Worth trying to get to estimated FG?

[ToastedPenguin]

I have brew that started with an OG of 1.078 that has been sitting in primary for 7 days. The estimated FG was supposed to be around 1.018. I took the first FG reading today in preparation for racking to secondary and the FG is at 1.021.

This being my first high gravity AG brews, is it worth trying to get to the estimated 1.018 FG and if so what options do i have?

The beer is a Pumpkin Ale that has to sit for a couple of month before its ready:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/my-2011-imperial-pumpkin-ale-258699/

Thanks!!
David

 

[Golddiggie]

Leave it in primary until it's ready for bottle/keg... F secondary...

For any brews that have an OG above 1.070 (or close to it) I let them go at least 4-6 weeks in primary. My OG 1.074 mocha porter sat in primary for 7 weeks before being bottled/kegged up... Tasted great on bottling day too. Once it's otherwise DONE, then add the other flavor elements as desired.

I wouldn't use vanilla extract in a batch. IMO, far too easy to use too much there. Better, IMO, to use real vanilla bean(s) in the batch.

Are you planning on bulk aging this, or aging in bottle/keg? You could do any of the above. If you let it otherwise finish in primary, then you can either bottle, or keg, it up and let it age that way.

 

[ToastedPenguin]

Leave it in primary until it's ready for bottle/keg... F secondary...

For any brews that have an OG above 1.070 (or close to it) I let them go at least 4-6 weeks in primary. My OG 1.074 mocha porter sat in primary for 7 weeks before being bottled/kegged up... Tasted great on bottling day too. Once it's otherwise DONE, then add the other flavor elements as desired.

I wouldn't use vanilla extract in a batch. IMO, far too easy to use too much there. Better, IMO, to use real vanilla bean(s) in the batch.

Are you planning on bulk aging this, or aging in bottle/keg? You could do any of the above. If you let it otherwise finish in primary, then you can either bottle, or keg, it up and let it age that way.

I suppose since this is my first brew over 1.070 it makes sense to leave it in primary for 4-6 weeks. Assuming its stored within the range of the yeast strain some additional fermentation is possible I gather? I originally was going to use vanilla been; which I can still do, but switched because I wasn't sure how best to use the beans to get a decent flavor when I added them.

I have been up in the air about the best way to age this beer since I can bottle and keg. The current plan was to rack to secondary with the vanilla (bean/extract) and let it sit like that until about the end of September at which time I was going to either bottle half and keg the other half or bottle all of it and let it age/condition until the end of October beginning of November. Of course I am open to suggestions since this is my first time with such a complex brew, which by the way tasted amazing even young.

 

[Golddiggie]

You could go 6-12 weeks in primary if you wanted to. IMO, if that's what it takes for the brew to become great, then why not do it?

For vanilla beans, you could just split and drop them in... I would start with one or two, and give it a few weeks. Maybe taste it after a week, then every week after that. Once you have the flavor you want, rack... Since you're using the vanilla bean post boil, chances are it will just enhance existing flavors. Unless you add a LOT of it. If you want more actual vanilla flavor, I would add a decent amount of medium toast oak chips to the brew and let it age on those for a month or two.

 

[ToastedPenguin]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will give it a few more weeks in the primary as you suggested. I have a sanke keg that I might try using to age the beer in once I have the flavor profile I am looking for with the vanilla bean. The keg will allow me to age all of it together instead of in 2 separate better bottles.

Torn between bottling and kegging but I got some time to decide on that..

Thanks again!

 

[Golddiggie]

You'll have to post up how it comes out...

I have a 50L sanke keg that will be used for fermenting when I start making 10 gallon batches. I could also use my existing primaries, splitting between them, as they are also sanke kegs. I'm sure that by the time I'm ready for 10 gallon batches, I'll have at least one more [large enough] fermenter to use.

BTW, fermenting in stainless is the balls...

 

[Calder]

Seven days; it's probably not finished yet, and will still get a few more points.

Try increasing the temperature. The flavor is set, so increasing the temperature will not hurt it and will help get the last couple of points and clean up the beer (so called D-rest).

 

[ToastedPenguin]

You'll have to post up how it comes out...

I have a 50L sanke keg that will be used for fermenting when I start making 10 gallon batches. I could also use my existing primaries, splitting between them, as they are also sanke kegs. I'm sure that by the time I'm ready for 10 gallon batches, I'll have at least one more [large enough] fermenter to use.

BTW, fermenting in stainless is the balls...

