Epic Fail Wee Heavy? Or not?

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Aleforge

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I made a Belhaven's Wee Heavy clone back in late November. I was forced to bottle before a secondary because I was in the middle of a move and had no where for a few weeks to move the carboy. Anyhow my SG was 1.094 and my FG was 1.030. IBU = 37. Its been bottled for a few weeks and I thought I would see how the carbonation was doing and wanted to try a sample.

Its horrid, I can't come up with anything positive. Its so sickly sweet its like drinking nectar. I am guessing the recipe I got just sucks, or the fermentation needed a kickstart as it stopped at 1.030. I did read on here that it can be acceptable for a Wee Heavy however so I wasn't that worried.

My question is, I know this type of beer takes a long time to age and come up to its full potential. But will conditioning this stuff for even a year help with the over powering sweetness?

I guess it could just be a huge failed brew on my part, which is a dissapointment as its one of my favorite styles!

Here is the recipe,

Belhavens WEE Heavy

Extract with specialty grains:

heat 1 gal. water to 155° F add:
9 oz. British 55L Crystal malt
4 oz. Belgian Biscuit Malt
3 oz. Belgian aromatic malt
2 oz. Peated malt (not sure what this is- shop could suggest sub if they don’t have it.)
1.5 oz. Black Patent malt
1.5 oz. Roasted Barley malt

Steep at 150° F for 30 min., strain grains into brew pot and sparge with 1 more gallon at 155° F

Bring to boil, remove from heat and add:
5.25 lbs extra light DME
3.3 lbs light malt syrup
12 oz. Invert sugar (Lyle's Golden Syrup suggested)
1.5 oz. Whitbread [email protected] (bittering- sub any Golding for this)

Add water to bring to 3.5 gallons.
Remove 3 oz. wort, caramelize it in a separate pan and return it to the wort. Boil 45 minutes then add:
1/4 oz. Fuggles (flavoring)
1/4 Oz. East Kent Goldings (flavoring)
1 tsp. Irish Moss (or other clarifier)

Boil 15 min. remove from heat and chill to below 80° F.
Strain into primary fermenter, add purified cold water to bring up to 5 1/4 gal.
Pitch:
1st choice- Wyeast 1728 Scottish Ale
or
2nd choice- Wyeast 1968 London ESB

You know what to do from here.

For All-grain recipe, just mash 12 lbs. Scottish 2-row with specialty grains instead of DME and LME.
 
If it underattenuated, there is really nothing you can do at this point. I'd let it hang out for another few months and try it again. It will probably mellow, but will probably always be sweet. If its not good in a few months to a year, I'm sure it will be great for cooking. Scottish Wee Heavy Barbecue!
 
I never thought of its cooking applications, that could be the saving grace of this batch!

:)
 
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