Who's got the biggest beer?

[Potamus]

I've got about 20 brews under my belt so far, and this past weekend I decided to do something big — a Scottish wee heavy with an OG of 1.109. The biggest beer I did before this was an RIS with an OG of about 1.068.

It was a PITA getting all the DME dissolved in three gallons of water (topped up to five) for the wee heavy, and the wort was pretty thick going in, almost like syrup.

It made me wonder how big other people have gone with their beers. What's the biggest beer out there?

Here's the recipe I used:

9 pounds golden light DME
6 pounds extra light DME
16 ounces 60-degree Lovibond crystal malt
4 ounces chocolate malt
4 ounces peat-smoked malt
2.5 ounces black malt
1 ounce Northern Brewer hops
2 sachets US-05

 

[unionrdr]

I see your swartz is as big as mine! The biggest I've done is the Maori IPA @ 8.81%ABV. If it comes out tasting as good as it looks in the bottles,it'll def be a butt kicker of an IPA...just like the NZ natives it's named after.

 

[duboman]

I regularly brew an Belgian IPA at 10% and my house IPA clocks in at 9%. I also have a Wee Heavy at 9-10%. There are beers out there that are larger like 11-14% like some Barley wines, etc.

The key is making sure you use a yeast strain that can fully attenuate with that much alcohol present, I'm sure there are others that have brewed even bigger!

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I once brewed a beer that had an OG of 2.999 & FG of 0.001. I tried to drink it, but it burst into flames as soon as I popped the top.

edit: I meant 1.999

 

[cheezydemon3]

I had a 14.4% stout when i was a retarded raging noob.

Since then I have realized that drinking such a beast takes some of the fun out of things.

 

[sfrisby]

18.0% Bruery Chocolate Rain inspired stout.
A little ashamed that I'm now "that guy" in the forum.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

in all honesty, I've got an ABW that hit 14.22% and years ago I made some giant ridiculous thing with Turbo yeast that tasted like crap.

 

[Qhrumphf]

My biggest is my Belgian Quad which is 13.9%. I've had a couple others in the 1.100-1.110 OG range finishing +/- 12% ABV.

 

[Tinga]

I hit 12.5% with some crazy IIPA I made with a buddy. brewed two dry stouts on the same cake and hit it with the monster. it was one heck of a fermentation.

 

[ChefRex]

I'm doing a Mad Elf clone at the moment that was a little over 11% before racking on to two pounds of cherries, where it will end up I don't know but it's bubbling away again.

 

[Calder]

I once brewed a beer that had an OG of 2.999 & FG of 0.001. I tried to drink it, but it burst into flames as soon as I popped the top.

edit: I meant 1.999

Even with the edit, that's got to defy the laws of chemistry.


I've managed a Barleywine at 13%. Tastes really great, but way too high for everyday drinking. I might have a bottle a month. After 2 years, I still have half the batch left.

Most of my beers run 6 to 8%, and that's plenty.

 

[Potamus]

Wow, those are some big beers. I'm going to have to stop thinking about this...I can't wait to crack open a wee heavy and it's only been in primary for two days...

 

[Qhrumphf]

Even with the edit, that's got to defy the laws of chemistry.


I've managed a Barleywine at 13%. Tastes really great, but way too high for everyday drinking. I might have a bottle a month. After 2 years, I still have half the batch left.

Most of my beers run 6 to 8%, and that's plenty.

As indicated by the "in all honesty" post a few posts down, I'm pretty sure that was meant to be a joke. Because yeah, that's not possible.

And for what it's worth, recently approximately half of my beers have been in the 3-5% ABV range, and that's usually where I like em.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

As indicated by the "in all honesty" post a few posts down, I'm pretty sure that was meant to be a joke. Because yeah, that's not possible.

quoted for truth!

And for what it's worth, recently approximately half of my beers have been in the 3-5% ABV range, and that's usually where I like em.

lately I've been keeping mine around 4.5-7, on purpose & accident. hahahaa!!

 

[dirtybasementbrew]

18.0% Bruery Chocolate Rain inspired stout. A little ashamed that I'm now "that guy" in the forum.

