First Brew in 5 years - I Have Questions

[Gytaryst]

I made a Brewers Best 5 gallon extract kit back in 2014 and was hooked immediately. I did one more extract kit before switching over to all-grain. I brewed a lot in the beginning and kept buying bigger and better (and more) equipment. By 2018, my "brew day" started Friday night milling grain and adjusting water chemistry. Then sun-up to sun-down Saturday brewing and cleaning. I let the wort sit in the fermentation chamber overnight to stabilize the temp, and oxygenated and pitched yeast first thing Sunday morning. The more equipment I bought, the more work I made for myself, and toward the end of 2018 the actual physical labor involved got to be too much like work, and I started brewing less. By 2019 I realized I hadn't brewed in probably 7 or 8 months, and had no desire to in the near future - so I sold everything.

But I missed it. Last week I bought another Brewers Best 5 gallon Russian Imperial Stout kit. According to the kit, the OG should have been between 1.076 - 1.080 and the FG should be 1.017 - 1.020. I followed the kit instructions exactly (with no issues). I steeped the specialty grains in a sous vide to make sure the temp was consistent, and did a 60 minute gentle rolling boil. I used [EXACTLY] 5 gallons of water. The only thing I changed was I added 275g of Briess Golden DME to the boil. I wanted to make it just a little bigger than the kit.

When it was done, my OG was 1.081. Not quite as high as I'd hoped, but I was okay with that. I didn't use the 1 packet of yeast they included in the kit. Instead I pitched (not quite) 2 packets of Nottingham dry yeast. I also added North Mountain Supply yeast nutrient to the last 10 minutes of the boil. It says 1 tsp per gallon so I put 5 tsps in. I don't have pure oxygen anymore so I shook the carboy for quite a bit.

It took 12 hours before there was any activity in the fermenter, and when it took off... it TOOK OFF. I'm so glad I went with a blow-off tube instead of an airlock. I kept the fermenter at a consistent 68 degrees and it bubbled away vigorously for 2 days, then subsided. This morning was day 6. I swapped out the blow-off tube for an airlock when the fermentation calmed down. There hasn't been any noticeable activity for 3 days, so I took a reading this morning. It was 1.027. That's about 10 points higher than I was hoping for, and in fact 10 points higher than what the kit stated. That's only 65% attenuation, and I believe Nottingham is rated for 75%.
So my question - should I just leave it alone? Again, it's only been 6 days. Is there a possibility that it could come down more even though there doesn't seem to be any activity? Is there anything I can do to wake the yeast up?

Thanks. I missed this

 

[mac_1103]

I would leave it alone for at least two more weeks. It's probably not done even though you don't see any bubbles. If you can check gravity without opening the fermenter, then you can go ahead and do that every few days to confirm that it's still dropping.

 

[Gytaryst]

Unfortunately, I can't check gravity without opening the fermenter. I sold off everything back in 2019 so I'm starting over (old school). That's the sample I took for the hydrometer this morning. It actually smells and tastes pretty good for only 6 days old. My plan was to move it to a secondary in 3 or 4 weeks, add some oak cubes I've had soaking in Gentleman Jack, and let it sit there. If the gravity doesn't drop more than this, I'll probably skip the secondary and just bottle it as is. The bourbon barrel-age idea doesn't seem that exciting for a 7% stout, (which is why I added the 275g of DME). If it doesn't get any lower, I'm sure it'll be "okay." Just not what I was shooting for.

 

[mac_1103]

which is why I added the 275g of DME

275g of Briess Golden DME only adds about 5 gravity points (and 0.5% ABV) to a five gallon batch. So something like 8.4% is about the most you can reasonably hope for from this kit with that little bit extra, and your OG of 1.081 is actually within the expected range.

I would still just leave it alone for the originally planned three or four weeks. I'm pretty sure it'll drop a few more points. Whether to skip the oak cubes is up to you, but there are plenty of 8% ABV commercial barrel-aged stouts out there.

 

[Gytaryst]

Whether to skip the oak cubes is up to you, but there are plenty of 8% ABV commercial barrel-aged stouts out there.

