Ask Dr. Beermeister

Q. I have a 6 gallon batch of brew I over-bittered (over hopped?), it is
   now in the secondary. What are my options?

A. If you have room in your fermentor, boil up some plain malt extract in
   water and add it to your fermentor. The added water will dilute the
   bitterness and the added malt will keep the body up so you don't end up with
   a thin, bitter beer. Also, by adding lots of malt you can increase the body
   of your beer and help balance the hops. I haven't ever done this, but it
   should work. Just remember this will lengthen the total fermentation time.


Q. What are the brewing differences between dextrose, fructose and DME?

A. Dextrose and fructose are refined sugars produced from corn and fruits,
   respectively. They are 100% fermentable, so they increase the alcohol
   content of your beers and leave nothing behind to give it body. Dry malt
   extract (DME) is malt extract with all the water removed. Its biggest
   ingredient is maltose, malt sugar, but there are lots of other things
   that are not fermentable. So DME contributes to the flavor, body, and
   mouth feel of your beers. If you use too much refined sugar in your beer
   (more than 25%), it can taste thin and sometimes have a cidery taste. In
   some beers it is traditional to use some sugar, but for most homebrewers
   I recommend 100% malt recipes. Also, refined sugars have no nutrients,
   so you can have a slow fermentation if too much sugar is used.


Q. I have a couple of sleazy friends with the nasty habit of coming over
   and guzzling my homebrew. Doctor, doctor, what should I do about this?

A. Well, our hero Jimmy Buffett has a great quote about friends like that,
   "We all got 'em, we all want 'em, WHAT DO WE DO WITH 'EM?" I think you
   have several options on this one. You could continue to let them scarf up
   your good homebrew. You could buy a case or two of BudMillCoors longnecks,
   soak off the labels and replace with your own figuring they'll never know
   the difference. OR you could find a club member with a batch of infected
   homebrew and serve it to your friends. The possibilities along this line
   are endless when you really think about it. Have a homebrew and let your
   mind run wild with ideas.