Attempting 40%+ ABV beer... "Barley Brandy"

[Cape Brewing]

what's my name? he's the map!

(see response to beano suggestion)


I dunno Bird, I think it is more than temp at this point.

Yes, have used energizer.

Again... All reasons why I keep thinking icky yeasty by-products.

 

[motobrewer]

that's a dumb response. you're dumb. i'm smart.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Aren't there lonely sheep somewhere you should be tending to?

 

[bottlebomber]

You could at least maybe take a pint or two and hit it with beano to see what happens... it sounds like your running out of options at this point

 

[motobrewer]

Aren't there lonely sheep somewhere you should be tending to?

no, just a sick kid. HF&M. i mean, wtf?

i was supposed to go to the brewers game tonight. in a suite. instead, i'm a home folding origami with dora on repeat.

 

[bill42]

keep it on the washer or dryer for a few days- that should gently shake and stir the yeast for hour every once in awhile

 

[bill42]

also, could it have been something in the maple syrup? a preservative?

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I would doubt there would be any preservatives in maple syrup. I would think that the high sugar concentration would make it naturally antiseptic the same as honey.

 

[edb23]

I thought the same thing but i checked some bottles just to be sure and many grocery store brands of maple syrup do have potasium sorbate in them

 

[bluemoose]

It must be really sad to have to get maple syrup at a grocery store
Pure maple syrup needs no additives, and has a very long shelf life. My guess is if it has a preservative there is probably some filler in there.

 

[the_bird]

There's no freakin' way that Cape was using anything other than the 100%-pure ****. No way at all. Although, there is a brewpub near me that made a "maple porter" that tasted exactly like fermented Aunt Jemima's.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Da Bird is wise

 

[bluemoose]

Callin Aunt Jemima maple syrup is like calling Bud Light a stout! Bird, you're a woodchuck, you should know.

 

[Tinga]

Is there anyway that this large amount of maple syrup has converted the yeast away from fermenting the remaining points of maltose to just the sucrose in the maple syrup?

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Is there anyway that this large amount of maple syrup has converted the yeast away from fermenting the remaining points of maltose to just the sucrose in the maple syrup?

I think we may have a winner, maple syrup is a fairly simple sugar as opposed to the sugars from the grains, so maybe all the fermentation that has happened has been pure syrup based and the sugars that are left are the ones from the grains. My first thought is to calculate the OG if you hadn't used syrup or any other simple sugars and if it's close to your sg right now that may be the issue, it which case you may have to go through the trouble of getting the yeast out and putting fresh yeast in that don't know that there were simple sugars there at all, maybe using small amounts of the beer/wort in a starter so they are used to the alcohol and it's not a sudden shock

 

[Cape Brewing]

Where are you guys getting "large amount of maple syrup" from?

I added one pound to one 3.5 gallon half of the total 7 gallon batch. That's not a lot. I havent added the second lb yet and the batch that did hve the maple syrup dropped down to 1050 before I blended it with the higher og wort of the second batch.

 

[Tinga]

... good point

 

[LVBen]

Pure maple syrups costs about $1 an ounce in Vegas. How much does it cost for you guys?

 

[Tinga]

I got a pound of pure maple syrup here for about $6.... I do live in northern Minnesota though.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Pure maple syrups costs about $1 an ounce in Vegas. How much does it cost for you guys?

Wow, that's a bit ridiculous. I can get a pound for $6.

This is unrelated to my price but have you checked Trader Joes? I know they have those down south.

 

[bottlebomber]

Its about 12 for a 17.6 oz bottle at Trader Joes. Maple syrup is expensive in california and therebouts, $6 a pound is absolutely unheard of. If you buy small amounts, $6 will get you about an 5 oz flask. Its only getting worse too

 

[bluemoose]

Going rate in VT is $50 gal. This year was the best year in the last decade, if not longer. Next spring I start making my own.

 

[lastsecondapex]

Sam's Club, nationally is 8.99 for a 2lb jug. Its about 1.5 qts I think. It's 100% pure maple syrup. Cheapest place for Honey too... $2/lb


And once again, Cape's thread is jacked.

 

[el_kirk]

I know this probably isn't the place to ask, but how's the Barley Brandy fermentation coming along?

...and now back to our scheduled discussion on where to buy maple syrup for cheap

 

[lastsecondapex]

I know this probably isn't the place to ask, but how's the Barley Brandy fermentation coming along?

You'll have to start a new thread somewhere else for that, it is inappropriate here...

 

[the_bird]

What I want to know... do we get to do a "barrel tasting" on Saturday?

 

[Cape Brewing]

I am in full on pig-roast mode this week and the barley brandy is taking a back seat to say the least.

Doubtful Bird. The barrels are all before their time and unlike a certain someone we know, I dont taste 'em every week. There will be plenty of beer. I wpuldn't worry about it.

 

[DakotaRules]

What I want to know... do we get to do a "barrel tasting" on Saturday?

You coming down?

 

[the_bird]

Yeah, for a while at least. Kidlings in tow, so I won't be able to partake as aggressively as I might otherwise.

 

[bottlebomber]

Yeah, for a while at least. Kidlings in tow, so I won't be able to partake as aggressively as I might otherwise.

Cmon this could be a good opportunity for them to drive dad home... it builds character.

 

[LVBen]

Yeah, we've got some Trader Joe's stores around here. I'll check them out for cheaper maple syrup.

 

[Brew-Happy]

Disclaimer: I wasn't able to read all of the posts so I apologize if this has been addressed.

Considerations:

1. Instead of freezing all the beer in one batch try splitting it up. The heat of fusion for water is 334 kJ/kg. It's the kg part that controls the amount of energy needed to freeze the water. So do it smaller batches to reduce the amount of energy needed.

Plus smaller batches will help to get the process under control. If you accidentally freeze your entire batch, you have to wait for it to thaw.

2. Keep your scale handy. Weight out the ice you remove. Water weighs 8.35lbs per gallon. This will help you control how much water you are removing.

3. To thin the beer maybe look into wine yeasts. They are better at chewing up sugars to lower levels. At least in my experience.


Keep experimenting!

 

[Tinga]

2. Keep your scale handy. Weight out the ice you remove. Water weighs 8.35lbs per gallon. This will help you control how much water you are removing.

gallon of ice weighs about 7.5 lbs

 

[Brew-Happy]

gallon of ice weighs about 7.5 lbs

Left out the part on letting ice melt. But as it is when you weight 8.35lbs of ice out and it melts that is one gallon of water.

Thanks for catching that Tinga.

 

[DakotaRules]

Cape how's this coming along?

 

[bottlebomber]

He effed it up and doesn't want to talk about it. Bottom line for barley brandy- $500. Im kidding kidding... seriously what's up with the freak juice

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I too am seriously interested in this. While I don't plan on hitting 40% I do plan on making something big soon. This thread has had my thinking cap on regularly.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Nah... I was absolutely swamped under the pig roast and that was a week ago. I just haven't had time to get back to it.

I'm going to rack it tonight or tomorrow and try one or two more things to try to get it to dry out a bit more. I haven't taken a gravity recently so maybe I'll get lucky and it has come down a bit more on its own.

Other than that... today is really the frist day I've been back on HBT since the cookout. Too busy.

I am definitely not giving up on this yet though.

 

[KYB]

Yea I'm interested to hear how this turns out. 10 more batches and I am doing my Insanity Stout.

 

[lastsecondapex]

Any progress?