikesBeer]

This was my first all grain brew. Everything went well on brew day. No issues. However, the end result is pretty lack luster. I was going for something easy, small and light and what I got was something really, really light with little flavor. It doesn't taste bad, it just doesn't taste like much of anything. I'd almost say I made my own ale version of bud light . Here is the recipe:

Style: Blonde Ale
TYPE: All Grain


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.00 gal   
Bottling Volume: 2.60 gal
Estimated OG: 1.043 SG
Estimated Color: 3.6 SRM
Estimated IBU: 18.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 78.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt                   Name                                     Type          #        %/IBU         
4 lbs 8.0 oz          Pilsen Malt 2-Row (Briess) (1.0 SRM)     Grain         1        93.6 %        
5.0 oz                Biscuit Malt (23.0 SRM)                  Grain         2        6.4 %         
0.40 oz               Hallertauer [4.80 %] - Boil 60.0 min     Hop           3        9.4 IBUs      
0.30 oz               Cascade [6.20 %] - Boil 20.0 min         Hop           4        5.5 IBUs      
0.60 Items            Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 mins)        Fining        5        -             
0.30 oz               Cascade [6.25 %] - Boil 10.0 min         Hop           6        3.3 IBUs      
1.0 pkg               Safale American  (DCL/Fermentis #US-05)  Yeast         7        -             


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out
Total Grain Weight: 4 lbs 13.0 oz
----------------------------
Name                     Description                             Step Temperat Step Time     
Mash In                  Add 6.01 qt of water at 163.2 F         150.0 F       75 min

I was able to hit the temps pretty well, maybe a bit off but nothing major. There is a hint of biscuit but I don't think I could point it out if I didn't know it was used. I'm interested to see thoughts. Was this simply due to the simple grain bill? Clean yeast? Maybe I should have mashed a different body? All the above? How could I modify this to get a similar light abv beer but up flavor to be more blonde ale and less bud light/water?

 

[Yooper]

Well, it sounds like you really nailed your recipe- it looks light, crisp, and relatively flavorless. I bet when it's cold, it makes a very nice lawnmower beer.

To make a beer with a bit more flavor, try using a base malt with some flavor like even US two-row or pale malt. For specialty grains, biscuit is nice but it comes across as "dry" and not really tasting of biscuits all that much. You could try some toasted malt, or Briess' version of biscuit called victory malt which is toasty/bready in the flavor. Or try some wheat malt in the grainbill for head retention and some flavor.

You could try a yeast with some character, like kolsch yeast, instead of S05.

You could try mashing a little bit higher, at 152, to target more of a medium to medium-light body instead of a light body and that will provide some mouthfeel.

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

Thanks Yooper!

Yeah, my thought originally was that the biscuit malt would provide a bit more than it did. Glad I learned it now on a 3gal trial rather than on a bigger attempt.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks Yooper!

Yeah, my thought originally was that the biscuit malt would provide a bit more than it did. Glad I learned it now on a 3gal trial rather than on a bigger attempt.

It provides this wonderful "dry" flavor in a beer, so I use it myself occasionally. But if you want a "warm, biscuit" flavor, toasted malt (home toasted is fine) may be more to your liking. Or, like I said, victory malt. It's similar to biscuit malt (actually, same thing by different maltsters mostly) but it's got that "toasty" thing going on also.

 

[sfgoat]

I think your grain bill is a little light. I would have used more like 8 pounds of 2-row and maybe like a half pound of Vienna or Munich with that. Hop additions seem light as well but that may be just my tastes. I like to use s-04 for yeast in my blondes, doesn't seem as dry.

Edit: sorry didn't see this was for a 3G batch. So what Yooper said then.