I'm interested in brewing a pair of beers that have markedly different colors and final gravities, so that I can pour them both in the same glass and have them not mix (commonly known as a "Black and Tan", but I'd name it something else.) What are some things to do to make a beer have an especially high or low final gravity? I normally use cacao nubs and sometimes a can of cherry puree for the stout- Would these be good for keeping the final gravity down, so the stout will float properly on the lighter-colored beer, or should I stick to oats and such?
Controlling final gravity?
- Thread starter CiderPat
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
There are a couple of things that really affect the FG- ingredients (like less fermentable sugars), a higher mash temperature, and a less attenuative yeast. For the stout, use a mash temp of 156, more dextinous ingredients that don't ferment completely, and a yeast like Windsor. For the drier beer, use a more attenuative yeast, mash at 148 degrees, and use simple base malt.
would carbonation levels help too? takes 2 weeks for co2 to mix in right?
Not sure what you mean? I normally can carb up a keg in a few days by opening the regulator all the way (45-50 PSI)-
i was thinking, maybe different co2 saturations would help keep them separate? maybe carb one to 1.2vols, the other 2.5vols? or something like that.....
Your stout may not float, could end up the other way around. This sweet stout is much heavier then the other two beers. I called it a Neopolitan. No these were not home brews.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Flaked oats and flaked barley will increase the FG of a brew since they don't produce fermentable sugars when mashed. Add a higher mash temperature to the brew you want on the bottom, and you should get what you're after.
I've been using flaked barley in my stout recipes to both increase the FG and for head retention to good results. How much used depends on the recipe. If you don't already use software for your recipes, plug it into one and make sure the flaked addition is marked as 'non-fermenting' or whatever the app uses for that designation.
I've been using flaked barley in my stout recipes to both increase the FG and for head retention to good results. How much used depends on the recipe. If you don't already use software for your recipes, plug it into one and make sure the flaked addition is marked as 'non-fermenting' or whatever the app uses for that designation.
VikeMan
It ain't all burritos and strippers, my friend.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
- Messages
- 5,853
- Reaction score
- 5,969
Both flaked oats and flaked barley yield fermentable sugars when mashed (along with a diastatic base malt of course).
i thought they did? the gel temp of both oats and barley is in the mash window. if you want something that doesn't convert, wouldn't it be better to use flaked corn, or rice? something with a higher then mash gel temp?
not 100% on that. because i use gluco in everything. just thinking out loud.....
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Two reference places call it out as not fermenting.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/flaked-barley.html" Flaked Barley adds protein for body and head retention, without adding fermentable sugars to your wort the way you would with a wheat malt,..."
https://www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk/our-malts/flaked-barley/"Used up to 10% of the total grist, Flaked Barley is used to add unfermentable saccharides in the brewing process."
VikeMan
It ain't all burritos and strippers, my friend.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2010
- Messages
- 5,853
- Reaction score
- 5,969
The MoreBeer reference is simply wrong. The Simpsons reference is just misleading. Yes, flaked barley does add unfermentable saccharides, but so does every grain. But it also adds fermentable sugars (when mashed with a base malt).
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
That's interesting since I marked the flaked addition into BeerSmith as 'not fermenting' and my FG was one point higher than the expected (hit 1.019 instead of 1.018). All grain, mashing with UK 2 row base plus other malts (stout recipe).
Another recipe was 2 points above expected FG with flaked barley as well.
If what you said is true, the FG would be lower than software indicated, not higher.
I don't know Goldi how Pulmer, Noonan, and Danials could all be wrong. I just looked it up and so should you.
Similar threads
