Higher ABV receipes

[drb471]

I'd like to hear recipes that any of you have used to brew a beer with higher alcohol content. I do extract brewing.. haven't tried all-grain just yet.

:fro:

 

[smccarter]

The only high gravity beer I've ever brewed. Still in primary as a matter of fact... it was a very agressive fermentation to say the least.

Belgian Trippel - Belgian Tripel

Batch Size 5.377 gal Boil Size 6.271 gal
Boil Time 60.000 min Efficiency 70%

OG 1.091 FG 1.022

ABV 9.0% Bitterness 40.0 IBU (Tinseth)

Color 5.7 srm (Morey) Calories (per 12 oz.) 302

Fermentables
Total grain: 19.125 lb
Pilsner (2 Row) Bel 16.000 lb
Wheat Malt, Bel 10.000 oz
Cara-Pils/Dextrine 16.000 oz
Cara-Pils/Dextrine 16.000 oz
Candi Sugar, Clear 8.000 oz (late add, last 15 min)

Hops
Saaz (Czech Republic) 1.250 oz Boil 5.000 min Pellet 2.6
Saaz (Czech Republic) 1.750 oz Boil 15.000 min Pellet 9.2
Hersbrucker 4.000 oz Boil 60.000 min Pellet 28.2

Misc
Whole Coriander Flavor Primary 1.014 tsp 15.000 min

Yeast
Wyeast - Belgian Ale Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary
Wyeast - Belgian Ale Ale Liquid 0.528 cup Primary

Mash
Sach Rest Infusion 5.523 gal 164.871 F 150.000 F 90.000 min
Sparge Infusion 3.228 gal 202.409 F 165.200 F 15.000 min

 

[GingerFlock]

Just did a 12.3% Honey-Ginger-Rye Imperial IPA. Check it... and if you have any questions on the process lemme know. I do extract with steeping. The problem is, when you get into these higher ABVs, it gets really difficult to hit your desired OG without extract.

http://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/irate-sheep-v20

 

[user 62649]

I make an Angry Pumpkin every year that is extract with steeping grains. Lost of light and dark brown sugar and of course roasted pumpkin purée and spices. Usually it is about 12-13% but this year I am hoping it will be around 15%. I am adding molasis and more honey. Should be making it this week.

 

[GingerFlock]

TheBeerGuy, you got a recipe?

 

[bboyeruga]

I make an Angry Pumpkin every year that is extract with steeping grains. Lost of light and dark brown sugar and of course roasted pumpkin purée and spices. Usually it is about 12-13% but this year I am hoping it will be around 15%. I am adding molasis and more honey. Should be making it this week.

This would be awesome. Very interested in this recipe

 

[user 62649]

Well here is the recipe I am using this year. I think at 13.5% and finishing a little sweeter should be a good mix.

Angry Pumpkin #4

1 lb Crystal 30 Steep @ 155* F for 60 min
9 lb Amber DME
1 lb Dark Brown Sugar Late addition
1 lb Light Brown Sugar Late addition
8 oz Molasses Used on Pumpkin puree in oven
3 lb Golden Light LME
8 oz Biscuit Malt Steep @ 155* F for 60 min

0.75 oz Nugget 60 min
1 oz Cascade 30 min
1 oz Liberty 5 min

4 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice 0 min
48 oz Pumpkin puree secondary
2 tsp Irish Moss 10 min

WLP545 Belgian Strong Ale used with starter

OG 1.13
FG 1.02
IBU 29
SRM 20L
ABV 13.8%

 

[GingerFlock]

The pumpkin puree... Is the grain bill puree the same as the 48oz that goes in the secondary? And if not, how do you prepare that grain bill puree (I.e., oven settings)?

 

[GingerFlock]

Lastly, is it pure pumpkin puree or pumpkin pie mix?

 

[user 62649]

The pumpkin puree... Is the grain bill puree the same as the 48oz that goes in the secondary? And if not, how do you prepare that grain bill puree (I.e., oven settings)?

I use the Libby Pure Pumpkin. It is not pie filling (you don't want that). I start by raising 3.5 gallons H2O to 155* F and then add the milled grains for steeping and hold the temp there for 60 min. I start to warm another gallon of H2O to 170* F and after the hour place the grains in a steralized colander and rinse them with the 170* F gallon into the wert. I then bring that up to a boil and add the DME and LME. I add hops according to the schedule and add the brown sugars when I add the Irish Moss at 10 min. At flame out I take about 1-1.5 cups of the wert and chill in an ice bath down to about 80* F (I use this to make my starter for the yeast). I chill the wert while the starter is going using an ice bath. Once down to about 80* F itself I will place in my primary fermenter and add enough cold H2O to fill to 5 gal. Once the starter looks good I aerate the primary and pitch the yeast, after a hydrometer reading.

After primary has slowed or ended, I'll roast the pumpkin on a cooking sheet in a convection oven. I'll use a sheet just big enough to have about a 1/4"-3/8" thick pumpkin covering the bottom. I will then drizzle the molasses on top of the pumpkin. I set the oven at about 250* F and roast until it smells like a warm pumpkin pie. I will remove this from the oven and cover to cool to room temperature. I will then move the beer to my secondary and add the pumpkin 1/2 way through the move. I usually set it flavor another 10-14 days. I have also used 1-2 whole cinnamon sticks here as well if the pumpkin pie spice was not to my liking.

After that I bottle and let condition in bottles for about 6-8 weeks to let everything marry nicely. I typically use priming sugar and I have been known to ad Maltodextrin for a little more head and malt flavor but I am not too sure if it does anything at all. You just have to be careful not to create bottle bombs if the FG is high I have blown a few up myself.

I hope this clarifies everything. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

The Beer Guy

 

[GingerFlock]

Just to clarify, to pumpkin in the wort? Just secondary?

 

[user 62649]

I put the pumpkin only in the secondary. If it goes in the primary it is really tasteless.

 

[GingerFlock]

Good point... so why the puree vs. true, baked pumpkin? Have you tried with pie pumpkins at all?