1.020 Strikes Again!

[Bauzer]

Nice. Have you bottled/kegged yet? Probably not gonna taste until early next week perhaps?

 

[Mainer]

Nice. Have you bottled/kegged yet? Probably not gonna taste until early next week perhaps?

I bottled a week ago today. With all those dark and chocolate malts, I'm going to try to let it ride a good long time before I drink it. At least a month, if I can resist.

 

[Bauzer]

Mmmmm, ya that is probably a good idea. Though I'd be also interested in seeing how it tasted while it ages, so ya know.. maybe 1 bottle now and again until its juuuuuuuust right.

 

[kangabrew]

I bottled the beer and it has carbed for a little over 3 weeks and no bottle bombs, so I guess it was done at 1.020. The carbonation level is actually lower than I excepted, but I aimed for 2.5, so for a stout I guess it's still OK. The IBU was calculated to 39, but it tastes like it's more bitter than that, and the bitterness is a little harsher. I guess that's because it originates from the chocolate/black malt (i used ~9 % all together). Overall it's still good, in fact the best beer I've made.

 

[Bauzer]

Ya, you can get an astringency with chocolate/black malts, especially in higher doses. One of our brew club members says to use baking soda to help give a more creamy mouthfeel and will cut the astringent behavior of the black malts, focusing on more of the pleasant tones of those grains. When I go to make my stout or RIS, I'm going to try it myself, though keep it light.

Glad you didn't have a bottle bomb! There is still time, but you are probably alright.