Help me save this beer

[linuxelf]

I just took a hydrometer sample of my latest extract batch, a clone of Sam Adams Boston Stock Ale. Something has gone wrong. I hit my gravities, both starting and finishing (OG at 1.047, FG at 1.012), but the beer just tastes thin and watery and there's hardly any aroma at all. I'm thinking of brewing another batch, and blending the two, but I've never done it before. Should I brew a stronger beer since I know it's going to get cut down with this one? Should I use the same recipe, and just use more DME? Maybe do my regular recipe, but not use any topoff water? Any advice?

[seanhagerty]

Lets start from the begining, what was the recipe for this batch?

[bub]

if it is thin and watery due to an infection you obviously wouldn't want to mix it with others...
Not saying that is the problem but some wild yeasts and bacteria can leave those flavors.

BUB

[rich]

I also say don't mix it. Post the recipe and everyone can help figure out what went down. But, alas, what's done is done. Send it to me for analysis. (Sorry, somebody had to).

You did not say it tastes bad, so drink up and brew again.

[linuxelf]

I'm wondering if it isn't infected. I kept things pretty clean, but this isn't the first time I've brewed this recipe, and it's never turned out like this.


Steeping Grains: Carapils Malt
Crystal Malt (I'm not sure of the proportions. This is from a recipe kit, and the shop didn't record them)
5lbs Light DME
2oz Saaz Bittering
1oz Fuggles Flavoring
1oz Kent Aroma

Bittering hops for 45 minutes
Flavoring hops 10 minutes
Aroma hops 2 minutes

[bub]

Ignoring the unknown crystal malts... that's a light watery beer.
BUB

[Dr Scott]

This could be a grain bill mistake when they were making up the order. I've been given all carapils instead of a mix by mistake (they omitted all the other grains). You might want to watch next time. Made a very bland beer... not bad just bland.

[linuxelf]

Alright, something is definitely up. I rebrewed this recipe, and got the exact same results. After a week in the fermenter, the gravity dropped to 1.1, and it just tastes like bad water. Maybe it's the kit. Maybe my LHBS altered the recipe kit and now it just tastes like this. I don't think I was brewing unclean. I soaked my carboy in PBW for 72 hrs, then rinsed it and filled it with StarSan overnight. I soaked the autosiphon in PBW overnight, then soaked it in StarSan for three hours while I was setting up/brewing/cooling. I preboiled my topoff water for 30 minutes. Everything else was boiled. I just can't see how I could have gotten any type of infection this time. I'm gonna have to try another recipe.