TheLastAvenger
Member
Hello HBT, Got a question for ya.
Okay, so first off, I have read through a number of threads, but have obviously not hit each and every one, so please forgive me part of my answer is located elsewhere!
Here is the sitch:
Brewing my 7th batch (ever), a Chocolate Bacon Porter (We can discuss the recipe in another thread if you'd like). The intended use of this batch is the annual BrewFest here on the military base. I entered one under the same name last year, and it got some pretty lengthy negative remarks. Needless to say, I changed it up and went a totally different route this year.
I learned about the brewfest only in early January and the bottles have to be in place by 15 Feb (a whole month earlier than last year I might add!). I put the recipe together and brewed on the 16th. I had a OG of 1.076. Ten days later I stopped seeing activity on the airlock for about a day (I know, I know, not positive sign of fermentation), so I checked it and was around 1.030. Here is where I fear I made mistake #1. In my haste, I decided to transfer to a carboy. Why? Well, my thought process was that I had quite a bit of crap (ton of cocoa + all the norm yeast mess) at the bottom so why not clear it out. I did need to add in my second dose of bacon flavor, so I did that as well.
Fast forward... not that many days. Here is probable mistake #2. I came home from work today and decided to keg. That decision was fully based off of lack of sleep, a chest cold, Robitussin w/ codeine and having been in a class full of Army Privates since 0430.
After putting the top on the keg getting ready to pressure, I'm reading my board where I track the brews, and realized that its only been 4 days, and start to panic a bit thinking its been 10 or so. So now, my "FG" is at 1.022. BeerSmith is telling me that is 7.1%, which was my estimated FG. The taste is a bit sharp still from the cocoa.
Here is where I need the advice. I have about 15 days before I need to bottle this and run it to the judges. I currently have it in the keg in the kitchen still pressured up to 12.5 at about 68F. What can I do to show it the most love between now and then?? Leave it pressured in the warm, take it to the garage where its about 40 to drop more cocoa out, or something else?
Thanks for listening!
Okay, so first off, I have read through a number of threads, but have obviously not hit each and every one, so please forgive me part of my answer is located elsewhere!
Here is the sitch:
Brewing my 7th batch (ever), a Chocolate Bacon Porter (We can discuss the recipe in another thread if you'd like). The intended use of this batch is the annual BrewFest here on the military base. I entered one under the same name last year, and it got some pretty lengthy negative remarks. Needless to say, I changed it up and went a totally different route this year.
I learned about the brewfest only in early January and the bottles have to be in place by 15 Feb (a whole month earlier than last year I might add!). I put the recipe together and brewed on the 16th. I had a OG of 1.076. Ten days later I stopped seeing activity on the airlock for about a day (I know, I know, not positive sign of fermentation), so I checked it and was around 1.030. Here is where I fear I made mistake #1. In my haste, I decided to transfer to a carboy. Why? Well, my thought process was that I had quite a bit of crap (ton of cocoa + all the norm yeast mess) at the bottom so why not clear it out. I did need to add in my second dose of bacon flavor, so I did that as well.
Fast forward... not that many days. Here is probable mistake #2. I came home from work today and decided to keg. That decision was fully based off of lack of sleep, a chest cold, Robitussin w/ codeine and having been in a class full of Army Privates since 0430.
After putting the top on the keg getting ready to pressure, I'm reading my board where I track the brews, and realized that its only been 4 days, and start to panic a bit thinking its been 10 or so. So now, my "FG" is at 1.022. BeerSmith is telling me that is 7.1%, which was my estimated FG. The taste is a bit sharp still from the cocoa.
Here is where I need the advice. I have about 15 days before I need to bottle this and run it to the judges. I currently have it in the keg in the kitchen still pressured up to 12.5 at about 68F. What can I do to show it the most love between now and then?? Leave it pressured in the warm, take it to the garage where its about 40 to drop more cocoa out, or something else?
Thanks for listening!
