Slow but steady (high alcohol brew)

[Owly055]

I brewed my 17.9% (target) "gin beer" on Aug 4, and just added my last invert sugar syrup addition two days ago. Gravity after the addition 1.051. The brew began with a low gravity rye wit, and no hops at all, and was fermented down to 1.005 with US-05 yeast, which is my ultimate target gravity. Brew size is two gallons, and I began with one gallon of wort, adding invert sugar syrup periodically to bring it up to my full volume and ABV. I pitched EC1118 directly onto the wort when I made my first syrup addition, and I've been oxygenating with each addition. I don't plan on any more oxygen at this point.
The fermentation is going slowly but steadily. Bubbles are occasional in the fermentation lock, but looking through the glass of the fermenter (an ice tea jug), it's a steady stream of bubbles. At this rate, I suspect I won't hit FG before about the end of October.
Anybody here try to go this high before? Is it typical for it to go this slowly? The invert syrup was infused with yeast energizer, and of course there was the frequent oxygenation. Fermentation temperature is estimated to be in the low 60's, the pump house I ferment in maintains from about 60-65, dropping into the low 50s in mid winter. I don't have a probe in the brew. I've never had a brew take this long, but I've never tried to shoot for 18% before either.

Hops and steeped gin botanicals will be added at the very end. I'll dry hop with Mosaic to get a fruity gin character. Other botanicals are juniper berries, coriander, star anise, a bit of cinnamon, sweet orange peel, and fresh lemon peel. These were steeped in Everclear.


H.W.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

Very interesting idea here! I've done a couple 20+% beers here and there using WLP099 and staggered sugar additions. I will say this: at the higher end when you're doing additions it will go a bit slower. Even EC-1118 will slow down after 13 or 14%. Nothing to worry about though as long as fermentation is still going nice and steady.

 

[Owly055]

Very interesting idea here! I've done a couple 20+% beers here and there using WLP099 and staggered sugar additions. I will say this: at the higher end when you're doing additions it will go a bit slower. Even EC-1118 will slow down after 13 or 14%. Nothing to worry about though as long as fermentation is still going nice and steady.

My intent was to minimize the beer character, hence the use of EC-1118, but reading about the WLP099, it sounds like it produces a more neutral wine like character at high alcohol. Most wine yeasts kill off beer yeasts, so I pitched the champagne yeast after the worth had fermented out so the -05, which I presume is more adapted to fermenting malts, could do it's work. I also used AG300 fungal amylase in the ferment to continue breaking down long chain / complex sugars. Looks like perhaps I didn't use the optimal yeast for the job.

My other concerned is perceived sweetness. I've tasted the fermenting wort at about 1.010, and found more sweetness than I really want. Obviously I don't intend to finish this high, with a target of 1.005 or perhaps even less if I can get there. The 1.005 figure was from Brewer's Friend, but the use of fungal amylase may allow me to take it below that. It looks like 18% is "the wall" for EC-1118 as far as alcohol tolerance, so I would expect it to slow to a crawl as it approaches that wall. I'll try 099 next time.

Not used to beers taking 3 months to ferment............That's what I expect with this one the way things are going....... perhaps more.

H.W.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

My intent was to minimize the beer character, hence the use of EC-1118, but reading about the WLP099, it sounds like it produces a more neutral wine like character at high alcohol. Most wine yeasts kill off beer yeasts, so I pitched the champagne yeast after the worth had fermented out so the -05, which I presume is more adapted to fermenting malts, could do it's work. I also used AG300 fungal amylase in the ferment to continue breaking down long chain / complex sugars. Looks like perhaps I didn't use the optimal yeast for the job.

My other concerned is perceived sweetness. I've tasted the fermenting wort at about 1.010, and found more sweetness than I really want. Obviously I don't intend to finish this high, with a target of 1.005 or perhaps even less if I can get there. The 1.005 figure was from Brewer's Friend, but the use of fungal amylase may allow me to take it below that. It looks like 18% is "the wall" for EC-1118 as far as alcohol tolerance, so I would expect it to slow to a crawl as it approaches that wall. I'll try 099 next time.

Not used to beers taking 3 months to ferment............That's what I expect with this one the way things are going....... perhaps more.

H.W.

The perception of sweetness is hard to avoid in higher alcohol beers. Oak might be able to help with that. Fungal amylase is certainly a useful tool along with a nice low mash temp. WLP099, TYB Dry Belgian, ummmm..... you might even want to look at WY3787. I know cali will hit 14% without too much trouble though. Another thing that will help: don't be shy about trying to overshoot your IBUs in a big beer like this. I brew my BIG beers to a minimum of 80, and often 100+IBUs and you'd never know.