Think I'll Have an Issue with Carbonization?

[RLinNH]

My Third All Grain was a Week and a Hhalf ago. I got MUCH Beeter Efficiency then expected. I was shooting for 1.059 OG, but I came up with 1.070:rockin: (hey, it happens). Anywho, I took a Hydro Reading this evening and it came out at 1.020. The Beer has been in the Primary now for over 10 Days. I will take another Hydro Reading on Friday night to see if we have any Changes, and if not, off to the Secondary she goes.


Here's my question. Think I'll have any issues with Carbonization seeing as how my Starting OG was so high? I will be bottling it after it sits at about 50 degrees in the secondary for a couple if weeks.


Only reason I ask is that I have read here and in my BYO magazine that Bigger Beers tend to need special attention if you are going to bottle them. I know that 1.070 is not HUGE, but it is quite Big. Think I'll have any issues?

 

[bradsul]

1.070 isn't huge so I wouldn't worry. I would make sure to raise the temperature of the beer up to about 70F after your secondary or you won't get any carbonation at all. Also with that higher OG you'll need to age it quite a bit longer (a couple->few months at least).

 

[RLinNH]

1.070 isn't huge so I wouldn't worry. I would make sure to raise the temperature of the beer up to about 70F after your secondary or you won't get any carbonation at all. Also with that higher OG you'll need to age it quite a bit longer (a couple->few months at least).

When you refer to aging, are you talking about time in the secondary, time at 70 degrees to carbonate, or cellaring temps at 55 degrees to age? Just need to clarify, as yes, I am one of "Those" Anal Home Brewer types.:fro:

 

[bradsul]

Aging can be done in secondary or in the bottle. In the case of most big beers you'll do your aging after the beer has spent a few weeks carbonating at warmer temps. Which I guess in your case would be after bottle conditioning has finished and you move it to cellar temps.

 

[Kai]

The issues with carbonation from big beers are with yeast viability, just because they sit in secondary for so long. If it's not in there for ages, you'll be okay.

On the other hand, this'll take a little longer to age than it would have at 1.06.

 

[RLinNH]

The issues with carbonation from big beers are with yeast viability, just because they sit in secondary for so long. If it's not in there for ages, you'll be okay.

On the other hand, this'll take a little longer to age than it would have at 1.06.

Think that if I dropped a package of Nottingham into the Primary and dropped the FG down to about 1.010 that it would help? And how would the Nottingham affect the taste of the final product?

 

[bradsul]

Think that if I dropped a package of Nottingham into the Primary and dropped the FG down to about 1.010 that it would help? And how would the Nottingham affect the taste of the final product?

If you were going to leave it in secondary for 3-4 months you would most likely need to add more yeast. For just a few weeks to a month it isn't necessary.

Also adding Nottingham won't necessary drop the final gravity, there may be no more fermentable sugars left. If you're really worried it isn't done, give the primary a swirl to rouse some yeast back into suspension and then leave it be for another couple weeks before you check the gravity again.