Brewdog IPA Way too high mashing temp

[brewdoggo]

Hi all,

Two days ago, I tried to brew my first batch of Brewdog IPA with kveik. I was having a bit of a brain freeze when I was mashing and the temp hit around 85C/176F- I then continued and finished the whole brewing process with Kveik. After around 1.5 day, the bubbling of my airlock stopped and I think the fermentation has stopped by now. The SG was 1.0404 when it was first poured into the fermenter and I have measured it again minutes ago, it hit 1.0277- which sums up to around 1.67% ABV, which is of course way too low.

Should I be adding sugar into the fermenter to jack up the alcohol content? Or should I wait for a few more days to see what happens?

 

[VikeMan]

I was having a bit of a brain freeze when I was mashing and the temp hit around 85C/176F- I then continued and finished the whole brewing process with Kveik.

If your mash temp (not just the strike water temp) was really 176F, you would have made a very unfermentable wort.

Should I be adding sugar into the fermenter to jack up the alcohol content? Or should I wait for a few more days to see what happens?

I'd measure it again in a couple days, but given the mash temp (if 176F is accurate), I wouldn't expect much. If it is indeed finished, you could add sugar to boost ABV.

Also, those gravities you're quoting are too precise (too many decimal places) for a standard hydrometer. Are you by any chance using a Tilt or similar device? Or a refractometer? If using a Tilt (or similar), you may not be getting an accurate reading. If using a refractometer, make sure to use a refractometer calculator, i.e. one that takes your OG and FG readings at the same time, to adjust the readings.

 

[marc1]

You could also add glucoamylase to your fermenter. It will let the yeast dry the beer out completely, down to 1.000 or so.

 

[hottpeper13]

I pitched a Belgian diastaticus yeast on a beer that stopped at 1.034 and it took it to 1.012. It was drinkable but had too much Belgian flavor.

I decided (and did) to make another beer to blend with the ones I want to fix. That way I get what i can drink and share. I didn't share the afore mentioned beer with anyone.
My advice is let it condition and make something to compliment it, then blend.

 

[RM-MN]

My advice is let it condition and make something to compliment it

Something like a beef ribeye steak might work.

 

[hotbeer]

I'd not fuss with it or measure SG at all until after 4 weeks. For certain I wouldn't be opening the fermenter willy nilly. I suppose if you have a spigot then it's somewhat easier, but are you sure it doesn't burp some air when you open it? Either through the airlock or spigot itself.

 

[brewdoggo]

First of all, thanks for all the replies!
@VikeMan yes I am using a refractometer!
@hotbeer I am certain that the fermenter is airtight, I use spigot when I take samples.

Seems like the consensus is that sugar addition is not a huge issue here. I have followed the measurement on this page How to Increase ABV Using Non-Malt Adjuncts - BrewTogether , an excerpt below :-

1lb of white sugar in a 5-gallon batch = 1.2% ABV
2lb of white sugar in a 5-gallon batch = 2.4% ABV
3lb of white sugar in a 5-gallon batch = 3.6% ABV
4lb of white sugar in a 5-gallon batch = 4.8% ABV

I have added 2lbs the other day and the Kveik gobbled them up in no time- I have done the maths and my ABV would be around 3.5-4%, which is still a little on the lower end. Considering of adding another 1 lb tonight.

 

[VikeMan]

@VikeMan yes I am using a refractometer!

Are you also using a refractometer calculator, the kind where you input the "OG" and "FG" brix reading together?

 

[brewdoggo]

Are you also using a refractometer calculator, the kind where you input the "OG" and "FG" brix reading together?

Yes, I am. Brix Conversion Calculator | Brewer's Friend
I use the above to convert Brix to SG.

Question, guys- is it normal that my SG increased after a day I added sugar in my fermenter?

 

[IslandLizard]

Yes, I am. Brix Conversion Calculator | Brewer's Friend
I use the above to convert Brix to SG.

