Too low FG in imperial stout?

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anotherbeerplease

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Beersmith has my newest stout finishing at 1.010 or lower using WLP 545 as a primary yeast and WLP 099 as a finishing yeast. OG is 1.149 and it is currently fermenting away with the wlp 545.

Has anyone tasted a stout that was too dry? Is that possible with this high an OG? The wort poured like syrup and I am having a hard time imagining this ever tasting "dry".

But I might not add the 099 if it's going to be too dry....
 
That's a tough question to answer without more info. How much yeast did you pitch? How old was the yeast? What is the recipe? What temp did you mash at? What temp are you fermenting at? Did you aerate the wort, and how?

That's a massively big beer, but with the right conditions it could be possible. Especially if your using simple sugars (cane, brown, honey, etc.) in place of some of your grain bill, and using a yeast with a very high alcohol tolerance and attenutation. White labs states alcohol tolerance of 10-15% for WLP545, but with perfectly healthy and vigorous yeast, it could be pushed a little more with some babying. However, with an OG that high, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

If you're still high on your gravity reading after ferment, try making a starter with Ec-1118 champagne yeast or some distillers yeast to milk it a bit more. Pitch at the height of activity.

18% alcohol can be tricky to get, but not impossible.
 
I'll have to amend my answer as I didn't see the part where your adding the 099.
There's plenty of stouts that are fairly dry and can easily earn 45+ pts. In your case, you're basically making a stout wine. I'd be interested in the results ...
 
Those projected FG numbers Beersmith gives are not based on anything in reality and are, in many cases, complete BS. You should ignore them as a general rule.

As to whether you should or need to pitch the 099, that depends a lot on how you prepared your wort and manage your yeast. With this high an OG, I would probably add it, regardless. Without seeing your recipe, I'd think it likely that getting too dry just isn't going to happen.
 
I made a RIS which i added gluco to. FInished at 1008 and was 15.5% abv. Still in the fv three years later. Really should give it a go. Thought the gluco would add a few points but was more like 20.
 
Beersmith's estimated figures are based on a lot of factors. Unless you have put in some time making sure all the input on your end is correct I wouldn't expect the software output to be accurate.
 
I have to agree in principle with @GuldTuborg in this case that BS's prediction is BS.
No way does a 150 point wort end up at 10 points without murdering it with glucoamylase.
Without seeing the grain bill I'd expect something in the mid-30s for an FG...which would be just fine given how boozy it'll be...

Cheers!
 
Ok thanks for the replies guys, I really appreciate it, I did end up pitching the WLP099 today and reoxygenating,

I have never tasted a stout I thought was "too dry" and I really doubt it's possible with this high an OG.

My inspiration is something along the lines of The Bruery high abv stouts which often come in around 18% or so. I try to brew this beer once a year but I tweak the recipe every year. I also bottle with the intention of getting a decade long vertical tasting going. Normally Beersmith is dead on for me on my lower abv beers 5 to 7% but I don't often brew this high of OG.

The grain bill was (5 gallon batch)
11lbs 13oz 2 row
4lbs Vienna
3lbs 10oz Munich
2lbs Flaked Oats
12oz roasted barley
12oz Chocolate
11oz Special B
10oz Caramunich
8oz Black

1.1oz warrior hops added at 60min for IBU at 62

2hr boil with approx 1gal pulled off and condensed down into syrup then readded

Beersmith estimated OG at 1.097 but mine was 1.135 somehow... brewed on Grainfather with reiterated mash of 146 for 1hr then 156 for 30min then 168 for mashout, half of the amounts of all the grains going into each mash.

Also I added 2lbs belgian candy syrup directly into the fermenter for a final OG of 1.149, we will see where it ends up with the WLP 545 and 099.
 
That's a tough question to answer without more info. How much yeast did you pitch? How old was the yeast? What is the recipe? What temp did you mash at? What temp are you fermenting at? Did you aerate the wort, and how?

2.5gal starter for WLP 545 and 2.5 gal starter for WLP 099, decanted the starter and pitched all of the pure yeast from each of them with the WLP 545 going in first and 099 going in 24hrs later. Fermentation started instantly with 545

Yeast, not sure the age but it was unexpired and starters were done recently.

Ferment temp I think high 60s, that's where my basement sits

Aerated the wort with pure o2 90sec day 1 and 60 sec day 2
 
I'd have to agree with your process so far, not that that means anything. If my calculations are correct *adjust nerd glasses* that put you at about 90% efficiency? Will you be doing a temp ramp up?
 
Efficiency, not sure to be honest, I planned at 56% for this huge beer

But I sparged both mashes (normally I don’t sparge) and also boiling down the gallon into syrup pushed the numbers quite a lot higher.
 
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