High gravity

I was making a kit ESB ($25 on the monthly sale https://www.defalcos.com/virtuemart...ge=flypage.tpl&product_id=298&category_id=169 ) and supposed to have an OG around 1.058.

Well the last couple partial mashes I messed up on so I made sure and sparge the grains well. Then adding the brown sugar at the end, it said add 1 cup so I looked online and said about 220grams. I tossed in 240g because I have had low OGs in the past.

Well my OG is a 1.081

Is a wyeast smack pack 1968 London ESB yeast going to handle this? I can't find anything on attenuation or alcohol tolerance.

I have temperature control, so that can be adjusted. Thoughts? Is there a place to find the yeast specs?

Am I going to get a good attenuation or should I add water and throw off my hydro readings as I already pitched yeast.


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According to the Wyeast page, that yeast isn't the best at attenuation. Did you use a starter or just the smack pack?

 

There are a couple of things here. First, I'm assuming this is a 5 gallon batch...
1. I think your OG reading is wrong. I didn't do any calculations, but I don't think 1 cup of brown sugar will up your gravity that much.

2. If it really is 1.081 and 5 gallon, you are underpitched significantly. Controlling temps, while certainly important, won't help you in ester production and stressed yeast. You need a starter.

Did you use a hydrometer or refractometer for your OG? Did you account for temp conversion? Did you hit correct volumes? Something seems fishy...


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Thanks for the link - I couldn't find it earlier.

I think it may be higher efficiency in the grains in addition to extra sugar?
Hydrometer. Corrected for temp (+0.001 for 8 deg F)
5 gal.

Already pitched 1 smack pack. Brew shops are closed and I don't want to spend $7 more.

I can toss in some of my hybrid washed yeast (SO4/European Pilsner yeast) but I don't know how that will compete with the ESB yeast I pitched. Is that a good idea?? What option would be better.


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In addition to the last post, it is possible that your wort and top off water were not completely mixed. This happens quite often.

 

Let it sit for about 2 hours and then gave it a good enough swirl to bring the lees up to the top.

Top off with water so if anything the OG would be low.


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If it was me I'd be doing a yeast starter with that high OG.

 

Poured sample into test jar, added yeast, put Carboy back in fridge. Tested. Oh poo.

Didn't expect a high OG, especially after the last few batches. Otherwise I would of made a starter.


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I say just let it ferment out. I find that once you are ready to pitch it is best to go with what you have. I would start the ferment low for the first few days. Try to avoid fusel alcohols and too many esters. After that I would ramp it a degree a day, if you have good temp control. I would bring it up to the high end of temp range for that yeast. Let it ferment out for three to four weeks. Give it a taste, check the gravity and see where it is, you can always brew another batch of the same beer and blend them.

 

It's a partial mash, with 2.25 lb of grain and 7 lb of extract.

You couldn't have possibly overshot your gravity by that much unless they gave you extra extract/grain or you undershot the target volume by a significant amount. It's pretty clearly a case of poorly-mixed wort. Your actual OG is almost certainly within a few points of the intended value.

In other words, don't worry; just let it ferment out, package it, and marvel at the natural processes that give us unworthy mortals wonderful beer as you drink one too many in celebration of another beer successfully brewed.