No, you need something like this:
https://www.brewersfriend.com/refractometer-calculator/It corrects for any alcohol present, as that's what throws off a direct refractometer reading. Alcohol has a much lower refractive index than sugar water.

Question, guys- is it normal that my SG increased after a day I added sugar in my fermenter?

Yes of course, when you add sugar to beer the gravity goes up. Then it goes down as the sugar ferments, while alcohol goes up.

 

[VikeMan]

Yes, I am. Brix Conversion Calculator | Brewer's Friend
I use the above to convert Brix to SG.

As @IslandLizard said, you need to use a refractometer calculator (not just a brix to SG converter). And I'll just reiterate that you have to use it by entering the "OG" and "FG" brix readings at the same time, i.e not in two separate runs. That's because the "FG" reading is only meaningful in the context of the "OG" reading.

 

[hotbeer]

@hotbeer I am certain that the fermenter is airtight, I use spigot when I take samples.

Unless your fermenter contents is under pressure or in a flexible bladder of some sort, then an equal volume of air or something must replace the liquid you take out of it. Otherwise, nothing will come out of the spigot.

I'm not suggesting that one sample is enough to ruin your beer with oxidation. However if you are taking samples all the time for no reason, then that could be something to suspect if your beer is lackluster in taste.

 

[brewdoggo]

Hey all, thanks a lot (again)!

Will be bottling today, it has been a week since fermentation started- I've heard people bottling kveik-fermented beer after 3-5 days, but due to my complication I did not. Just slightly worried that, when I add priming sugar into my fermenter and let it sit out for half an hour, the Kveik yeast would be agitated and somehow making the bottling just a bit more challenging.

FYI, I am using method 2b here- Priming Solutions - How to Brew

Fingers crossed, lads.

 

[IslandLizard]

Will be bottling today, it has been a week since fermentation started- I've heard people bottling kveik-fermented beer after 3-5 days,

How do you know it's finished? If not, you may produce bottle bombs.

 

[hotbeer]

The nomograph on the page you referenced doesn't adjust for the volume of beer to be primed. It's just assuming you have 5 gallons. I had one batch of way overcarbed beer because I didn't pay attention to the volume of beer I was priming was less than normal while at the same time calculating for higher CO2 volumes than I've ever used before. So I got a double whammy.

There are calculators online that take volume into account. As well many let you select from a large list of substances that can be used to prime with and accounts for their differing sugar content.

Here is one Beer Priming Sugar Calculator | Brewer's Friend

Which it and other calculators can be gotten to by the BREWING SOFTWARE link on the menu bar at the top of this site's pages.

 

[marc1]

Hey all, thanks a lot (again)!

Will be bottling today, it has been a week since fermentation started- I've heard people bottling kveik-fermented beer after 3-5 days, but due to my complication I did not. Just slightly worried that, when I add priming sugar into my fermenter and let it sit out for half an hour, the Kveik yeast would be agitated and somehow making the bottling just a bit more challenging.

FYI, I am using method 2b here- Priming Solutions - How to Brew

Fingers crossed, lads.

What was your real final gravity, taking into account the necessary corrections for using refractometers with solutions with alcohol?

 

[Dgallo]

Hey all, thanks a lot (again)!

Will be bottling today, it has been a week since fermentation started- I've heard people bottling kveik-fermented beer after 3-5 days, but due to my complication I did not. Just slightly worried that, when I add priming sugar into my fermenter and let it sit out for half an hour, the Kveik yeast would be agitated and somehow making the bottling just a bit more challenging.

FYI, I am using method 2b here- Priming Solutions - How to Brew

Fingers crossed, lads.

Yes you can bottle that early with Kviek but you need to be sure your at a stable gravity. By the sounds of it you are just getting into the hobby. Take @VikeMan and @IslandLizard advice as gospel. You’ll learn while searching through threads that there are many members here that are very experienced, those two are certainly in that group.

Welcome to the hobby! I suggest doing a lot of reading on the basics of mashing and overall process. You’ll learn that attention to minute details will be the difference between simply making beer verses making great beer.