keep alcohol taste down in high gravity

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beesy

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I recently made an imperial pumpkin that finished low and ended up being around 8.6% when i wanted to keep at around 8%. OG 1.0835 FV 1.0145. It attenuated around 82% using us-05 when i was expecting 75%. I mashed at 154, which is a little low for the style, and lower than the other two pumpkin ales i did this year, so than could contribute a little. However, i kept in 66 degree water bath for first week of ferment then to about the ambient 68 of my apartment. It has a strong alcohol taste, but has only aged about 6 weeks so i am assuming the taste will settle a little. what are good techniques to avoid strong alcohol flavor in bigger beers? I know i should have mashed aroound 158 like my other pumpkin ales, but wanted to experiment a little. this is the biggest one i have ever brewed and would love advise from the imperial and double brewers on making smooth 6.5-7% beers.
 
I had an imperial stout that carried a bit of an alcohol taste after a couple months too. It was in the 8-9% abv range as well. Mine cleaned up with longer ageing maybe another month or two.
 
Ferment with a healthy colony at the absolute bottom end of the recommended range of the yeast, consistently. This means regulated temperatures and a strong pitch rate to cause the yeast to produce a clean ethanol and as few fusels as is possible.

Leave the yeast on the beer for an extended primary, I am talking a month here, to allow the yeast colony to metabolize as much of the higher alcohols as they can and thus mitigate that alcholic burn.

Of course, high alcohol means a higher stress rate for most yeast so, some burn is expected at first which can be aged to a mellow warming that will eventually (if not taken in moderation) sneak up from your blind side, whip out a Hellraiser series strap on and skullf%ck you into a fetal submission.

For which the only really safe remedy is doses of yeast, yeah those little bastids responsible for the pounding, LOTS of water, and frequent urination (preferably not on the floor next to the porceline).

Cheers.
 
Gila said it great.
Try to stress the yeast as little as possible by having plenty of yeast, fermenting cool and aerating well.
Allow the yeast time to clean up with a long primary.
Give the alcohol time to mellow with extended aging. Even a really hot beer will mellow with enough time.

mashing for a higher FG will not reduce the hot alcohols but the sweeter beer may hide them a little more. However when you start talking 8+% ABV beers the beer will have plenty of body even mashed low. I would not try to mash with higher temps on these big beers or you will have a sickly sweet beer at the end. Just give the alcohol time to mellow and enjoy a beer you can drink.

Craig
 
I think being a Monk is essential. I don't know how those Belgians can make +9% balanced beers so easily; I can't... Besides pitching huge amounts of yeast, lots of aeration, low ferm temps, and plenty of conditioning you got me. :confused:
 
Try to answer as many as possible:

Mashed 90 minutes.

On the yeast, it's a long story, but I ended up making a starter for the us-05 and pitched a ~20oz starter. FYI The FV on this batch is only 3.25 gallons, so i would guess this is a pretty good pitch rate.

After checking my brew book, it has now been 5 weeks and it is still on the yeast.

From here, it is just a waiting game from what i am hearing, so i will repost in a few months to update the changes.:rockin::rockin:
 
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