Fermenting Imperial Stout

Hello,

I made a Imperial Stout with OG 1102. I used two packages of US-05.

I had heavy fermentation for 3 days and after a week there was no foam left.

After 12 days I thought about bottling, maybe a bit early I thought but as there as not been any activity I thought it could not harm. However I first measured gravity and it was on 1037!!

I had about 9% really dark malt so I expected a sweet beer (Color 120 EBC / 60 SRM). Beer Smith said that FG should be 1022.

What should I do? Just wait or add more yeast? Add a better yeast?

Happy for any advice.

Beer Smith’s estimate doesn’t mean anything, so ignore it. Have you tried raising the temp into the low 70s and rousing the yeast?

Something that big I wouldn’t (personally) move out of the primary for at least a month. Depending on your roasted malt ratios and fermentation control, it may not even be drinkable for many months yet any way. It’s going to go through some flavor changes over the next 2-6 months as it blends together.

Was this extract or all grain? What temp did you mash at? Has it stayed at the same gravity for at least three days?

I don’t use US-05 all that often, but it usually it finishes fermentation pretty quickly.

It is all grain. Carafa II 2%, Biscuit 3%, Roasted Barley 3%, Chocolate Malt 4,5% Crystal 60 6,5%.

Mashed at 68C / 155F.

It is fermenting at 22C / 72F.

Use a long spoon or swirling to get the yeast back in suspension and you should see the gravity start dropping again - US-05 ought to take it down further.

I’ve had 2 beers that ended up about 10 points higher than I would have wanted, and they’re both beers that just sit in the basement because I don’t enjoy them. Unless you really need the fermenter for something else or you need to have the beer ready by a certain date, I’d suggest giving it some more time with the yeast. It’s likely that the yeast will clean up some of the fermentation byproducts for another week, even if they don’t lower the gravity.

I agree with Shadetree, try swirling the carboy a bit, or raising the temp near 70 F. Take a gravity reading every other day and see if it helped.

Good luck! Let us know how things go.

Swirling seems to have reactivated the yeast. I will leave it in fermentor for at least two weeks more. No hurry, I am hoping to have it ready for next years x-mas. :slight_smile:

Two weeks later and still att 1037… :frowning:

Maybe it is all that dark malt that make it impossible to get it any lower. Maybe I should just bottle it, store it for a very long time and drink it in really smal quantities.

Any suggestions on how to save it?

How does it taste?

The taste is quite good, but I’m think it might be different drinking a whole bottle of it… Also next time I use star anise I will use less, powerfull stuff. :slight_smile:

It may be done then.

Yep.

I made about a gallon of mild with a couple star anise in the mini keg.

BLAHAHHSHAHA, tasted like Jagermister.