Good advice, thanks. I knew that little bit of DME wasn't going to create a monster, but since it's my first brew in a while I didn't want to jump into the deep end. I was hoping for somewhere in the neighborhood of 9% abv. Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout is my favorite style and I got back into brewing specifically to experiment with those. I plan on letting this sit in the fermenter for 3 or 4 weeks. I just wasn't sure if there was something I could do to maybe wake the yeast up. The kit said it should finish at 1.017 - 1.020. I was hoping for 1.017 but could have lived with 1.020. 1.027 is more than I expected. Maybe it will drop a little more, maybe it won't. I don't see it dropping 0.007 with no visible activity, but I could be wrong.

 

[mac_1103]

FWIW in my experience with Brewer's Best kits, if you hit the high end of the OG range then you should expect the high end of the FG range. But you changed the yeast and used two packs plus nutrients, so maybe it's reasonable to expect that to coax a few more points out of it. I've never used Nottingham, but people say it's fast. That doesn't mean there isn't any tail at all though.

 

[tracer bullet]

Agree to let it go a little longer. Most fermentation is done, but there's probably a little still going on. You won't see a huge change but I think you'll see a little.

Also over the last... I don't know, 5 or so years, maybe more, secondaries have been sort of proven to be unnecessary. If you're planning to add Oak cubes, go for it in the primary. Bonus is it can continue fermenting if there's any left to be had.

 

[mac_1103]

I usually do a transfer if I'm going to bulk age on cubes or chips. But that would be a closed transfer after 3 weeks, not a racking cane after 5 days.

 

[tracer bullet]

Yeah, not a bad plan. I usually ferment about 3 weeks, maybe 4, then keg it. But I let it sit literally under the stairs a few more months.

One thing for @Gytaryst to consider, and perhaps it's obvious, is that these kinds of beers can easily go for 6 months and get noticeably smoother throughout the duration. Perhaps it's actually just oxidizing or something, but even with closed transfer and all else it just gets better and better. I've not had one last a year yet, I'm impatient, but 6 days or even 3 weeks is super early. You'll probably have suspended yeast and hops affecting the flavor in addition to a simple lack of any aging.

At a minimum I'd give it 3 weeks in the fermenter (perhaps with oak cubes, your choice), then keg or bottle, give it 2 more weeks, and then sample it. That would be the "fast track" Imperial Stout. Otherwise will have different suggestions of course but the point is only - plan to take a while.

 

[Rish]

Rousing the yeast and upping the temp some might help you get some more out of it.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

Unfortunately, I can't check gravity without opening the fermenter

I brew small 3 gallon batches, so I hate taking unnecessary hydrometer samples! Instead, my usual process is to use a refractometer on brew-day, and then 1 day after pitching the yeast, grabbing a 5 oz sample for my hydrometer. Cover the test-tube up with a plastic bag, secure with a rubber band, and set it right next to the fermenter (so it has same ambient temperature). That way, you only have to open the fermenter one time, and only "waste" 5 ounces of beer (and only that one time)!

Yes, you get some crap on the side of the tube making it impossible to read an exact value. But you will be able to monitor it, and once it appears to have mostly stopped making new foam, unwrap, slide a paper towel in the top of the tube, remove the dried krausen, and see the exact hydrometer level. (put the plastic bag back over once you've removed the krausen).

Once it appears to be finished fermenting, you can move the hydrometer test-tube to a WARM spot, and if gravity still remains constant, you can be certain that the beer has indeed finished.

 

[Gytaryst]

Agree to let it go a little longer. Most fermentation is done, but there's probably a little still going on. You won't see a huge change but I think you'll see a little.

Also over the last... I don't know, 5 or so years, maybe more, secondaries have been sort of proven to be unnecessary. If you're planning to add Oak cubes, go for it in the primary. Bonus is it can continue fermenting if there's any left to be had.

Not really a "secondary fermentation" I don't think. If I understand it correctly, I thought you racked to a secondary when primary was [ALMOST] done, and allowed it to finish fermenting in a "secondary." My goal, based on limited knowledge and 5 years away from the hobby, was to allow primary to completely finish, leaving in there about a month, and then use another vessel more for bulk conditioning.

