I would really like to brew up 5 gallons of beer that is maybe 2-3% alcohol but has a good hoppy beer taste. I am a malt brewer with only a basic setup, so it should be an ale. For lager I have to wait until the winter.
I have experimented before, but find that once you drop below about a pound of extract per gallon, it starts tasting bad. Which is to say, with a pount of extract per gallon or more, the margin of error is pretty high and the beer is drinkable at worst and mighty tasty at best.
Any one out there have a recipe or two along with the technique. Any special ingredients that really improve the flavor? Any tips will be appreciated.
That’s a tough one if you’re using malt extracts. A masher could (I guess, I’ve never tried it) adjust the mash to produce a higher proportion of non-fermentables (dextrins and such) that would provide flavor and body but not alcohol.
You could research yeast strains and find the lowest-attenuating one available. The company I order from, Williams Brewing (no affiliation), has a good variety and gives the attenuation level for each. I’m not sure what the lowest would be; I don’t have a catalog here at work.
Interesting question, though, and I’ll be watching this thread for more-knowledgeable replies.
I agree with dono that you can try using a higher proportion of non-fermentable grains to give a malty flavor without adding fermentable sugars. I have never consciously tried to brew a low alcohol batch, but if I were to try that would be the approach I would use.
Well, the lame-ass way is to dilute it, essentially. I just made my first beer (after years of making cider) using grains. I didn’t want to invest in the sparger, etc., so I went the easy route: use about 20% more grain for the recipe than what is called for. It’s more wasteful, but easy as can be.
It became light beer when I decided I could probably get even more sugars out of the grains. So I kept adding hot water and straining until I had 5 gallons of wort, rather than just a paltry 3. As a result, my beer weighs in at just under 3.5% ABV. It has good color, a nice hoppy ale taste up front, but then kind of peters out at the end like your usual light beer. The best way to describe it–if Bass or Honey Brown Lager made a light beer, this would be it. Of course, I’m personally partial to thin quaffing beers–amstel, beck’s light, corona, yuengling lager–so I like it.
In short–try to stretch your grains too far. You’ll wind up with less alcohol.
Just add more hops! The strength of the beer shouldn’t affect the flavor of the hops.
China Guy, did I assume correctly that you’re an extract rather than a grain brewer?
If so,
Yeah - that’s it! Use an extract/infusion method. Use less extract than you normally would, but then (during the boil) infuse a relatively high proportion of grains like crystal and/or dextrine to contribute flavor and body but not fermentables. Just might work!
(And thanks for the links, T1. I’m gonna check 'em out.)
If, however, I misinterpreted and you’re a masher, I’ll go back to what I said before - you can adjust your mash temperatures to produce a higher proportion of non-fermentables.
Or if you want a lighter-bodied beer, what Toadspittle said.
Let’s see… 5 lbs of liquid malt extract in 5 gallons will give you a specific gravity of about 1.035.
A wort of 1.035 if completely fermentable and completely fermented, won’t give you any more than 4.6% ABV, and in the real world, probably won’t come anywhere near that much- probably more in the 3.8% range, if brews like draught Guinness are any indication(1.039/4.2%ABV)
1.035 is about the bottom limit for commercially brewed beers- I don’t recall ever seeing specs on any that had lower SG.
I’d say that if you’re determined to have 2-3% ABV beer, do what Toadspittle says- brew up a good batch of normal beer, and then maybe dilute it at bottling time.
If you want hop flavor/aroma, try dryhopping it. That would definitely give you more hop flavor, without over bittering it.
We routinely make our summer beers at 3% just so you can drink a lot of em without getting hammered when it’s hot out. For a 6 gallon batch, we use a max of 4 pounds of extract and sparge 1 to 2 pounds of carapils (aka dextrin) malt with it. As dono mentioned, it will add a good malt flavor and body to beer without fermentables. It makes up nicely for a lower amount of extract. Use more if you want to give a sweet undertone to the beer. Using Crystal malt does the same and will also add a nice color if you are going for a red beer. Use hops as you would for a higher alcohol beer, but for lighter beers we usually go for a lighter hop like Saaz or Hallertaur. Those give great bitterness and aroma, but don’t overpower a lighter beer.
Thanks for the replies. Haven’t looked at Cat’s Meow for a long time, so thanks for the refreasher link.
Yes, I am an extract brewer. I tried the Papazian method once doing a high gravity wort and then watering it down. Was not very successful. The watering down tends to leave you with a watered down tasting beer. My understanding is that the commerical ultra low alcohol beers are actually brewed normally and then get rid of the alcohol via a vacume process.
As mentioned by a couple of you, sounds like the trick is a lot of non fermentables like dextrin and crystal malt.
Turbo Dog, how much Saaz would you put in for your summer beer?
Sure, they’ve improved over the last decade or so, but they still can’t beat the fact that alcohol is itself a component of the final flavour. I know it’s supposed to be flavourless, but it definitely adds something else besides the intoxicating effect. For a homebrewer, it’s doubly-dodgy as you can’t do the brew-normal-beer-then-extract-the-alcohol thing.
If I don’t want to get too affected by alcohol, I will stick to full-strength beer -just less of it. If it’s a really hot day, I’ll start with a big, cold glass of Coke or something, then I can enjoy a smaller beer.
Erm… okay… nothing to add to this thread ('cept an extra pound or so of malt ).
