What makes a beer "digestible"?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by redgorillabreath, Sep 29, 2019.

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  1. redgorillabreath

    redgorillabreath Zealot (511) Mar 29, 2015 Pennsylvania

    A couple of nights ago, I was starting my 3rd bottle of a Belgian Golden Strong that I bottled about a month ago. It will probably take another year before it really comes into its own, but I was enjoying the heck out of it. The alcohol burn that was present a couple of weeks ago had subsided...everything with this batch seems to be developing nicely. So I says to my wife, "I could drink this all night!", which reminded me of the Belgian brewers' comments about beers being digestible in the Stan Hieronymus book "brew like a MONK". Even though this third bottle hadn't been chilled, the flavor wasn't getting old, and it wasn't filling me up. To be fair, the first two bottles probably took me about an hour and a half to finish.

    Just for context, here are some details about the beer:
    84% German Pilsener
    6% Rye Malt
    6% Belgian Armoatic
    1% Acid Malt
    3% Sucrose (added during fermentation)

    Hops: All Mt. Hood during the boil, dry hopped with Czech Saaz, IBU=28
    Wyeast 3787
    OG= 1.077
    FG= 1.008
    ABV=9.5%

    Generally, my home brews are easy to have 2 or 3 at a sitting and not be tired of them, but they're also generally north of 7.5%, and I generally don't have more than two at a time anyway. ( I'll try to not say "generally" again.)

    The quote in the referenced book is "You don't want beers that are too sweet or too abundant or too spicy. Those are not digestible."

    Does anyone have any more specific comments on what makes a beer "digestible"?

    Cheers!!!
     
    #1 redgorillabreath, Sep 29, 2019
  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    IMO, it basically means dry, not cloying.
     
    #2 VikeMan, Sep 29, 2019
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  3. GormBrewhouse

    GormBrewhouse Pooh-Bah (2,111) Jun 24, 2015 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    My opinion, for myself, is any beer that is too malty or sweet I can smell when using the toilet, verses, a dryer beer which voids normally, of so it seems.

    Definatly feel fuller when drinking 7+ abv brews and they can pack on the lbs if I have a steady diet of them. More calories may mean less digestible, IMO.
     
    #3 GormBrewhouse, Sep 30, 2019
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  4. redgorillabreath

    redgorillabreath Zealot (511) Mar 29, 2015 Pennsylvania

    Part of my frame of reference for this is commercial beers I drink from time to time, one of which is Straub. It’s a lager, a little more than 4%. I can get it in 16 oz returnable bottles. The empties make it into my bottle inventory. 40 years ago, it was a high-end beer. Anyway, unless I’m particularly thirsty to start with, two of those leaves me feeling really full.

    I wonder if this is sort of like taste perception where what makes it work
     
    #4 redgorillabreath, Sep 30, 2019
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  5. redgorillabreath

    redgorillabreath Zealot (511) Mar 29, 2015 Pennsylvania

    Specifically is different from person to person. (Oops)
     
    #5 redgorillabreath, Sep 30, 2019
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  6. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    When I first encountered the term, I interpreted it as meaning light-bodied, in contrast to a lot of a high gravity beers that are heavier. I figured the Belgian use of simple sugars were a key contributor to this characteristic. I think this goes hand-in-hand with the dryness-cloying gradient alluded to by previous posters.
     
    #6 pweis909, Sep 30, 2019
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  7. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    Low FG, below like 1.012 or so. Less than 1.010 is ideal. Or very highly attenuated. Basically the yeast have done most of the digestion of the complex sugars for you, so you won't have gastric distention. And yeah, just easier to enjoy and drink more of.
     
    #7 dmtaylor, Sep 30, 2019
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  8. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    Generally I prefer to generalize these generalities...

    kidding aside, it's actually interesting since a lot of "digestifs" in the culinary world are very sweet drinks like schnapps and port wine...that are up to 10%+ residual sugar....but that's for digesting food and not the "poundable" characteristic that many American beer sluggers are after.

    So for that, i agree that a balanced flavor profile that keeps your palate wanting more (moderate acidity, hops, and malt characteristics) and a lower FG should be helpful. Thinking about Oktoberfests, since I've had a few recently, the best for drinking a few at a time were often the most crisp and less perception of "sweet" on my palate, but had to have plenty of clean toasted cracker flavor to keep me wanting more.
     
    #8 telejunkie, Sep 30, 2019
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  9. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    +1. I too have found that most Oktoberfest/maerzen beers fall into one of four categories, and in approximate equal proportions for each 25/25/25/25:

    1) Too sweet
    2) Too bland
    3) Totally non-applicable to the style
    4) Absolutely fantastic

    Obviously I always hope for #4... and approximately 25% of the time, they hit it.

    I think I'll go have one now. Wish me luck. Cheers. :slight_smile:
     
    #9 dmtaylor, Sep 30, 2019
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  10. MrOH

    MrOH Grand Pooh-Bah (3,995) Jul 5, 2010 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Seriously, this.
     
    #10 MrOH, Oct 2, 2019
  11. Push_the_limits

    Push_the_limits Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2018 Antarctica

    I really don't know what "digestible" means in relation to beer. Maybe that person was referring to caloric content. High-calorie beers which fill you up, like high-gravity stouts, may not be as "digestible" as a 4% Kolsch. That's my best guess.
     
    #11 Push_the_limits, Oct 3, 2019
  12. riptorn

    riptorn Pooh-Bah (1,776) Apr 26, 2018 Georgia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Which page is that quote on?
     
    #12 riptorn, Oct 3, 2019
  13. redgorillabreath

    redgorillabreath Zealot (511) Mar 29, 2015 Pennsylvania

    91. End of second paragraph. Cheers!!!
     
    #13 redgorillabreath, Oct 4, 2019
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