Ever use maltodextrin post fermentation?

[andy77]

I've had a run of insanely well attenuated beers lately. My 1.096 Bitter Chocholate Oatmeal Stout finished at 1.012, and my 1.065 Janet's brown ale finished at 1.007. Haven't tasted the Brown ale, but the Stout needs body. It's all alcohol, coco nibs and roast, with none of the hallmark oatmeal stout creamy mouthfeel to smooth it out.

I know it's theoretically possible, but has anyone here added maltodextrin after fermentation, ie in a keg? My concern is that, while theoretically sound, this might be one of those "microwaving a steak" things where it doesn't work in practice.

[Chupa LaHomebrew]

I haven't used that, but It might be worth trying. I would look into the overattenuation issues, because that's either coming from your mash production, or some wild yeast getting in. It could be from overpitching too, I guess, but the most likely is mash production or infection.

[andy77]

It's happening in the mash. My light, low gravity beers are coming out clean, so no infection. I thought it was my crush (I'm batch sparging and crushing really fine), but I changed that, and Janet's Brown finished 8 points low! I use a digital thermometer that I calibrate right before each brew session. I most often brew with 001, but I use the pitching rate calculator, so I can't be massively over-pitching. I dunno. I'll figure it out.

I would really like to fix this oatmeal stout, though. I think it has the potential to be a very nice beer if I can beef it up a bit. Anyone else in the same predicament and add maltodextrin powder?

[mookie1010]

It's happening in the mash. My light, low gravity beers are coming out clean, so no infection. I thought it was my crush (I'm batch sparging and crushing really fine), but I changed that, and Janet's Brown finished 8 points low! I use a digital thermometer that I calibrate right before each brew session. I most often brew with 001, but I use the pitching rate calculator, so I can't be massively over-pitching. I dunno. I'll figure it out.

I would really like to fix this oatmeal stout, though. I think it has the potential to be a very nice beer if I can beef it up a bit. Anyone else in the same predicament and add maltodextrin powder?

I had 2 batches that finished WAY lower than I intended, and as it turned out, both my thermometers were off. And apparently, the higher the temp, the more they were off -- it was exponential. So my 153* mash was really around 145-147. Really, really fermentable wort there.

I know you said you're calibrating, but I can only tell you -- my experience was that my thermometer was off. Fixing that fixed my problem.

[brewinhard]

+1 with thermometer issues...

Always check your thermometer first when beers over or under attenuate. Don't even trust digital ones! Go buy a lab grade thermometer for 5 bucks and start brewing with that. Guaranteed you will be within at least a couple degrees of accurate mashing temps and you can then hone in from there better after each batch.

[andy77]

Save me a seat on the short bus. Reserve my ticket on the slow train. Buy me a one-way trip to stupid town. Pull my hair and call me Shirley. I'm a fucking idiot.



I've been calibrating my thermometer sloppily. My digital thermometer requires a ice-water calibration. Water, of course, can't get below 32F without turning to ice. So ice water is the perfect medium to calibrate the thermometer...providing you don't touch the probe to the ice. I went through my routine and did a little self-observation tonight, and realized that lately I've been getting lax on the whole "not touching the probe to ice" thing. That explains the variable results, and occasional hyper-fermentability I've been getting lately. What a jackass I am. Looks like my mash temps are either right on or 7 degrees low. Stupid, stupid stupid!!!!!

[Grist Licker]

Why can't you touch the probe to the ice?

[DannyW]

Because if your freezer is at 0F, your ice will be 0F, but the water around the ice will still be 32F. Touch the ice and your thermometer will read lower than 32F.