Stuck at 1021, What to do next?

**Brandon O** · 07-22-2008, 10:14 PM

So I brewed this

NOSFARATU'S RETURN 5 gallons, extract/specialty grains
Mark diSimone Brew Masters Ltd. Rockville, Md.
"This beer is silky smooth and has a great chocolate character. Its 10 percent alcohol is totally hidden. It is ranked number one in our 18-year history."
Ingredients:
• 6.6 lbs. gold unhopped malt extract
• 2 lbs. orange blossom honey
• 1 lb. chocolate malt
• 1 lb. pale chocolate malt
• 1 lb. Vienna malt
• 0.5 lb. cara-pils malt
• 0.5 lb. crystal malt, 56° Lovibond
• 1 lb. Munich malt
• 2 oz. Perle hops (8% alpha acid), for 20 min.
• 1 oz. crystal hops (3.2% alpha acid), for finishing
• Wyeast 1742 (Swedish ale)
Step by Step:
Steep grains in 2 gals. of 170° F water for 30 minutes. Remove grains. Add malt and honey to the grain water. Bring to a boil. Add Perle hops and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 oz. crystal hops. Add to fermenter. Add water to 5 gals. When temperature is below 80° F, pitch yeast. Ferment for seven to 10 days. Place in secondary for seven to 10 days. Prime with corn sugar. Bottle at 1.014. Let age three to four weeks.

after 2.5 weeks in the primary it measures 1.021 so I racked it into the secondary and put in some yeast energizer in it hoping it will get down to 1.014

Anyone have stouts/dark beers that just don't get down as low as they should be? Stout doesn't want to budge from 1.021 after a few days and I am thinking about bottling it.

**DeathBrewer** · 07-22-2008, 10:45 PM

you probably should have left it in the primary and just gave it a nice rousing. that honey doesn't like to ferment out very fast.

**Brandon O** · 07-22-2008, 11:11 PM

what's a rousing? stir it up?

**Brandon O** · 07-31-2008, 05:53 PM

oh my gosh, this stuff turned out soooo freaking good.

Chocolate taste is a background flavor now, not the main flavor. The main flavor is espresso/coffee. I had worries about it being to sweet but it's not. Chocalate sweetness has passed into the background and a dry coffee flavor is now in front. 7.5% abv but no sign of strong alchahol.

Suprisingly not thick at all, very dark flavor without the thick mouthfeel a guiness has.

Gonna age most of it for 3 more weeks.

TheFlatline · 08-02-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon O

oh my gosh, this stuff turned out soooo freaking good.

Chocolate taste is a background flavor now, not the main flavor. The main flavor is espresso/coffee. I had worries about it being to sweet but it's not. Chocalate sweetness has passed into the background and a dry coffee flavor is now in front. 7.5% abv but no sign of strong alchahol.

Suprisingly not thick at all, very dark flavor without the thick mouthfeel a guiness has.

Gonna age most of it for 3 more weeks.

Did the SG drop at all?

**Brandon O** · 08-02-2008, 02:17 AM

nope, bottled at 1.02 but beer tools said that is what it's supposed to end up at so it was a success.

**Brandon O** · 08-08-2008, 01:54 AM

Smooth, good mouth feel. Chocolate and coffee flavors present, lots of flavor. Not too thick. Pics to follow.
this is after 2.5 weeks in the bottle. I am assuming it will get even better with age.

**Brandon O** · 08-08-2008, 01:07 PM

This is what it looks like if you pour carelessly

And here is a good pour

**Brandon O** · 08-08-2008, 03:34 PM

Oh and despite what the recipe says, it's 7.5 abv.

However, it doesn't taste like a strong beer at all.

If you brew it make sure to give it atleast 3 weeks in the bottle. it makes a HUGE difference.