What did I make?

So I've brewed about 4 batches by the book so far that have all turned out really well. I decided to try to create my own recipe but I think I might have overdone a few things. It was a partial mash with 1lb Honey Malt, 1oz Amber Malt, 9lbs Ultralight LME, 1/3 cup brown sugar/cane sugar combo, 2oz centennial hops (60min boil), 2oz Cascade (15 min boil) and Irish Ale yeast. It came out with a potential ABV of 15%. My questions are, what style does this recipe most closely resemble? Am I going to need to pitch in some more yeast since there is so much sugar? Should I and (what type of) dry hop during my secondary?

I doubt your brew will reach 15% abv. If you are using WL1084, it can only tolerate 10-12% abv before dying and it has a rather low attenuation (low 70%s). I'm fairly certain other similar yeast strains have the same alcohol tolerance, so I'll be very surprised if it ferments out completely. I won't be getting into any calculations to determine if what you have measured is correct.

With the residual sweetness and maltiness, and the limited info that we have on your process, I'd say this will be a old ale-style barley wine. I can't really see it being anything else but maybe someone else will chime in.

Let us know how it turns out. Cheers.

How big is your batch? 9pds of LME in 5gallons yield around 1.054 post boil. Takin down to 1.013 would only get you 5.3% adding the 1/3 cup which is likely only 2-3oz would add ~.01%

Also you said you partial mashed...
Yet you had no base malt for enzyme conversion so you got very little if any sugar out of the honey malt. 1oz of amber did virtually nothing for you and not sure why its in there either.

We need more Info on your process to really make a judgement on this one.

You have most likely made something that falls outside of any one style. I would call it an IPA, though. 14b.

PoorInRain said:

You have most likely made something that falls outside of any one style. I would call it an IPA, though. 14b.

Click to expand...

Why would you call it an IPA? Am I missing something?

Sure it has 4oz of hops, but it will be muddled by all that unfermented sugar.

TopgunTango said:

Why would you call it an IPA? Am I missing something?

Sure it has 4oz of hops, but it will be muddled by all that unfermented sugar.

Click to expand...

There is no reason that this beer doesn't go down to 1.017 or lower. That is fine for 14b.

I get the 15% ABV potential in Brewer's friend if this a 2.5 gallon batch. I can't find a category it will fit into so it would fall under specialty beers.

With an ending gravity of 1.047 I can't imagine it will be very tasty....



HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Unknown

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Specialty Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 2.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 4 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.103
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.165
Final Gravity: 1.047
ABV (standard): 15.53%
IBU (tinseth): 126.73
SRM (morey): 11.96

FERMENTABLES:
9 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (87.8%)
1 lb - Canadian - Honey Malt (9.8%)
3 oz - Brown Sugar (1.8%)
1 oz - United Kingdom - Amber (0.6%)

HOPS:
2 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 94.06
2 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 32.67

YEAST:
White Labs - Irish Ale Yeast WLP004
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 71.5%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 68 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F


Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-12-11 17:41 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-12-11 17:41 UTC

Thanks for the help so far. I'm still wondering if I screwed this batch up and what I can do to fix it?

Ahhh... 2.5 gallon batch. Was this a 2.5 gallon batch?

5 gallon

So you have something that nearly fits into the imperial IPA category. OG is a little to high for the style by guideline but the IBU is good, ABV is good, SRM Daniels is good but SRM Morey is off.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Unknown

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Imperial IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.25 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.064
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.091
Final Gravity: 1.026
ABV (standard): 8.55%
IBU (tinseth): 86.16
SRM (morey): 7.06

FERMENTABLES:
9 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (77.2%)
1 lb - Canadian - Honey Malt (8.6%)
1.5 oz - Brown Sugar (0.8%)
1.5 lb - Cane Sugar (12.9%)
1 oz - United Kingdom - Amber (0.5%)

HOPS:
2 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 63.95
2 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 22.21

YEAST:
White Labs - Irish Ale Yeast WLP004
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 71.5%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 68 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)


Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-12-11 17:51 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-12-11 17:51 UTC

How did you get to 15% ABV? I think we may be able to help with your calculations. Based on the recipe you gave, I don't see your ABV higher than 6.5%. Also, I would switch the pound of honey malt for a crystal 90l and lose an ounce of the Centennial. Those changes would put your recipe square in style as an American IPA. A great recipe builder is available at brewersfriend.com Once you get used to it, you'll use it every time.

I honestly think the tasting notes will tell us more than plugging numbers into a computer program, at this point. Just let it rip and see what happens.

Keep us posted!

PoorInRain said:

How did you get to 15% ABV? I think we may be able to help with your calculations. Based on the recipe you gave, I don't see your ABV higher than 6.5%. Also, I would switch the pound of honey malt for a crystal 90l and lose an ounce of the Centennial. Those changes would put your recipe square in style as an American IPA. A great recipe builder is available at brewersfriend.com Once you get used to it, you'll use it every time.

Click to expand...

I have him at 8.55% using Brewer's friend.

Psycotte said:

I have him at 8.55% using Brewer's friend.

Click to expand...

It looks like you added a pound and half of cane sugar that was not in the OP.

Oops by the time I typed this my question was answered and now I need to read more.

I got the 15% off my hydrometer reading. As far as taste goes it was very sweet but with nice hints of the cascade in the front and bitter at the end. I think I over did it with the LME.

What did your hydrometer read before you added yeast?

I use brewers friend as well and really like it. I agree with reducing the honey malt although I do typically use this malt and crystal malt in my IPAs. I might just go with 0.5lb of each.

How did you read your hydrometer?

It's OG-FG x 131.25=ABV%

PoorInRain said:

It looks like you added a pound and half of cane sugar that was not in the OP.

Click to expand...

My bad. I was going for ounces. Forgot to switch it. Let's try that again.

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Unknown

Brew Method: BIAB
Style Name: Imperial IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.25 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 7.5 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.055
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.079
Final Gravity: 1.022
ABV (standard): 7.4%
IBU (tinseth): 93.11
SRM (morey): 7.06

FERMENTABLES:
9 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Extra Light (87.8%)
1 lb - Canadian - Honey Malt (9.8%)
1.5 oz - Brown Sugar (0.9%)
1.5 oz - Cane Sugar (0.9%)
1 oz - United Kingdom - Amber (0.6%)

HOPS:
2 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 69.11
2 oz - Cascade, Type: Pellet, AA: 7, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 24

YEAST:
White Labs - Irish Ale Yeast WLP004
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 71.5%
Flocculation: Med-High
Optimum Temp: 65 - 68 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)


Generated by Brewer's Friend - http://www.brewersfriend.com/
Date: 2013-12-11 18:32 UTC
Recipe Last Updated: 2013-12-11 18:32 UTC

Thanks for all your help!