High alcohol Imperial IPA (too sweet)

[simplegreen]

Succinct version:

Brewing 17% Imperial IPA. Hit 16.9% and cold crashed the beer. Only problem was when i tasted it before crashing my buds must have been off because i didn't notice how damn sweet it was (adding dextrose over 10 days to boost gravity).

Using WLP099.

So obviously i have too much residual dextrose in solution. My gut tells me to repitch a starter of WLP099 and let it ferment the dextrose out. Im going to wash the yeast in the fermenter as well as use a fresh vial.

Just need a sanity check that seem to be the best way? I've read a little about using amylase but i dont think this is the best case scenario. I dont have non-converted starch, maltose .. just simple dextrose sugar.

agree?

 

[Dcpcooks]

It's really hard to say without knowing your ibu's. White labs says it's going to taste less like beer over 15 or 16% abv. I believe they say it will taste more like fortified wine than beer. Fortified wines are sweet by design. So you may be experiencing that as an off flavor and mistaking it for under attenuated.

I'd have to guess your iBU's would need to be in the 150-175 estimated territory to have a chance at balancing that beer out.

You may want to look at this stuff https://www.hoptech.com/products/iso-alpha-extract-2-oz

That may help more than trying to re ferment the batch. Or you could try and add more yeast and try this as a back up. Your really out on an extreme edge of the scale so your gonna have to trust your gut on this one.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

Have you had Dogfish head 120? 18-20% abv and ridiculously sweet (fg supposedly is near 1.050!!) Personally I don't like it but some have a taste for it...

What is your current gravity and also IBUs? You have probably already tried bumping the temps up and rousing the yeast. You could make a huge starter in another fermenter and pitch the cake. You might overshoot your abv target though (by a lot)

 

[frettfreak]

whats your gravity reading right now and where did it start? More details the better. IBU's?, etc

Some fresh yeast might do the trick though for something a little different, you can try some brett! Will defiantly dry it out and depending on strain and temp (i would keep temps low with an ipa) you will get some amazing fruity flavors!