Accidentally an Imperial...

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PokeFan

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About two weeks ago I was going to brew a Cherry Stout for the impending Christmas Holiday. I was using my 2.5 gallon fermenter as I only wanted a small batch to drink with my father-in-law. The original recipe called for 2.5 pounds of crushed cherries. Not wanting to mess with crushing cherries I thought I would get smart and use the cherry flavoring. Thankfully, my LHBS realized my error and helped me formulate a new plan using grain and some additional LME. However, my calculations were wrong and instead of halving that amount I replaced a full 2.5 lbs.

I didn't realize my error until I took my OG and got a whopping 1.142. It's been holding at an FG of 1.04 for the last 3 days. During the process of taking FG's and drinking my samples I've noticed a very strong alcohol taste...it feels like drinking Jack on the rocks.

Is there any way I can mellow this out now? Either by adding stuff (cinnamon, vanilla, etc) and making it a bastardized Holiday Ale or adding hops...it's not hoppy enough to be an Imperial.

Will the addition of the cherry flavoring change the over riding alcohol taste?
 
one thought might be to make another small batch of something low in alcohol and mixing the two. or even mixing it with something non-alcoholic to cut the flavor some. the good news is it's something you could experiment with (mix 1 oz of your beer with 1 oz of your ten favorite drinks and pick the best).
 
You said it's kind of like Jack- maybe try some Coke. Sounds wierd but beer and cola is pretty popular in Germany. You can get it in cans out of vending machines! It doesnt taste half bad.

Well, that was perhaps an overstatment. I didn't mean it tasted like Jack, but alcohol burn was very noticeable. However, the posts about mixing it might be correct. I was thinking I could rack to my secondary and brew another stout and put in the secondary to ferment more.

I'm quite impressed with the yeast...I would've thought they'd crap out way before they got that far through the fermentables.
 
For a beer that big, it's way too early to be concerned about the taste - it's gonna change a lot as it conditions. Give it some time and it should be dandy!

:mug:

My espresso stout sat in a keg for about 7 months before I tapped it. Soooooo smooth :D
 
I have no experience with this, but is it possible to rack (if you have a bigger carboy) on top of a couple of gallons of water to dilute it? Anyone?
 
Dilute it with water or heat it up to boil off some of the alcohol would be the likely candidates IMHO.
 
I've never thought about including air jordans in my beer....do you add them in the mash or do you add them in secondary :D

As long as they are low price, I figure it can't hurt. Now if only I knew where to get some... :D

I think the idea to boil off the alcohol might be the win. However, even according to Papazian's calculation in The Book, it shouldn't have that much alcohol taste. Lot's of beers have higher ABV and they don't have the burn. The residual aftertaste is really pretty good, coffee and chocolate...

At least I've got a pale ale in my big primary and it's coming along nicely.
 
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Go away please. We don't want yo' dirty kind around.
 
As long as they are low price, I figure it can't hurt. Now if only I knew where to get some... :D

I think the idea to boil off the alcohol might be the win. However, even according to Papazian's calculation in The Book, it shouldn't have that much alcohol taste. Lot's of beers have higher ABV and they don't have the burn. The residual aftertaste is really pretty good, coffee and chocolate...

At least I've got a pale ale in my big primary and it's coming along nicely.

I'd just let it age and start a new beer. Save that one to keep you warm next winter.
 
I think the idea to boil off the alcohol might be the win. However, even according to Papazian's calculation in The Book, it shouldn't have that much alcohol taste. Lot's of beers have higher ABV and they don't have the burn. The residual aftertaste is really pretty good, coffee and chocolate...

Oh, well if it tastes good....then why fool around with it?:D Yeah, since the extra fermentables are from a high fructose??...the extra alcohol might go well with the extra sweetness. I'm an imperial stout/barleywine fan myself...so I tend to go with hop monsters for gravities that high....but everyone's palettes are different. I'd say if you still have time to let it age...let it age. Then if it's still too hot, try heating it. I don't think you can really go by any sort of "prescription"...If your beer doesn't have the extra sweetness or bitterness to tone down extra alcohol, then the alcohol will be pronounced.
 
what yeast?

thats lookin like ~ 13% ABV!!


my hard cider is kickin @ a hair under 10% so far. and i used cuvee yeast. (ok to 18%)
 
what yeast?

thats lookin like ~ 13% ABV!!


my hard cider is kickin @ a hair under 10% so far. and i used cuvee yeast. (ok to 18%)

Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale. I wanted that yeast specifically for the fruit esters and I let it ferment at 65 - 70 degrees. I was also going to wash that yeast and try and use it again, but I fear those little buggers are pretty burned out.
 
I was also going to wash that yeast and try and use it again, but I fear those little buggers are pretty burned out.

They probably wouldn't be....the only risk you have about recycling yeast is contamination. But if you get a high gravity beer, that just means you've got more yeastie cells down in that muck!
 
LOL! That's what I'm afraid of.

Also, I think I'm going to buy some nike air jordans...that should help the taste.

Naaaah. That'd just impart a locker room character. What ya' gotta do is filter it through a nice Gucci bag. To refine it a little.
 
You said it's kind of like Jack- maybe try some Coke. Sounds wierd but beer and cola is pretty popular in Germany. You can get it in cans out of vending machines! It doesnt taste half bad.

I've heard about this. My friend told me it was kind of a German energy drink.
 
I've heard about this. My friend told me it was kind of a German energy drink.

You could mix it with Redbull and make an American style energy drink.
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