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Stephonovich · 04-08-2012, 04:06 PM

Took a hydrometer sample today, and sampled it as well. It sat for about 3 months in the primary (take that, naysayers).

FG came in at 1.024, down from it's initial 1.108 - 76% apparent attenuation, 62% real. Wyeast says 69-73% for 1728, so I think it's pretty good. Oh yeah, ABV is at 11.2%.

The flavor profile is giant malt flavor, smoky overtones, with a massive alcohol burn. Delicious stuff, although I think even 12 oz. might be a bit much, it's so rich. This beer definitely needs to sit for a long time. I'm going to rack it into a smaller secondary to minimize O2, and to avoid tempting the autolyzing gods any further.

Also of note, BeerSmith put the estimated FG at 1.023, so it did just fine.

**bottlebomber** · 04-08-2012, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephonovich

Took a hydrometer sample today, and sampled it as well. It sat for about 3 months in the primary (take that, naysayers).

FG came in at 1.024, down from it's initial 1.108 - 76% apparent attenuation, 62% real. Wyeast says 69-73% for 1728, so I think it's pretty good. Oh yeah, ABV is at 11.2%.

The flavor profile is giant malt flavor, smoky overtones, with a massive alcohol burn. Delicious stuff, although I think even 12 oz. might be a bit much, it's so rich. This beer definitely needs to sit for a long time. I'm going to rack it into a smaller secondary to minimize O2, and to avoid tempting the autolyzing gods any further.

Also of note, BeerSmith put the estimated FG at 1.023, so it did just fine.

What recipe did you use? Your specs are basically identical to mine. I haven't tried mine in a few months. I've decided not to oak. I'll probably bottle it in 2 or 3 months. My alcohol wasn't really hot, more kind of vinous like a wine. Same smoky quality you're describing

Stephonovich · 04-09-2012, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bottlebomber

What recipe did you use? Your specs are basically identical to mine. I haven't tried mine in a few months. I've decided not to oak. I'll probably bottle it in 2 or 3 months. My alcohol wasn't really hot, more kind of vinous like a wine. Same smoky quality you're describing

I went with...

20.5# MO
4 oz. RB
1.5 oz. EKG @ 120 min
1.5 oz. EKG @ 5 min
1728, 4L starter
Salts to adjust water to Edinburgh profile

I drew off 2 gallons to reduce, but didn't reduce enough to get it down to a syrup.

If I did it over again, I'd give myself more time to make sure the runnings had reduced, and also maybe play with hop additions. I know hops aren't supposed to be much of a player in scotch ale, but I feel like it could be a little more balanced. I don't normally make beer to meet guidelines, I make it to taste like I want. The other part of that balance issue is the hop flavors are naturally going to dissipate with time.

**smokinghole** · 04-09-2012, 03:53 PM

I took mine and transferred it out of my bottling keg back to a fermentor. I added two thick slurries of WLP099 to get it lower than 1.035 and it seems to be fermenting. I have recently discovered a pedio issue in my dubbel so I hope I didn't somehow contaminate the wee heavy. If I did I'll have one hell of a oudbruin. Luckily the other beers in fermentors are funky or sour to begin with. I need to grab some wild yeast and bacteria plates to check the beers.

acuenca · 04-11-2012, 02:53 PM

I don't know how but I came in at 1.014 after 3 months of bulk aging... I think I'm going to bottle and store this one away for aWHILE... nice malty back bone but the EtOH is pretty apparent... I've never had a wee heavy... Does that fade with time to a smoother smokier malt bomb? Used 1728 by the way

**bottlebomber** · 04-11-2012, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acuenca

I don't know how but I came in at 1.014 after 3 months of bulk aging... I think I'm going to bottle and store this one away for aWHILE... nice malty back bone but the EtOH is pretty apparent... I've never had a wee heavy... Does that fade with time to a smoother smokier malt bomb? Used 1728 by the way

Wow that is low. It will definitely fade but it will probably take most of the year to be good and 2 years to be at its peak.

JLW · 04-12-2012, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azscoob

What are you all thinking on carbonation level for your beers? I found a chart that gave the range to be 1.3 to 2.3, that is a big range to choose from.

I once carbed a wee heavy on the lower end of the range and it just didn't taste right to me and it took a really long time to carb up completely. I'll carb this one at 2.3.

**Golddiggie** · 04-12-2012, 01:59 AM

Since I'll be kegging mine, I'll aim for about the middle of the range to start and then adjust (up or down) until I hit the sweet spot... I might need to install another gas line into the brew fridge to supply that keg...

xeerohour · 04-15-2012, 12:10 PM

I just racked mine into a five gallon oak barrel yesterday. It's five months old and sitting at 1.028 w/ 11.9% ABV. Surprisingly, not a lot of alcohol burn, but perhaps a bit over-sweet for my tastes. I'm hoping the oak and the booze from the barrel will help balance that a bit.

Btw - I'd love to swap a bottle of mine for one fermented with Brett. That sounds awesome.

**smokinghole** · 04-15-2012, 01:58 PM

I did not add brett yet. I might reserve a gallon jug and do it anyhow.