I brewed this and had some issues with the mash - doughed in and it got a little hot (165) for about 5 min - problem with direct fired rims burner set too high. It came down to 147 pretty quick but I'm wondering if I managed to screw up the conversion - I was supposed to get 1.085 based on 75% efficiency and ended up at 1.067 OG. My setup is pretty well dialed in and I usually get 70%-78% efficiency - but its been a while since I've brewed anything over 1.060 and I know my efficiency usually goes down with bigger beers.
The grist:
15 lbs 2-row
15 lbs Maris otter
1 lb corn sugar
Target mash was 147 for 90 min, then mashout 168 for 10 min, then lauter 180 for 20 min. This was the first time I did a lauter step - usually I ramp up to mashout (168) for 10 min then start sparging to my kettle - I batch sparge so when I'm done with my first runnings, I calculate how much more I need for pre boil volume, add that to the mash at 168, stir, recirc for a few minutes to set the grain bed, then do second runnings and start my boil. FWIW, this was a 90 minute boil and I added the sugar with 20 minutes left in the boil.
I did a 4L starter with 3 vials of wlp007. I usually use a stir plate but mine decided to stop working (its old lab surplus). I decided to simply give it a squirt of oxygen several times a day along with manually swirling. It seemed like the starter had a lot of activity - it was in the flask for three days and I did two step ups starting with 1.5L, adding another 1L 24 hours later and another 1.5L 12 hours after that. I pitched 18 hours later. I'm pretty sure I had a big, healthy starter..
Its been fermenting for 8 days now. It hit high krausen very early - I pitched Sunday at 4 pm and it was pretty much overflowing the airlock the next morning. I did make the mistake of pitching a little warmer than planned - about 74. I put it in my chest freezer set to 63 and it was at that temp by the end of the night. I also oxygenated a lot using a setup from williams brewing.
But... It seems stuck at about 1.019. I opened up the fermenters on Saturday (6 days in) and gave them a stir with a sanitized spoon. The samples taste great - but I have not added any of the dry hop additions yet. I looked yesterday and it seems they are not doing anything. I'll test again today.
If its still stuck, I'm open to suggestions!! I have some amylase enzyme but I'm wondering if it will end up too dry or develop some other flavor. My goal for FG is 1.010ish. Part of me is worried that the fix might make a beer that won't taste as good as the samples do now.
