Why Does My Homebrew Beer Taste Too Sweet?

Learn how to reduce ‘sweet’ flavors in homebrew beer.

It’s downright frustrating when you invest both your time and money into brewing a batch of beer only to discover that’s it plagued with an overly sweet flavor. Hints of sweetness isn’t going to ruin a batch of homebrew beer. In fact, it often balances and compliments the hop flavors, resulting in a palatable combination that sits well on the taste buds; however, too much sweetness can and will ruin your homebrew beer.

Sugar Converts Into Alcohol

To understand why some batches of homebrew beer tastes overly sweet, you must first go back to the basics principles of brewing. Beer is created in part from the fermentation of sugar. A catalyst is added (usually yeast) which converts the sugars into alcohol; thus, producing beer’s alcoholic content. If a batch of homebrew beer tastes overly sweet, however, it’s usually a sign that something is wrong with the catalyst.

Without a working catalyst, the sugar won’t fully convert into alcohol, leaving the beer with a strong, sugary and sweet flavor that most people dislike. If you’re struggling to combat an overly sweet flavor with your homebrew beer, you should take a step back to ensure your catalyst is working properly. Nine out of ten times, this problem is caused by the catalyst not functioning as it should.

High Mash Temps May Trigger Sweet Flavors

One common cause of sweet homebrew beer is a high mash temperature. If the temperature is too high, it will literally cook the yeast, preventing them from converting the sugars into alcohol. The exact temperature varies depending on the batch size, ingredients and type of beer, but a good rule of thumb is to keep it under 150 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure proper mash creation and fermentation.

Using a Hydrometer To Gauge Sugars In Homebrew Beer

If you don’t have one already, invest in a hydrometer to measure the sugars left over after brewing a batch of beer. Hydrometers are small, handheld devices which are used to measure the exact concentration of sugar in a beer or other liquids. Before bottling your homebrew beer, measure the sugar content and compare it to the “expected final gravity.” If there’s still too much sugar, let it ferment for a little bit longer.

Adding more hops to your homebrew beer may also offset some of the sweet flavors created by a high sugar content. Of course, this is just a temporary solution and isn’t designed to solve the underlying problem.