Big beer just got huge--am I doing this right?

[bad raccoon brewing]

Brewing a chocolate cherry stout based on this recipe with some tweaks:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/chocolate-cherry-stout.326884/
Original gravity on the wort post-boil was about 1.072. Using Safale 05, thought I'd probably get it down to the mid 1.020s, for an AVB of about 6-7% or so. Batch was almost exactly 5 gallons (640 oz). About 4 days into fermentation, I added 75 oz of black cherry concentrate. The gravity on that with a hydrometer was off the charts--about 2.080. I used the formula of ((SG1 * vol1) + (SG2 * vol2))/(vol1 + vol2). If my math is right, that gives a total starting gravity of about 1.178, which seems crazy high. Not sure my yeast is up to the task (pitched two packets that I had prestarted). Depending on how low it gets, the yeast may not survive the alcohol anyway.

Hoping someone can check my math and make sure I'm right on the approach. If so, what final gravity ought I be aiming for on a beer like this? I'm out of my depth, previously having kept to the 1.070 range for OG, finishing down to 1.020 or lower. I don't think I want this one anywhere near 1.020, as that would be a whopping 20% or more. At that level, I don't even think you can call it beer anymore!

 

[DBhomebrew]

You measured 2.080 on a hydrometer?

 

[day_trippr]

A "special" hydrometer?
My 20 yo triple scale tops out at 1.160....

Cheers!

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Hoping someone can check my math and make sure I'm right on the approach.

math looks good, I get 1.178 as well, presuming the syrup really was 2.080

If so, what final gravity ought I be aiming for on a beer like this? I'm out of my depth, previously having kept to the 1.070 range for OG, finishing down to 1.020 or lower. I don't think I want this one anywhere near 1.020, as that would be a whopping 20% or more. At that level, I don't even think you can call it beer anymore!

No clue

 

[bad raccoon brewing]

Hold everything--idiot alert--misread the hydrometer. Mine only goes to 1.160 as well. I took a photo of the reading and scaled it to continue the linear progression, but obviously stumbled. I went from 1.100 to 2.000. Should have been 1.280, not 2.080.

This makes much more sense. OG is now about 1.094, which is not too far above where I expected with the addition of the juice. So, now I'm looking at a FG of somewhere in the range of 9-11%, which is right where I want to be, I think.

I now return you to your non-brain-dead postings...

 

[bad raccoon brewing]

And I promise I wasn't even sampling it before I posted!

 

[day_trippr]

And I promise I wasn't even sampling it before I posted!

Lol! It happens - most of us here have been drinking

US-05 ought to be able to get 1.178 down to 1.35-ish, with some luck, and adding the syrup at high krausen...

1.178 to 1.035 would be almost 19% ABV. I once took US-05 to almost 18% when it killed itself with alcohol...

Cheers!

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Lol! It happens - most of us here have been drinking



1.178 to 1.035 would be almost 19% ABV. I once took US-05 to almost 18% when it killed itself with alcohol...

Cheers!

Dangit, thought I got my edit done in time!