Biggest (gravity) Beer You’ve Brewed

[Abrayton]

What is the highest gravity beer that you have brewed?

 

[Abrayton]

Barleywine 1.132

 

[jturman35]

1.110 Bourbon County Stout

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I finally go around to brewing my first big beer, a Russian Imperial Stout, in January that came in at 1.104. I am planning to rebrew that again tomorrow with a slight tweak. Beersmith is telling me 1.114 at 70% efficiency (the last batch I measured 71%).

Honestly I think I like my "big beers" in the 9% to 10% range at the upper end.

 

[deadwolfbones]

Pastry stout, 1.121.

 

[isomerization]

1.127 to 1.020 (4.5 lbs of cane sugar as well), dogfish 120 inspired beer.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I finally go around to brewing my first big beer, a Russian Imperial Stout, in January that came in at 1.104. I am planning to rebrew that again tomorrow with a slight tweak. Beersmith is telling me 1.114 at 70% efficiency (the last batch I measured 71%).

Brewed! Clocked in at 1.108. I brewed 4 gals this time (vs 2.5 gals the first try). With near 20 lbs of grain, 4 gals was about all I could squeeze out of my 10 gal pot with a full volume mash...plus I get to brush off the dust of my old secondary 5 gal carboy.

 

[catdaddy66]

Never made it above 1.095... beer ended up at 1.015 or so which had me at nearly 11% abv. It was a Westvleteren 12 clone.

 

[Lefou]

A 1.066 OG partial mash amber ale done with WLP001.
Brewed it during the winter a couple years ago and had some stored away into the following summer. It took a while for the 22oz'ers to bottle carb but when the beer was aged some it had one heck of a thick, rocky head. Minus the spices it was a lot like Sam's Winter lager or a light golden bock, only with ale yeast. It was a bit more expensive than my normal beers because it used fresh extract I normally wouldn't purchase.

 

[MaxStout]

Haven't cracked the 1.100 line yet. Did an imperial stout that was 1.092 OG.

 

[Steveruch]

Don't remember the o g, but it was a 12% barleywine.

 

[Komodo]

Just bottled Cask of Cthulhu, a 1.116 to 1.018 imperial porter. It’s been aging on bourbon oak sticks and Madagascar beans.

 

[thehaze]

1.096

 

[El Nino]

1.078 yeah I guess I'm a lightweight

 

[Kickass]

Adding fermentables to get 1.100+ is easy. The more appropriate question is how many of these finished at expected/desired FG? And to follow up, how many managed to showcase desirable flavors above the jet fuel solventy fusels?

 

[Abrayton]

Adding fermentables to get 1.100+ is easy. The more appropriate question is how many of these finished at expected/desired FG? And to follow up, how many managed to showcase desirable flavors above the jet fuel solventy fusels?

It took 15 posts. I expected it much sooner!
But in fairness I should have asked for style and how it turned out.

 

[anotherbeerplease]

1.196 molasses stout, finished at 1.024 for >20% abv, then aged on french oak with bourbon and vanilla beans. To get that OG I brewed a 1.129 beer, then I slowly added sugar over the course of a week. The stout is actually quite good, and not overly alcoholic in taste.

 

[Bilsch]

1.055

 

[Iseneye]

1.065

 

[CascadesBrewer]

1.196 molasses stout, finished at 1.024 for >20% abv, then aged on french oak with bourbon and vanilla beans. To get that OG I brewed a 1.129 beer, then I slowly added sugar over the course of a week. The stout is actually quite good, and not overly alcoholic in taste.

We have a winner!

The more appropriate question is how many of these finished at expected/desired FG? And to follow up, how many managed to showcase desirable flavors above the jet fuel solventy fusels?

My first try at a RIS turned out great. I hit pretty close to my expected numbers (OG 1.104, FG 1.032, ABV 9.6%). I have a brewing friend that pushes into the 18% range, and he puts a lot of effort into making decent beers...even if I am not into brewing beers that need 2 years to be solid. Brewing high ABV beers is one way to push the envelope of your brewing skills. Fermentation control is critical. I am not ready to push myself much over 10% or 11% yet.

 

[bluedaisy0627]

RIS headed into secondary to age on bourbon wood chips - OG 1.101. FG (corrected for alcohol) 1.027. 9.5%. Sample tasted pretty good. I did an overnight mash, and it worked well for me.