Spice Winter Ale in trouble?

thakoolaidkid · 11-17-2008, 02:47 AM

Good evening everyone!

So I spent my Sunday bottling my first brew a Brooklyn Brown Ale clone. After sitting 3 weeks the FG was steady at 1.020, the listed FG was 1.016 but it clearly wasn't happening.

After bottling I ran out to my LHBS and picked up a new brew, a Spiced Winter Warmer Ale that is supposed to be similar to Old Fezziwig.

So I started brewing and I gotta tell you it went a lot faster the second time around. My pot was boiling away and I stupidly put the lid on, going great, then within 30 seconds it was over flowing. It had been at 2.5 gallons and after the boil over it was at 2.3 gallons; my pot has hash marks thats how I know btw.

I thought nothing of it at the time but when I went to take my OG it was 1.040 at 68 degrees F. So after adjusting I get an OG of 1.041.

The problem is the recipe has the OG as 1.070-72 and the FG as 1.019-21. This is a huge difference, much bigger than my first batch. So does anyone know how this may affect my beer and how I may rectify this? The recipe was all premeasured for me by my LBHS so I know I had the right amount and types of ingredients.

I already pitched the yeast and sealed up the bucket as I was without internet for awhile to ask for advice. Any help would be hugely appreciated! I'll be up for the next few hours scrubbing away at my electrical stove top since the wort is a sticky, burned on mess on the glass.

So please, help me figure out how to adjust for this and/or what to expect. Is this completely ruined?

Professor Frink · 11-17-2008, 03:09 AM

The way it, there are two possible explanations:

1. You didn't add all the fermentables to the boil.

2. You didn't mix the wort well before taking a reading.

It might just be the latter. I'm assuming you topped off with water after you added the wort to the fermenter, did you mix it well? If not, your reading could be way off.

thakoolaidkid · 11-17-2008, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Frink

The way it, there are two possible explanations:

1. You didn't add all the fermentables to the boil.

2. You didn't mix the wort well before taking a reading.

It might just be the latter. I'm assuming you topped off with water after you added the wort to the fermenter, did you mix it well? If not, your reading could be way off.

I added all the fermentables I was given. I did not mix the wort at all, your assumption was right. I simply poured 3 gallons on top of the wort and did not mix. It has only been in the primary for about an hour or so, but the yeast has been pitched. Do you think I should open up and stir or would that damage the yeast?

Professor Frink · 11-17-2008, 03:17 AM

I would just let it be at this point. The yeast will mix it up real well by themselves. If you were doing an extract beer, it's almost impossible to miss your gravity. RDWHAHB!

ifishsum · 11-17-2008, 03:18 AM

You can still stir if it hasn't started fermenting, with a sanitized utensil of course. Not really necessary, though as the fermentation process will mix it up fine. Incomplete mixing only really affects your gravity reading, should not affect fermentation.

dontman · 11-17-2008, 03:21 AM

No don't open to stir. The yeast will find the fermentables just fine. Your beer will also be fine. Based on what you said the problem is almost certainly uneven mixing.

Also a bit of advice. It is tempting to put the lid on the pot but there are two reasons not to. The first you have already found. The second is DMS. It needs to evaporate from the wort as it boils and with a lid on it it can recondense and recycle back into the wort. You will know you have a problem with DMS the first time you taste or smell cooked corn in your finished beer. It is much more likely and noticable in lighter beers but just something to be aware of.

thakoolaidkid · 11-17-2008, 03:45 AM

Thanks a lot everyone I appreciate the help. I'll just let the yeast do it's thing and leave it alone. Now back to scrubbing the DME off my cooktop.

**Saccharomyces** · 11-17-2008, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thakoolaidkid

Thanks a lot everyone I appreciate the help. I'll just let the yeast do it's thing and leave it alone. Now back to scrubbing the DME off my cooktop.

Citric acid. LHBS or even your grocery store may sell citric acid in powder form, you can mix a tablespoon in a little water to make a slurry. That stuff will eat the DME right up. Be sure to wear gloves. Or, you can find it at LNT or BBB sold pre-mixed in a bottle as ceramic top cleaner. Same thing. It's good stuff!

thakoolaidkid · 11-17-2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saccharomyces

Citric acid. LHBS or even your grocery store may sell citric acid in powder form, you can mix a tablespoon in a little water to make a slurry. That stuff will eat the DME right up. Be sure to wear gloves. Or, you can find it at LNT or BBB sold pre-mixed in a bottle as ceramic top cleaner. Same thing. It's good stuff!

I do have some ceramic cleaner that I was using. I also left a paste of baking soda and water overnight, I did not check this morning before work but I'm hoping it did some damage.

I just wanted to double check, while not mixing the wort may have given me a false reading, does anyone think I should be worried about the wort itself? I guess there is no real way to tell how it may affect the brew until fermentation slows and I can taste it. The airlock was bubbling away within hours last night, this yeast is extremely active. I think I'll just sit back and stop worrying as much about it for the time being.

thakoolaidkid · 11-19-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saccharomyces

Citric acid. LHBS or even your grocery store may sell citric acid in powder form, you can mix a tablespoon in a little water to make a slurry. That stuff will eat the DME right up. Be sure to wear gloves. Or, you can find it at LNT or BBB sold pre-mixed in a bottle as ceramic top cleaner. Same thing. It's good stuff!

Does anyone have experience using citric acid on a glass cooktop? I just don't want to damage the range.