What am I making?

I started out trying to make a doppelbock, but I don't have the capability to lager. So I researched yeasts, decided to use Wyeast Scottish, LHBS carries White Labs, they pushed me into a trappist yeast, (didn't have Scottish). OG is going to be higher than 1.07, but I don't have time to make a starter.

What is this beer going to be?

Will it even ferment w/out a starter?

Recipe
Steeping: 1/2 lb Crystal, 1/2 lb Munich, 1/2 lb Chocolate, 1/2 lb toasted
6 lb Amber LME
5 lb Dark LME
1 lb Light DME
1 cup dark molasses
1 oz. Chinook(boiling)
1 oz. Saaz(boiling)
No finishing hops
Too much worrying...Hopefully, HB will help.

Your OG will be around 1.093. That's a good yeast to use but I'd make a starter if possible. I guess I'd call it a Belgian strong dark ale.

HOOTER said:

Your OG will be around 1.093. That's a good yeast to use but I'd make a starter if possible. I guess I'd call it a Belgian strong dark ale.

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I'm brewing tonight, any ideas for a quick starter?

Not really......aside from pitching 3 packs of yeast.

HOOTER said:

Your OG will be around 1.093. That's a good yeast to use but I'd make a starter if possible. I guess I'd call it a Belgian strong dark ale.

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You're good, the OG was 1.0945. This beer was awesome to make. The DME wouldn't dissolve, (looked like a brain floating in the wort), so I had to add another gallon of water,(3 total). Before the boil started back, the pot started rocking like crazy on the eye! We had to hold onto the pot the whole time. I went ahead and pitched w/out a starter, so we'll see what happens.

So it's official, "The Dubbockale" is in the primary. I've got a good feeling about this one.

Yeah, I did a brew yesterday and had the same dme problem. My 2 lbs that I boiled for the hour got dissolved OK, but the last 15 mins for the other 2.5 Lbs was a lot harder to get disolved. The big chunks I had to pull out and smash a bit to get it to dissolve in the 15 min timetable. Sholda just left the chunks I guess since I ended up 10 points over my target OG.

That beer sounds like it will be good although it will have you on your ass in no time

Yeah, it should be pretty strong. I'm hoping it will be good enough to put away and age for a while and pull out on special occasions, if I can resist.

talkingmonkey said:

Yeah, it should be pretty strong. I'm hoping it will be good enough to put away and age for a while and pull out on special occasions, if I can resist.

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You'll have no choice but to age it. I wouldn't even think about drinking it until winter at the earliest. Hopefully you've got plenty of homebrew on hand to hold you over until that one is ready. I'll be curious how long it takes for fermentation to start so keep us posted.

I don't know what's going on with this beer. There is a 2" yeast cake on the bottom, but barely any evidence of a krausen. I used a blow off tube, so there's no bubbling. I think I'll give it another couple of days, take a SG reading, and then pitch again. I am way open to any suggestions.

Things I'm thinking about....
-Same yeast, Champagne yeast, another ale yeast, or just agitate what I have.

-Add sugar when repitching, add yeast nutrients???

That's the trub on the bottom of the fermenter. Fermentation can take a few days to start, especially on a big beer without a starter. Give it some time and make sure your temp is between 70-75 until fermentation starts. I'm not sure if you should re-pitch yet but if you eventually do I personally would use another vile of the same yeast. Next time you brew, especially a high gravity ale, make a starter.

Not to beat a dead horse, but I strained the wort going into the carboy. Could that still be 2" of trub? Thanks for all the help.

3 1/2 days later and I finally have a krausen, all the way to the top of my 6.5 carboy. Good call on the blow off tube. Maybe I should just relax, not worry, and have a homebrew.......Well, it's only 10:50 in the morning, maybe I'll wait till later.

talkingmonkey said:

Maybe I should just relax, not worry, and have a homebrew.......Well, it's only 10:50 in the morning, maybe I'll wait till later.

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talkingmonkey said:

3 1/2 days later and I finally have a krausen, all the way to the top of my 6.5 carboy. Good call on the blow off tube.

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Looks like your good to go. Let that bad boy sit in primary for at least a couple weeks so the yeasties can do their thing.

10-4, thanks for the advice.

Can you get an open container violation for driving with a 5 gallon bottle of beer??? I moved my masterpiece today from my buddy's basement back to mine, (about 15 miles). It was too hot; I had to get my baby home so I could cool it off. What a great ride, the whole car smelled of esters. I went from a blow of tube to an airlock today and it is only bubbling every 1.8 seconds....after 3 days of fermentation!!! If it ever slows down, I'm gonna jack it back up w/ some form of sugar and maybe another yeast, (depending on the SG). I hope this beer tastes as good as I'm imagining.

God this is fun.