High gravity ale?

[rahkim]

Ive searched the forums for a similar question and couldnt find it, so forgive me if this has been addressed somewhere else already.

Ive made several batches of beer and they usually turn out pretty good. I use the amber ale recipe in the Brew Master's Bible. This recipe calls for an American Ale Wyeast but the liquor store was out and I used a British Ale II instead. Anyway, the wort seemed great and I pitched with a starting gravity of 1.091! This seems pretty high especially since I usually have a reading of about 1.05 or so.

Is this normal? This is the 3rd day of primary and its bubbling quite well and I even had to deal with some foam overflow. But it smells great and looks very good. Should I let it ferment longer than usual? Should I add something? I'm afraid I will end up with a very strong ale.

Any advice would be welcome! This is my first posts, so hopefully I didnt make any faux pas in posting.

 

[Rick500]

Sounds like it's coming along just fine.

Let it ferment until it's finished... Give it a good three weeks from when you pitched the yeast, then take a hydrometer reading. If the reading stays the same for three days, it's done.

I have a Stone 2009 Old Guardian clone fermenting right now that started at 1.105!

 

[jigidyjim]

I'm afraid I will end up with a very strong ale.

Don't be afraid... you will end up with a strong ale I would guess something at least 8% ABV, probably higher.


It's hard to accidentally end up with a high gravity ale... What did the recipe say you would have?

 

[rahkim]

Thanks for all the great feedback!

The recipe said to expect 1.046 or slightly higher. But....the recipe also said to use the American Ale Wyeast 1056 and I used a British Ale II Wyeast (cant remember the number but something like 1335 sounds right.) I also stirred this one a little more frequently after the first boil over because my last batch got burned and it tasted awful. As a result, I didnt have a rolling boil for most of the wort. Maybe this left more sugars?

I can deal with 8%, but will that make it taste bad? Im also starting to worry that a british amber ale isnt a good combination?

 

[ajf]

I think you probably made a mistake when you took your gravity reading. There's no way you could get 1.091 from a 1.046 recipe.

-a.

 

[rahkim]

I hope your right, ajf. I had to read it through some bubbles, but it seemed pretty close to that.

 

[Rick500]

What was the wort temperature when you took your reading?

Was this an extract or all-grain batch?

 

[rahkim]

It was 72. The hydrometer looked like it was on 1.09...so I added one for the temp to make it 1.091.

 

[Rick500]

Yeah, that's the appropriate adjustment if your hydrometer is calibrated for 60F.

Extract?

 

[rahkim]

Yep. I used two 3.3 cans of hopped amber malt extract syrup, but I cant remember the brand. I used centennial hops - 1oz 20 minutes before the end and 1oz two minutes before ending boil.

 

[Rick500]

Yeah, if you ended up with 5 gallons and used 6.6 pounds of liquid extract, it's about 1.047.

It's difficult to get a good hydrometer reading if you're topping off with water.

 

[ajf]

2 * 3.3 lb cans of LME will give you a gravity of ~1.048 in a 5g batch. I would guess that you either took the gravity before adding the top-up water, or you added the top-up water, and drew the gravity sample off the bottom of the fermenter without stirring. either that, or you brewed a 2.5g batch.
RDWHAHB.

-a.

 

[rahkim]

So it sounds like Ive got nothing to worry about. Hopefully my reading was off, but in the worst case scenario, I just need to give it about 3 weeks to ferment in the primary? Then take some readings to see if its level for 2 or 3 days?

Thanks for the advice. I can sleep now. I checked it today and its still bubbling about every 3 seconds, so I guess its ok!

 

[Rick500]

Yep, don't worry about it. The yeasties know what to do.

 

[rahkim]

Its been 3 weeks and there is still one bubble per minute. I guess I need to take a reading now. What is the best way to do this with a glass carboy? How do I carefully take off the air lock and then drop a hydrometer in there...and then read it through the dirty carboy?

 

[fatmoose]

Its been 3 weeks and there is still one bubble per minute. I guess I need to take a reading now. What is the best way to do this with a glass carboy? How do I carefully take off the air lock and then drop a hydrometer in there...and then read it through the dirty carboy?

Don't drop the hydrometer in there, it will be non-trivial to get out. Grab a sample using a wine thief or turkey baster. I got a wine thief at my LHBS for something like 8 or 9 dollars, very worthwhile. I take the sample and then just drop the hydrometer into the wine thief and take my reading from there. You could return the sample assuming that your hydrometer had been sanitized but I generally will drink the sample to see what's happening.

 

[Rick500]

Better yet, buy an Autosiphon for $8 and use the outer tube for a thief.

 

[bootney]

Was this a partial boil? If so I believe you're increased reading is due to not mixing the concentrated wort in well enough with the top of water.

 

[rahkim]

I will check out the local liquor barn and see if they have an autosiphon. That sounds like the way to go.

I had a full boil, but I did stir it slowly for most of the boil since my last batch burned to the bottom. I guess this kind of kept it from reaching a rolling boil. Would that make much of a difference? Im assuming it wont ruin the taste too much?