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Problem with big Imperial Stout - any solution?

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UKJay1971

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
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Location
Wakefield
This was a bit of a botched brew to be honest - I didn't stick to my recipe and under pitched the yeast.

Extract Recipe:

Brew Date: 10th Jan

Fermentables
Amount Fermentable
3.6 kg Liquid Malt Extract - Light - (late addition)
1 kg Dry Malt Extract - Light - (late addition)
1 kg Brown Sugar
5.6 kg Total

Steeping Grains
Amount Fermentable
0.5 kg German - CaraHell
0.5 kg United Kingdom - Roasted Barley
0.5 kg United Kingdom - Chocolate
0.5 kg United Kingdom - Crystal 50L
0.25 kg German - CaraAroma
Hops
Amount Variety Type AA Use Time IBU
50 g Magnum Leaf/Whole 15 Boil 30 min 69.15

I also pitched in 450g of Black Treacle (not the wisest of choices as it turns out)

OG was 1.112
Gravity last night was 1.062
Target FG was 1.032

I underpitched the yeast with 2 packs of Safale US 05 and one champagne yeast.

I haven't tasted it as I am on a dry January - it smells ok but it is too high above my target.

Is there anything I can do at this stage? I'll be leaving it for another 2 weeks in primary then putting it into secondary for a few months anyway. I suspect it will just be VERY sweet.
 
I don't think you underpitched yeast if you used 2 packs of US-05. I would have used only that and not the champagne yeast. I think you will be okay with time. Maybe raise fermentation temps towards the end to clean up anything that is left. What temps are you fermenting at? With this being a bigger beer and only 9-10 days in, I think just giving it time will be the best solution.
 
I've has it at 66F for a week then agitated the bucket on Friday and moved it to 72F in a water bucket.

I think I just need to be patient and wait it out :)
 
Two months on the yeast cake and moved to secondary this morning for aging. Comes in at a heady 10.4%ABV. It still tastes quite sweet but I suspect that is the unfermentables in the treacle. Will bottle and put it away until the end of the year so hoping that, with aging and carbonation, it will mellow :)

I plan to add more yeast at bottling stage to help with carbing as I suspect, after two months, the current yeast will be very tired and stressed.

As ever, I am open to comments!
 
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