Stout question

[AngryAndy]

Hey guys I made my first stout on June 1st. I just finished racking it to a secondary. During that time I gave it a taste. It tastes great looks even better. It started out at 1045 and it's finished up at 1020. The abv is approximately 3.3%. it's a bit lower then I wanted.

It was a partial. I steeped .5lbs crystal 80 and 2lbs of Prinz 500L. For 20 minutes. Added 3.3 lme and 2 kg of dme. The temp was 68-70F. Oh and I used s-04. Of course I can't remember the taking of the OG but I remember doing it two or three times and I write everything down in a journal so not to screw it right up.

I usually find my beers end up around 1010. Is the FG a bit higher because there is more unfermentable sugars in Prinz 500L? Secondly, I plan to cold crash it now for a few days then bottle it. Any issues with that? Lastly, next time could I just add a little dextrose to the brew to bump it up to 4-4.5%? How much dextrose would I add?

Thanks

Andy

 

[duboman]

Ag or extract?

What yeast, ferm temp, mash temp, recipe? A little more info is needed to figure out why it finished at 1.020 (Which BTW is not too high for a stout) Also, are you sure the OG was 1.045? again-more info.

In all, if the FG was stable for a few days then packaging it is not an issue. IMO there is no need to crash a stout as clarity isn't really a big deal on a dark beer

As for adding sugar, that would simply boost the ABV and dry out the beer so for a stout it might not be a good solution, it's more important to figure out why the ABV is only 3.3% and make those corrections in the proper manner without compromising the recipe and style.

 

[AngryAndy]

Thanks for the quick response.

It was a partial. I steeped .5lbs crystal 80 and 2lbs of Prinz 500L. For 20 minutes. Added 3.3 lme and 2 kg of dme. The temp was 68-70F. Oh and I used s-04. Of course I can't remember the taking of the OG but I remember doing it two or three times and I write everything down in a journal so not to screw it right up.

 

[duboman]

List the recipe, that's a lot of specialty grain and it sound like it was extract with steeping grains. A partial mash would have involved mashing grains and you don't state that


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[AngryAndy]

Sorry my fault it's not a partial.
Here's the recipe.

.5 lbs crystal 80
2 lbs blk Prinz 500L
3.3 CBW golden light lme
2kg Pilsen dme Briess

1oz target
1oz east kent holdings

S-04

 

[ong]

WOW, is that a lot of black malt. I worry that this might be kinda like licking an ashtray...

 

[ong]

Wait, so you added 3.3 lbs of LME and 2 KILOS of DME, and you're thinking it will be under 4% alcohol? You should be at around 7% with just the ingredients you've listed... or is this for a 10 gallon batch?

 

[AngryAndy]

Whoops I meant 2 lbs of dme. 5 gal batch

 

[duboman]

If you used 5.3 lbs of extract total your OG should be about 1.050 +\- with the steeping grains. Did you top off with water as well? If so you got a bad mix and a resulting lower OG.

Lots to learn..... The steeped grains added some color and flavor but not much gravity or fermentable sugar. As already stated 1.020 is not a bad FG for a stout, RDWHAHB you made beer!


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[AngryAndy]

Maybe I read the OG wrong but ur right. I made beer and I'm a stout lover. I have to say. It's rich and full bodied. I love it.

 

[ong]

Sorry, didn't mean to sound harsh with the earlier comments -- glad it came out well!

You don't really need to take an OG with extract -- you will be pretty much on target as long as your volumes are correct. You may not have had the extract perfectly mixed in, and taken a sample near the top, of the lighter/more watery wort.

 

[joyceman]

You mentioned you plan to cold crash... Its a stout, clarity is not an issue and youre probably not dryhopping so Id skip the cold crash and just bottle.

 

[Dovage]

Hey Irish Guinness is only around 3.3 abv. It is bumped up a bit in the stuff they export for some reason.


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[boicutt]

Hey Irish Guinness is only around 3.3 abv. It is bumped up a bit in the stuff they export for some reason.

My guess is that it's bumped up when exporting because alcohol acts as a preservative, keeps for longer if the abv is higher! (my opinion, not fact).

 

[Eucrid]

Irish guinness is 4.3%.


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