shotgunsteve

Recipes 

Hello, first time poster, 3rd batch brewer here. I've looked through the forums but couldn't find what I was looking for...

We have started a new batch of Brewhouse brand brew kit (wort comes pre packaged) called "Alberta My Bock". Somebdoy recommended that ifw e want stronger beer, to add malt extract to it. As they instructed, we bought some dry malt extract and added 500 grams into the primary fermenter during the first step. We hit the proper gravity for racking within a day or two, but once it was racked the gravity stopped falling - we can't get it below 1.2.

1. how would you recommend saving this batch?
2. How should I do this in the future to avoid the problem?

Any answer to either qu4estion would be very much appreciated thanks

Yooper

Recipes 

1.020 is the current SG? If so, that's pretty common using extract so I wouldn't worry about it.

I've never seen or used a brewhouse kit, but I probably wouldn't add 500 grams of DME to it. The issue is just that you've only added 1% alcohol, but lowered the hops bittering and changed the balance of the beer. It might be just fine, depending on the kind of beer it is, but I'd probably just start with a higher alcohol beer kit in the first place.

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Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

shotgunsteve

Recipes 

Thanks Yooper, appreciate the quick advice. I agree that in the future we'll avoid complicating the process unnecessarily until we have a better grasp of the process and effects of changes.

To save the batch, the owner of the local home brew supplies shop recommended starting another batch of the same brew, and once this is racked from the primary into the carboy - we will then take the original stagnant batch and siphon it back into the primary from it's carboy, onto all of the residue from the second batch. They think that this may provide some active yeast to help quickstart the process again to drop things a bit.

Thoughts?

Yooper

Recipes 

I wouldn't. First, it's not uncommon for extract batches to finish at 1.020. It's just due to the level of unfermentables in the extract. So, you're right there.

Taste the beer. Just use a sanitized turkey baster or wine thief to take a tiny sample. I bet it tastes fine, and will taste better once carbed up.

I think you're risking far more by manipulating it than simply leaving it alone and making a new (different) batch.

__________________
Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

shotgunsteve

Recipes 

Thanks again, we're gonna give this a go and try bottling. will post results after a few weeks