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High Original Gravity

Northern Brewer General
#1

Hi all,

Two weeks ago I brewed a strong ale (not really to style for anything specific - close to a beefed up brown ale. Recipe was as follows:

6 lb amber lme
3.3 lb dark lme
8 oz brown malt
8 oz caramel 40
1 lb corn sugar
2 oz mt hood
1 oz fuggles

I was expecting an OG around 1.07 or 1.08 - it came in at 1.1 on the nose. It was mixed well and took the measurement how I always do.

When I tested today, The gravity was at 1.016, giving me an ABV around 11%. It tasted fine, but there was a definite alchohol after-taste. I’m wondering if dry-hopping might be a good idea to round out that flavor? I was going to transfer to secondary in a week. Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Blake

#2

Big Beers like this one will benefit from some conditioning time. Cheers!!!

#3

Just like Hamiltont said a beer like thats going to take some months of aging to smooth out. How long did it take for primary fermentation to end?

#4

Yep, I hate to say this but I’d plan on at least three months of aging if not more. I just bottled a 13% Barleywine I brewed in February and I think it could have sat even longer.

#5

With that amount of extract And if you ended with 5 gallons. Your OG was 1.076

If it was a 5 gallon batch. I’m assuming you added water to reach your desired volume after the boil. You may think you mixed it really well, but it’s really hard to do. And even if it looks mixed, usually it’s not. You just got a concentrated sample. This will not harm the beer.

For extract. If you ended with the predicted volume, and used all the extract. Then it’s guaranteed to hit your OG. That’s why there is no efficiency for extract.

#6

a good friend of mine was taking his OG sample before adding his top off water. his OG readings were always super high. :lol:

#7

Once or twice, I’ve cheated by not adding enough water to keep the OG really high. Depending on the style, I get very tempted to do that to make 'em that much stronger get a good buzz on. :cheers:

#8

Once or twice, I’ve cheated by not adding enough water to keep the OG really high. Depending on the style, I get very tempted to do that to make 'em that much stronger get a good buzz on. :cheers: [/quote]

Well heck. If you’re just looking for a good buzz ferment ‘em in the mid 80’s. That’ll give ya one heck of a buzz, and a bangin’ headache afterwards… :wink:

#9

Let’s hope not. I made some saison noel with Wyeast’s farmhouse reserve yeast. I’m pretty sure that one hit the mid 80’s and sustained it for about a week. Both NB and my local homebrew shop assured me that this strain could handle it.

#10

[quote=“s2y”]
Let’s hope not. I made some saison noel with Wyeast’s farmhouse reserve yeast. I’m pretty sure that one hit the mid 80’s and sustained it for about a week. Both NB and my local homebrew shop assured me that this strain could handle it.[/quote]

That’s Fine with Saison yeast. But for other ale strains your beer would be better in the 60’s. Saisons like it warm

#11

[quote=“S.Scoggin”]
That’s Fine with Saison yeast. But for other ale strains your beer would be better in the 60’s. Saisons like it warm[/quote]

Normally I aim for the 60’s for most ales. I had made an awesome saison a few years back with Wyeast Belg. Saison at approx. 78 degrees. I didn’t have a way to safely push past 78 that summer.

My NB saison was a bit tame. Used White Labs saison since they were out of Wyeast. My pregnant wife made me really crank the AC this summer. It turned out alright, but didn’t have that in-your-face saison vibe.

I was a little reluctant to push mid 80’s on the saison noel with farmhouse reserve, but enough people assued me it was alright and to calm down. There are guitars in this room, so I don’t think I should exceed the mid 80’s.

I have an outside wall that tends to allow me to keep a nice 62-64 when I’m on my Wyeast 1968 kick during the winters.

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