Since it's only at 7% it's kind of a moot point for this attempt. But from what I read, it's better to bulk condition (or age) higher gravity beers than to bottle condition them. I have no idea if there would be any noticeable difference or not, but it made sense to me when I read it. I'm sure, like everything else, there are as many opinions as there are brewers.

My plan was to let it sit in primary for a month, rack it to another vessel, (purged with CO2), add 2 oz of bourbon soaked oak cubes and let it sit on those for 2 or 3 weeks, remove the oak, and let it bulk age for 6 months to a year. THEN I would either bottle or keg itat that point. I'm not sure if that's the best way or not. It's just the plan I came up with after reading a bunch of different things.

 

[tracer bullet]

I'm not sure if that's the best way or not. It's just the plan I came up with after reading a bunch of different things.

Sure, and I'm sure it would work. My suggestion, to be clear, was to have those cubes put into the primary fermenter, then move it to a keg for the 6 months / year. Skip any in-between vessels. If the beer's in the primary for a month, even another few weeks past that, it should be fine there. Consider fermenting for maybe 3 weeks, cubes for 2 more, then move to a keg.

Back to what you said though, your current thinking would be A-OK as well, just be certain to keep things clean and ideally purge out any oxygen.

 

[Gytaryst]

I usually do a transfer if I'm going to bulk age on cubes or chips. But that would be a closed transfer after 3 weeks, not a racking cane after 5 days.

I hear ya. I used to do all closed transfers and keg everything. I started out brewing an extract kit on my kitchen stove, and then the hobby took on a life of it's own. I'm retired, fixed income. My wife doesn't drink and everyone I know either doesn't drink, drinks wine, or Bud Light. I got caught up in the "bigger is better" mentality. After about 5 years of brewing, my "brew day" was Friday night to Sunday morning. My garage was packed with brew equipment to where I didn't have room for anything else, I had spent thousands and thousands of dollars buying, replacing, and upgrading stuff. and I wasn't even close to having the "dream" system I wanted. I had 10 to 15 gallons (or more) on tap at all times, (and I was the only one drinking it). It just became too much.

I missed making my own beer. My intention in getting back into it is to brew small batch imperial stouts only, and extract only. I love all kinds of different styles, but I can buy them. I have no desire to brew them. Bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout is my favorite style, and it's not easy finding decent ones. They're kind of seasonal. Most breweries seem to be focused on brewing 17 different IPA's. Store shelves are predominantly IPAs. The few breweries around here that do (occasionally) release a bourbon BA stout, want $30 or more for a 16oz bottle. Some are "okay," some are eh... once in a while a good one comes along.

This batch was 5 gallon only because it was a kit - just to get my feet wet again. I plan on doing 2.5 to 3 gallon extract batches and splitting them into 1 gallon vessels for aging. My focus is on getting the best equipment I need to do that, without going down that never-ending "bigger is better" road. Closed transfers might be something I look into eventually - but it's not a priority right now. Right now, finding decent recipes and getting my beer to finish over 7% is a priority.

 

[Gytaryst]

Sure, and I'm sure it would work. My suggestion, to be clear, was to have those cubes put into the primary fermenter, then move it to a keg for the 6 months / year. Skip any in-between vessels. If the beer's in the primary for a month, even another few weeks past that, it should be fine there. Consider fermenting for maybe 3 weeks, cubes for 2 more, then move to a keg.

Back to what you said though, your current thinking would be A-OK as well, just be certain to keep things clean and ideally purge out any oxygen.

My plan is to brew 3 gallon batches and split them into 1 gallon vessels for aging. I looked at 1 gallon kegs, but they cost as much as 5 gallon kegs. I'm hoping to be able to brew more often, so I will need quite a few 1 gallon vessels for aging. 1 gal glass jars are about $10 each. I don't want to get back into the kegerator game, dealing with regulators and taps and refrigeration. So I'm trying to find work around for 1 gallon batches that don't break the bank. 1 gallon of a big bourbon barrel-aged Stout would last me a month or more. I only drink one at a sitting, and not every night. If it's not that good, it's easier to pour a gallon down the drain than 5 gallons.