It's been 5 years since I started brewing, and I like to do an experimental brew about once a year. Sometimes this works well others not so much (the one using purple sticky rice was horrible)
This year decided to do a pair of high gravity/high alcohol beers.
The light:
15 lbs 2 row
2 lbs wheat malt
0.5 lbs flaked oats.
90 min mash at 148 (BIAB) 2 oz Saaz x 60 min.
5.5 gallons at end of boil SG 1.070. (385 points)
4.5 gal went into the fermenter with WLP 099.
6 lbs lf exgtra light DME and 3 lbs was added to 1 gallon of wort, and boiled back down to 1 gallon. (405 points)
After the 4 gallons femented down to ~1.020, I added about 1 quart of the reserved gallon to the fementation bucket, gave it a stir, and re-capped. Did this every 2-3 days until I used up the reserved wort.
Corredted OG (after all additions) 1.143
SG in secondary: 1.020 (16% abv)
The Dark: (a very imperial stout)
15 lb 2 row
1 lb special B
1 lb chocolate malt
0.5 lb C-160
0.25 lb black patent
2 lbs flaked Oats
2 lbs Flaked barley
1.5 oz galena x 60 min
mashed at 148 x 90 min. (B9ab) ended up with 8 gallons boil volume. Boiled down to 5.5 gallons with a gravity of 1.100. 4.5 gallons pitch onto yeast cake from "the light" (WLP 099)
my goal was ~18% abv. Playing with the calculators on line, I figured I needed to get the "OG" up to about 1.160. Since I had 5.5 gallongs of 1.100 , I needed 5.5 x 60 points or another 330 points of sugars.
I added 5.5 pounds of extra light DME and 2 pounds of sugar to the reserved gallon, and carefully boiled down to about 1 gallon again.
This was added every 2-3 days after the SG reached 1.030. Wort was aerated with pure O2 for 2-3 minutes after each addition. An additional 1/2 pound of sugar was added at the end. Ended up having to ferment in a warmer room (~80 F) when it got really cold here. I had to pitch another vial of WLP099 half way through.
corrected OG after all additions: 1.165
Current SG 1.030 (18% abv)
Just added 2 oz medium toast french oak, soaked x 1 week in french brandy (courvoisier)
So now we wait.
I don't think I can bottle condition either of these, given the high ABV.
Technical points:
High Gravity Yeast Nutrient was added to the original wort, and 1/8 teaspoon was added with each addition of the reserved wort/sugars.
In retrospect, I would reserve a larger volume of the original wort, and start the fermentation with abour 2-3 gallons of wort. It was very difficulty to boil down the additional DME when I made the Dark, as it was so concentrated.
The wort+DME was almost as thick as liquid malt extract. I kept his in the fridge in a 1 gallon glass jar, and warmed each addition up in the microwave prior to adding.
If I do this again, I would also use a fresh vial of WLP 099 for each batch. The yeast cake from the first batch seemed "tired' and took longer to get started with the "Dark"
Tasting?
The Light is very much like a barley wine, even young. A little fruity, the alcohol is fading to the background.
The Dark is still green, and tasts like a green RIS.
This year decided to do a pair of high gravity/high alcohol beers.
The light:
15 lbs 2 row
2 lbs wheat malt
0.5 lbs flaked oats.
90 min mash at 148 (BIAB) 2 oz Saaz x 60 min.
5.5 gallons at end of boil SG 1.070. (385 points)
4.5 gal went into the fermenter with WLP 099.
6 lbs lf exgtra light DME and 3 lbs was added to 1 gallon of wort, and boiled back down to 1 gallon. (405 points)
After the 4 gallons femented down to ~1.020, I added about 1 quart of the reserved gallon to the fementation bucket, gave it a stir, and re-capped. Did this every 2-3 days until I used up the reserved wort.
Corredted OG (after all additions) 1.143
SG in secondary: 1.020 (16% abv)
The Dark: (a very imperial stout)
15 lb 2 row
1 lb special B
1 lb chocolate malt
0.5 lb C-160
0.25 lb black patent
2 lbs flaked Oats
2 lbs Flaked barley
1.5 oz galena x 60 min
mashed at 148 x 90 min. (B9ab) ended up with 8 gallons boil volume. Boiled down to 5.5 gallons with a gravity of 1.100. 4.5 gallons pitch onto yeast cake from "the light" (WLP 099)
my goal was ~18% abv. Playing with the calculators on line, I figured I needed to get the "OG" up to about 1.160. Since I had 5.5 gallongs of 1.100 , I needed 5.5 x 60 points or another 330 points of sugars.
I added 5.5 pounds of extra light DME and 2 pounds of sugar to the reserved gallon, and carefully boiled down to about 1 gallon again.
This was added every 2-3 days after the SG reached 1.030. Wort was aerated with pure O2 for 2-3 minutes after each addition. An additional 1/2 pound of sugar was added at the end. Ended up having to ferment in a warmer room (~80 F) when it got really cold here. I had to pitch another vial of WLP099 half way through.
corrected OG after all additions: 1.165
Current SG 1.030 (18% abv)
Just added 2 oz medium toast french oak, soaked x 1 week in french brandy (courvoisier)
So now we wait.
I don't think I can bottle condition either of these, given the high ABV.
Technical points:
High Gravity Yeast Nutrient was added to the original wort, and 1/8 teaspoon was added with each addition of the reserved wort/sugars.
In retrospect, I would reserve a larger volume of the original wort, and start the fermentation with abour 2-3 gallons of wort. It was very difficulty to boil down the additional DME when I made the Dark, as it was so concentrated.
The wort+DME was almost as thick as liquid malt extract. I kept his in the fridge in a 1 gallon glass jar, and warmed each addition up in the microwave prior to adding.
If I do this again, I would also use a fresh vial of WLP 099 for each batch. The yeast cake from the first batch seemed "tired' and took longer to get started with the "Dark"
Tasting?
The Light is very much like a barley wine, even young. A little fruity, the alcohol is fading to the background.
The Dark is still green, and tasts like a green RIS.
