braggot dilemma

**bryank** · 10-30-2011, 03:55 PM

So I attempted a braggot on 9/10, here's the specs:
5 gal
7.5# pale malt
2# Vienna
2 Oz Carafa iii special
4 Oz Carapils
Mash at 151° for 60 mins

90 min 1 Oz horizon @ 11.2%
20 min 1 Oz fuggle @ 4.8% (I've had these aging at room temp for over a year though)
15 min whirly tab
0 min .5# molasses
0 min 8.5# Michigan wildflower honey

Pitched on a yeast cake of 05 with 5 tsp of nutrient.

I racked this two weeks ago to secondary and the sg was at 1.010

My problem is that I didn't get an accurate og. I got a reading of 1.170 which seems a little high and I'm assuming was mostly honey. I had a taste and it was good but still a bit sweet. I believe that I read that 05 does out at about 12% and I was looking to dry this out a bit. Without knowing my og I'm having a hard time figuring out which yeast to use to dry this out with out making this to dry, I was thinking maybe 71b-1122. What do you guys think?

**bryank** · 11-02-2011, 12:35 AM

I'm gonna pull the trigger on it I think, I'll let you guys know what happens. I'm guessing that my og should have been around 1.090 - 1.100

maskednegator · 11-02-2011, 01:04 AM

I'd get like 1.130 on my system. Regardless, I'd be shocked if you could dry this out more than 1.010. Keep us posted!

**biochemedic** · 11-02-2011, 01:22 AM

agree w/ maskednegator...OG probably somewhere between 1.120 and 1.130. I think you're right in that 05 may only take you down to 1.030-1.040, but you did pitch onto a primed yeast cake, and sometimes yeasts can surprise you...you'll have to report back what the gravity is when the 05 finishes working.
If you are too high on your gravity though, regardless of what you use to finish, you should still have some unfermentable dextrans from the mash (although you did mash for a relatively fermentable wort...) and you should never go to completely dry. If you use 71B you're only going to get another 2% of ABV tolerance (by the books), and you may still be in the 1.020's for FG, also consider that in essence you're trying to restart a 'stuck' fermentation, and you're going to be asking a yeast to start in an environment that's already pretty high in ABV, which isn't optimal. I'd consider using one of the yeasts that can take your brew to the limit (K1V-1116 or EC-1118) and live with whatever residual sweetness you have. I suppose if you do go down lower than you want you could also consider adding some maltodextran if your body is too thin, and you could even consider stabilizing and backsweetening if you have a kegging system to carbonate (I assume you plan to carbonate...I think most braggots are...)

WIMARIPA · 11-02-2011, 03:02 AM

Schramm's hefty braggot recipe has an OG of 1.120 and is supposed to have a FG of 1.018 with d47 ( alc tolerance is 14%). I just started it last week and am hoping to be able to bottle carb it at some point, although I "must" admit that those numbers make me concerned as well.

commonsenseman · 11-02-2011, 06:44 PM

Unless I'm calculating something wrong, 75% efficiency puts you at about 1.117

If I were you, I would let it go for a while longer, perhaps warm it up a little (into the low 70's) & swirl it.

Then, I'd add some more alcohol tolerant yeast to the bottling bucket.

Keep us posted!

**bryank** · 11-16-2011, 12:46 AM

I re pitched with 1118 nutrient and energizer, and nothing had happened. Guess I'll let it sit for awhile and throw some carb at it in a few Weeks, and not add so much honeynext time.

**bryank** · 11-20-2011, 01:56 AM

Checked the gravity today and nothing has changed, tasted it and it has seemed to mellow out quite a bit.made a test bottle to see if it will carb up but am thinking of making this still. I'm putting it on oak tomorrow.

**MrOrange** · 11-23-2011, 02:39 PM

I did Schramm's Hefty Braggot back in the beginning of June this year. Had and OG of 1.120 and it finished at 1.014. When i bottled i added 1/2 pack of D-47 and let it sit for three days then bottled as i would any other beer. Carbonation turned out just where i wanted it to, unfortunately i can't say much for the taste because it was so young when i tried it. Keep us posted on how this turns out, there aren't many braggot recipes on HBT

**bryank** · 12-06-2011, 10:37 PM

Oak did wonders for this, I've also decided to leave it still for some reason I think it tastes a little better that way.