4# light DME
1 1/2# Munich malt
1# Carapils malt
1.5 oz Saaz or Hallertaur hop pellets (I’ve also used Perle with good results)
1/4 oz Cascade hops (for dry hopping)
1 tsp Irish Moss or Isinglass
10g. Pasteur Champagne Yeast (dry)
1/2 oz pure lemon extract (optional)
Put grains in bag with 2.5 gal cold water and turn heat on high. Soon as it boils, remove the grain bag (save the drains with a a colander).
Add DME and 1/2 oz hops. Boil for 30 min. Add 1/2 oz hops and boil 20 minutes and add Moss. After 28 minutes, add remaining hops for two minutes and take off heat. Cool and add to water to make 6 gallons, pitch yeast at temp. Add dry hops in Secondary fermenter. Mix in lemon extract at bottling/kegging. Comes in at about 3.2% and is very crisp and clean, not terribly hoppy, and you can’t really taste the lemon, but it does a great job as a “tongue cleaner” and is great with spicy food or BBQ.
A new one that is really good too that I haven’t named yet.
4# Extra light DME
1# Carapils malt
1# Wheat
2 oz Saaz hp plugs
1/2 oz Fuggle hop pellets
1 tsp Irish Moss
Wyeast 1056 yeast (liquid)
Put grains in bag with 2.5 gal cold water and turn heat on high. Soon as it boils, remove the grain bag (save the drains with a a colander).
Add DME and 1 1/2 oz Saaz. Boil for 30 min. Add remaining Saaz and boil 20 minutes and add Moss. After 28 minutes, add Fuggles for two minutes and take off heat. Cool and add to water to make 6 gallons, pitch yeast at temp. Give it a secondary and when it’s cleared, bottle or keg. This one comes out with a nice malt and “grainy” flavor, a nice hop bite, and also tastes somewhat smokey. Also comes in about 3.2%. Clean, crisp, and has some good undertones from the wheat and yeast.
I’ve also added (oh no) a pound of corn sugar to the ones above which will kick it up to about 4% without adding any more malt flavor, as well as using different hops. Play with the hops and yeast to find something you like. We have a preference for Saaz, Hallertaur, Cascades, Perle, Fuggle and Northern Brewer. And we nearly exclusively use either Pasteur Champagne yeast or Wyeast 1056, at least for lighter beer. That’s the fun of beer making. Playing with batch after batch to find the exact beer you like! Hope these help you, and in the words of the great Chuck P, “Relax, Don’t Worry, Have a Homebrew”!
Thanks Turbodog, those both look great. I’ve never ever used anywhere near that much dextrin so I’m sure that really makes a difference. I’ve also found adding a pound or two wheat malt really makes for a tasty summer beer.
I just re-read what I posted from my notes and wanted to clarify that both are a TOTAL boil time of 60 minutes. Bittering hops added at the beginning of the boil, flavoring hops 30 minutes into the boil, and aroma hops 58 minutes into the boil. The above references to “after 28 minutes” are after the initial 30 minute boil. Sorry bout that.
China, most welcome. Yes, I’ve grown very fond of wheat in the past couple years. It really adds something, even though I really can’t define it. And I love Carapils. I use it in everything now. The least I will ever use in a beer is a pound, and sometimes I go as high as three. I’m determined to duplicate the Rolling Rock recipe, and I’m getting closer:)
Turbo Dog related question. If you don’t have any crystal malt, would you substitute some carpils?
Also, forgot to mention, in my previous summer beers, adding a pound or two of wheat is very nicely complemented with a pound or two of honey instead of malt.
I’ve done some strange brewing over the years since I’ve usually lived where homebrew supplies are non existant. Not enough malt? Well, can wait a month for mail order to arrive or I can try adding some honey.
China yes, carapils is a good substitute for crystal. The only real difference when you are talking about a pound or two is the loss of color. You won’t get the nice red color, but you’ll still get the body and flavor. Munich and Vienna are also similar and good substitutes.
I’ve also used honey with wheat and just about everything under the sun because until fairly recently, I also lived in an area where the only supplier was a guy who ran a gun shop in his home and had a couple shelves for brewing suplies. I didn’t go get a certain yeast or hops, I got what he happened to have that week because anything ordered would take a few weeks. I’m glad it was that way actually because it forced me to experiment and improvise and use stuff that I probably never would have, just out of neccessity. Corn syrup, honey, molasses, fruits, vegetables, leaves, maple syrup, coffee, and nearly every type of grain and hops there is, not to mention anything remotely fermentable I could find in the grocery store. I even used a box of cake mix once (interesting beer but not recommended).
Had I always had access to a good supply store, I don’t think I would have learned half of what I know now. A guy can learn volumes when researching why the last batch made with a box of Captain Crunch thrown in tastes so nasty.
I’m going to the US maybe next week. Will definately try to stop by a brewshop and pick up some supplies. Guess it will be about 5 pounds of carapils. Any other suggestions on stuff to pick up, and although Captain Crunch is available here in China I think I’ll give it a pass.
I’m with you. I tried brewing with a lot of stuff, and half had to be tossed down the drain. But got some good batches out. also made one batches using a year’s worth of leftovers that became my best homebrew just because it all went in the pot and came out great.
Turbo’s recipe’s seem on, but I wouldn’t use the champagne yeast if you’re searching for lower alcohol. Champagne yeasts ferment pretty dry. I would try one of the less attenuative yeasts, but something that gives a malty flavor. Wyeast 1099 looks like it could be a good choice (ASD). Let us know how it works out!
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