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A long & complicated question; bear with me.

I'm generally aiming for mid to lower alcohol levels as I figure that way I can drink more of it, so I look for interesting fermenatbles ( like liquid malts for flavour but keep the quantities down to half or two thirds or so.

I guess a full strength brew must have some residual sugar effect, because I'm consistently getting good flavour but extremely bitter finish.

Recent example ; Coopers standard Stout can made with 1 kg morgans black roasted malt. 3.4 % All the desired roasty - toast characteristics we look for in a Stout but tends to draw up the bonnet strings a bit as I swallow.

How do i counter excess bitterness in lower alcohol brews ? I might be looking for a non-fermentable sweetener (NOT Saccharine) in a small dose. I don't want to actually sweeten the brew, just take the edge off it if u know what I mean

All suggestions gratefully and seriously considered

J D Kipper wrote:A long & complicated question; bear with me.

I'm generally aiming for mid to lower alcohol levels as I figure that way I can drink more of it, so I look for interesting fermenatbles ( like liquid malts for flavour but keep the quantities down to half or two thirds or so.

I guess a full strength brew must have some residual sugar effect, because I'm consistently getting good flavour but extremely bitter finish.

Recent example ; Coopers standard Stout can made with 1 kg morgans black roasted malt. 3.4 % All the desired roasty - toast characteristics we look for in a Stout but tends to draw up the bonnet strings a bit as I swallow.

How do i counter excess bitterness in lower alcohol brews ? I might be looking for a non-fermentable sweetener (NOT Saccharine) in a small dose. I don't want to actually sweeten the brew, just take the edge off it if u know what I mean

All suggestions gratefully and seriously considered

You could maybe try some lactose?

Bitterness dissapates with age, try putting a couple of bottles aside for 6 months to see if it helps.

you could brew with unhopped extracts and then just use less hops

Hi,
If you made the stout then added a dark malt it is likely to be bitter, adding lighter malts may help to reduce the bitterness to some degree. Stouts are generally quite bitter and has as been said lactose may help, should produce "a milky stout".

Also allow the beer to condition further bitterness generally reduces over time, to soem degree.

If you want to make a stout again perhaps start from scratch and attempt to make the beer from unhopped malts, then bitter to your pallet.

Cheers
AC