Imperial stout sweeter than expected

[SwillyBilly]

I recently brewed a northcoast old Rasputin clone and I thought it turned out pretty good. Today I'm trying a bottle of the real thing and I notice that it has a much dryer finish than my clone. Any ideas as to why? My extract clone was from the BYO 250 clones issue. I had an S.G. of 1.09 and a F.G. of 1.025 which was pretty close to what was expected. I'd like to understand what caused this so I can get a dryer finish next time.

 

[BradleyBrew]

What is recently? Most RIS need sometime to properly condition and mellow. Did you go extract or all grain? Need some additional info.

 

[DaveGEsq]

I have sweetness problems all the time when I use DME and dry yeast. For me, it takes 3 weeks in the bottle at 70F to carb up and another 3 at 55F to mellow that sweetness. I've recently started using distiller water to see if that helps. That sweetness is f-ing annoying...

 

[jmprdood]

A big beer can take several weeks to condition - sounds like 6 weeks is about right for something that started @ 1.090 and finished at 1.025, IMHO.

Cheers!

 

[Calder]

I recently brewed a northcoast old Rasputin clone and I thought it turned out pretty good. Today I'm trying a bottle of the real thing and I notice that it has a much dryer finish than my clone. Any ideas as to why? My extract clone was from the BYO 250 clones issue. I had an S.G. of 1.09 and a F.G. of 1.025 which was pretty close to what was expected. I'd like to understand what caused this so I can get a dryer finish next time.

I have sweetness problems all the time when I use DME and dry yeast. For me, it takes 3 weeks in the bottle at 70F to carb up and another 3 at 55F to mellow that sweetness. I've recently started using distiller water to see if that helps. That sweetness is f-ing annoying...

1) Aerate the wort really well. Extremely important.
2) Raise the temperature of the beer several degrees when it is almost complete. Push it above the recommended range to get as much out of the yeast as you can.
3) Replace a pound of DME with a pound of table sugar. In this particular beer it would probably lower the FG by as much as 3 points (or more), making it taste a lot drier.

 

[SwillyBilly]

It was an extract recipe that was three weeks in the bottle the week before Christmas. So its been in the bottle in my 55 degree basement for about 5 weeks now. It was conditioned the first few weeks at about 65 degrees.

The corn sugar idea makes sense but it wasn't in the recipe so I wouldn't have thought it necessary.

 

[SwillyBilly]

I have sweetness problems all the time when I use DME and dry yeast. For me, it takes 3 weeks in the bottle at 70F to carb up and another 3 at 55F to mellow that sweetness. I've recently started using distiller water to see if that helps. That sweetness is f-ing annoying...

Yeah, I agree. This was with a liquid starter but I'm not sure if that matters. I'm using bottled water next time to see if that matters.

I'm also thinking of going all grain but I have to get a water cooler and a bigger brew kettle first.

 

[Piratwolf]

What yeast did you use? I did a clone brew too, and used London ESB. It was supposed to attenuate 69% but took me down from 1.093 to 1.020.
Mine was AG and I mashed at about 152 (supposed to be 154 but missed just low and wanted a little more attenuation anyway). Tastes awesome--complex flavors and just enough body for balance.

I wonder if the difference is the extract? I hear it can cause fermentability probes with lots of dark extract. Then again I plan to age at least 3 months... Maybe more. Anyone have suggestions on how long I should let it bulk age?

 

[SwillyBilly]

What yeast did you use? I did a clone brew too, and used London ESB. It was supposed to attenuate 69% but took me down from 1.093 to 1.020.
Mine was AG and I mashed at about 152 (supposed to be 154 but missed just low and wanted a little more attenuation anyway). Tastes awesome--complex flavors and just enough body for balance.

I wonder if the difference is the extract? I hear it can cause fermentability probes with lots of dark extract. Then again I plan to age at least 3 months... Maybe more. Anyone have suggestions on how long I should let it bulk age?

I used the California ale yeast from white labs. I am thinking maybe its either the extract or maybe the tap water I used. I dunno.

Do you need a cereal mash to get the dry roastedness out of the roasted barley? I only mashed the specialty grains for about thirty minutes.

 

[Piratwolf]

No cereal mash. Just put it in with the rest of the mash.

I bet the aging will help a lot!