Oh, fortunate mistakes!

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BrewN00b

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About a month ago I brewed up an extract kit for a double IPA. Long story short I allowed the initial two days to ferment WAY too hot, and it in turn become a banana bomb. Needless to say, I considered it a lost cause, thus open to every possible experiment I would like to try, and experiment I did.

Well, I thought that my OG of 1.074 was entirely too low, so I decided to jack it up a tad by dropping in an additional pound of corn sugar, so I boiled up a pound in a cup of water, cooled it, and pitched it in gently. I figured that if the yeast got active again they would clear up some of the off flavors that the high fermentation temps produced. I think it worked.

I busted open the fermenter today to check the FG, and it was nice and low, sitting at about 1.014. The sample I tried looked good, and smelled less like banana, but more like a nice mellow Belgian Tripel. What surprised me most is that it tastes almost exactly like Green Flash Le' Freak, which is a new experimental IPA/Belgian Tripel hybrid they have put out. And, it was strong. Very strong. Deliciously strong. I am as so far quite pleased, but I will find out in a month or so after I secondary it for a few weeks than carbonate it.

Sometimes fortune smiles on the foolish!

EDITED:

The FG was 1.074, not 1.74. That would be something to behold, for sure!
 
I hope you mean 1.074. 1.74 gives you an approximate ABV of 2015.4% :D
 
I just love those happy accidents.

Which yeast did ya use? What temps?

I used Wyeast 1056 and I accidently fermented for two days at a blistering 87F. That was the temp gauge on the OUTSIDE of the bucket. I than threw that bad boy into an ice bath and dropped the temp a full 20F ASAP, and kept it at a steady 60-65F for the last three weeks.

Next week I intend on racking it to a secondary for two weeks with a hearty dose of dry hopping the last 3 to 4 days.
 
Eeeewww! I can't believe it survived that! Was it active fermentation or 2 days at lag-phase?

Maybe you discovered a little rescue trick with the timely application of the corn-sugar!?
 
Eeeewww! I can't believe it survived that! Was it active fermentation or 2 days at lag-phase?

Maybe you discovered a little rescue trick with the timely application of the corn-sugar!?

Actually, I think I did. Don't get me wrong, it still has some fruity esters, but it has melloed ALOT since I cooled it, but I really think the reactivation of the yeast with some sugar allowed the yeast to clarify the beer. My reaonin is that given some activity the yeast would do its thing faster than were it idle. I think it may be worthwhile to duplicate the experiment. If it does work I simply ask that it henceforth be known as the Damon Method. ;)

The fact is the truth will only be know after bottling and carbing. I will keep you informed.
 
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