• Please visit and share your knowledge at our sister communities:
  • If you have not, please join our official Homebrewing Facebook Group!

    Homebrewing Facebook Group

DFH 120ish Stlye Beer - advice needed!

Homebrew Talk

Help Support Homebrew Talk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

tbred

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
122
Reaction score
35
I brewed up a beer inspired by Dogfish Head 120 minute. I brewed this up on 5/25 and have been feeding sugar for week. My estimates puts it slightly over 20% currently. My question is should I keep pushing my luck and continue adding sugar until the yeast craps out, or should I stop feeding and just let the yeast finish?

Important Info:
1.5 gallons

4 lbs Maris Otter
8 oz Honey Malt
8 oz Cara-Pils

Mashed at 152F for 90 minutes

0.25 oz Columbus @ 120min
0.25 oz Columbus @ 60 min
0.25 oz Equal Blend of Citra and Mosaic @20 min
0.25 oz Equal Blend of Citra and Mosaic @15 min
0.25 oz Equal Blend of Citra and Mosaic @10 min
0.25 oz Equal Blend of Citra and Mosaic @5 min
0.5 oz Equal Blend of Citra and Mosaic @0 min (flameout)

Fermented with US-05 then add WLP 099 for sugar additions

Fermentation schedule (as of 6/2/15 9pm EST)
5/25- Brew day OG 1.074 (1.5 gal in fermentor)
5/28 am - SG 1.010 pitched vial of WLP 099 and added 2 oz cane sugar
5/28 pm - SG 1.014 added 2 oz sugar
5/29 am - SG 1.004 added 6 oz sugar
5/29 pm - SG 1.011 added 6 oz sugar
5/30 am - SG 1.011 added 6 oz sugar
5/30 pm - SG 1.016 added 6 oz sugar
5/31 am - SG 1.018 added 2 oz sugar
5/31 pm - SG 1.016 added 2 oz sugar
6/1 am - SG 1.016 added 2 oz sugar
6/1 pm - SG 1.016 added 2 oz sugar
6/2 am - SG 1.016 added 2 oz sugar
6/2 pm - SG 1.016 added 2 oz sugar

So I am currently up to 2.5 lbs of added sugar. The yeast seems to have slowed down. I don't want the beer to be too sweet, but I also want to avoid a super dry super high alcohol beer. So the question is do I keep adding sugar until the yeast stops, or do I just stop now which is about 20% and let the yeast finish? I do plan on added 1 oz of a blend of Citra and Mosaic as a drop hop once I move it over to a secondary. IF it matters, the beer will be force carbed in a keg.
 
Man I would call it if I were you. I'm like you I'd hate to have a sweet beer and your just rolling the dice with more sugar. 1.016 is about a perfect sweetness for that high an abv. I did a very similar brew. If you stop now I'd say in another week or so you'd be at FG probably a point or two lower.
 
I'd call it. 20% is plenty strong. DFH actually backed off their original 120 at 20% and the current version is around 18% because they felt it was better balanced.

I assume you're kegging this beast? I'd love to hear how it turns out since I'm a big 120 fan.
 
Sorry, I just read your entire post. Reading comprehension fail on my end regarding kegging.
 
Just checked the SG this morning. It is at 1.016 again. I am just gonna let it finish. Once it stabilizes for 3 days I will transfer to secondary and dry hop it. Thanks for the input @gotbags-10 and @robopp. I will let you know how it turns out!
 
Beer Update! It finished at 1.010. A little low for my likes, but it is what it is. It tastes hot. Kinda like sipping whiskey! Just labeled the bottles today. I think they turned out pretty good. Might wax the tops.

IMG_20150720_153127002.jpg


Brain Grenade v2.jpg
 
Back
Top