[ame]http://youtu.be/EwTZ2xpQwpA[/ame]
Haha had to do it

 

[sfrisby]

Video Link: http://youtu.be/EwTZ2xpQwpA
Haha had to do it

You can't help but laugh. Again....and again...and again....

 

[dirtybasementbrew]

I did a belgian strong over the summer with 16 lbs of belgian pills malt. Came out just over %10. If I'm gonna drink big beers I usually buy them because they are not enjoyable for me. I like to drink a lot can't have just 3-4 hehe

 

[sfrisby]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/attempting-40-abv-beer-barley-brandy-246775/

 

[Bamsdealer]

I had a 14.4% stout when i was a retarded raging noob.

Since then I have realized that drinking such a beast takes some of the fun out of things.

I made a similar RIS when I started kegging... It actually turned out decent with just a little alcohol in the background, but that keg has been on a looong time and it's still over half full. In the same time period I must have gone through a dozen kegs of regular gravity brews.

 

[opiate82]

Biggest I've done so far with just grain was a 1.082 IIPA. Just about maxed out my 10gal Home Depot cooler mash tun. I am also aging a stout that hit 1.090 but that was with some added fermentables.

Not as impressive from a pure numbers standpoint, but they were big for me, and better yet, right on target.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I think a 12% RIS was my record, it was actually supposed to be smaller than that, but my boil down was a skosh aggressive and I ended up under volume.

 

[adiochiro3]

I did a Scotch Wee Heavy that came in at 1.092 and finished at 1.022 giving a 9.2% ABV. Really good drinking at room temp. A real belly warmer.

 

[Bierliebhaber]

22% abv barley wine/brandy that was actually fantastic. I only used 35% sugar additions. Served it in small sniffers or wine glasses. Each sip was bursting with an array of flavors. A lot of babysitting on that brew, but it was fun.

As Denny says, "Life begins at 60...1.060."

 

[the_trout]

I made a similar RIS when I started kegging... It actually turned out decent with just a little alcohol in the background, but that keg has been on a looong time and it's still over half full. In the same time period I must have gone through a dozen kegs of regular gravity brews.

Ive decided to stop kegging my Imperials for this very reason.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'm going to target an OG of 1.549 and an FG of 0.787 for my next batch

 

[bobmcstuff]

A 1.080 belgian stout thing with honey that finished at 1.006. It was my second ever brew and it was horrible because I didn't know what I was doing. It never really mellowed and I ended up dumping it.

Made an Old Ale at the weekend which hit 1.077 so should finish around 7.5-8%, going to age it on oak chips for a few months. That's the heaviest I've made for a while but I still think 1.080 is the top for me. I usually aim for around 5% on most beers.

 

[dannyhawkins]

The Monster Mash from last Halloween was 12.5%.

This year I dialed it back a bit to OG of 1.107 but if it hits my target FG of 1.015 it will still be just over 12%

 

[Bamsdealer]

Ive decided to stop kegging my Imperials for this very reason.

I have too, with the exception of II IPAs. I can suck those down like PBR at a high school party.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

you know you're a home brewer when you compare the size of your OG/FG on the interwebs. you guys & your specific gravity fetishes...

 

[Bierliebhaber]

you know you're a home brewer when you compare the size of your OG/FG on the interwebs. you guys & your specific gravity fetishes...

Well, if we're whipping them out, I had to go check my data. OG was 1.206 (calculated)...beer hydrometers have their limits. FG was 1.034 and that's with only 24% sugar additions (going from memory before I guessed 35%, because I thought less would be crazy). IBU 126. ABV 22.5% (Calc.).

EDIT: Hey guys, check out this calculator. Select the "Alternate equation." It's intended to account for calculation errors in high gravity beers. I don't know how accurate it is, but with the alternate equation it says my abv 30% !!! This would explain a lot of things...

 

[Calichusetts]

15.1% barleywine. Still got a few for the new years and maybe next. Don't have my OG/FG since I'm at work but it was amazing. Bourbon oaked as well