I just got into AG brewing (this is only my 3rd batch) so I decided to go 10G and built myself a brew rig to make things easier on me: http://homebrewery.shutterfly.com/

What do you use to close the top of the sanke kegs? I picked up one of those orange carboy caps with the small tubes at the top to try to use to close up the top. I read somewhere that you can use these caps with a SS racking cane and either an airlock or blow off tube but I haven't seen one in action yet. I am also lazy and have an auto-siphon so I haven't used a plain racking cane either.

I can get a ton of SS 1/2 barrels so I'd like to start fermenting in them, I just got to figure out the best way to get the wort down to my basement after the boil to put into the keg which will be sitting in my chest freezer, since carrying a full one down stairs is out of the question.

 

[ToastedPenguin]

Seven days; it's probably not finished yet, and will still get a few more points.

Try increasing the temperature. The flavor is set, so increasing the temperature will not hurt it and will help get the last couple of points and clean up the beer (so called D-rest).

That makes sense so I raised the temp to 70 and will let it warm up for a few hours and will give the fermenters a gentle stir before I head off to bed.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've been using the large universal bung (not the one for Better Bottles) in my kegs.

If you can get so many of the 1/2 bbl kegs, how about sharing?? Shoot me a PM if you're interested.

I'll post up pictures from my next brew day, using the new mash tun. I do look forward to the day when I can setup a solid rig, where I live (brewing at a buddy's place right now) and ferment there.

I'm still doing 5 gallon batches (closer to 6 into primary) so it's not that bad to carry down to the basement by myself.

Here's a thought for transferring the wort to your fermenter in the basement... Use a plate chiller, pump, and a looooooong tubing to get from the wort out on the chiller to the fermenter (already in place). Get the kettle as close to the basement as you can before hand, to make the tubing run shorter. Then it's just a matter of chilling right into primary and done. Or just use a pair of 1/4 bbl kegs to ferment in. I could easily do that with my chiller.

I have ball valves in my kettles and mash tuns, to make it easier. With the plate chiller (Rebel Brewer ChillHog 4000 with RebelSmart attached) it's even easier. ~6 gallons of hot wort chilled to pitching temp in <8 minutes with gravity feed.

BTW, you can brew ~5 gallon batches in 10 gallon gear... With a plate chiller (or CFC) you're not dependent on the wort contacting the chilling element in kettle.

 

[ToastedPenguin]

I can get kegs for you but the shipping might suck.....

My garage, which I brew in now, has a wall that is above where my chest freezer sits. I just got finished plumbing in a laundry sink so I would have water and drainage in the garage instead of having to run an NSF grade RV hose into the house and attach it to the bathroom sink and then drain out to the driveway.

Since I did this work I realized I could probably install a port in the wall using a length of PVC at angle down to the basement directly above where the chest freezer is. Then on brew day I could use a long sanitized silicone hose that is run down to the fermenter. Of course I am not sure about the intrusive nature of installing the port in my house or not being able to see what is going on at the fermenter as I am racking down to it.

The other option I thought of was to transfer the wort into my better bottles and then re-transfer into the keg. This too has its issues but would allow me to get all 10G to the basement and into the keg.

 

[Golddiggie]

Have a brew-buddy watch the other end of the transfer... Or install a 'sight tube' next to the wort transfer tube...

I'll PM you about the kegs...

 

[ToastedPenguin]

Have a brew-buddy watch the other end of the transfer... Or install a 'sight tube' next to the wort transfer tube...

I'll PM you about the kegs...

Unfortunately I'm the only person in my hood that brews, my neighbours just beg for beer....but it is a good idea.

I suppose as long as I have something holding the hose in the fermenter and I am only doing 10G batches and racking into a 15G keg, I shouldn't have to worry about to much.

I am liking the port option but I am going to have a hard enough time explaining to SWMBO that it is a good idea that I am putting a hole in the wall with a PVC pipe down to the basement so I can use it to drain wort into my fermenter. She already thinks my brewing is way past it being a hobby....lol

 

[Golddiggie]

Rigging up something to hold the tube into the keg is probably the way to go then...

You could tell her it's so that she can more easily call out to you when you're in the basement. Or just brew something she likes and tell her to STFU about the other things. Since you're doing the work yourself, it's only costing parts. Dirt cheap when you think about it. Besides, you can use it for other things later IF you ever stop brewing.

You could, also (just came to me), install a panel at the top, so that you don't see the fittings and PVC pipe at all. Out of sight, out of her mind... Oh wait, sounds like she's already partially there.

Just wait until you've been brewing a year... Once you start supplying her with what she likes to drink, I think she'll change her tune. Or she'll give up on trying to stop you.

Of course, I'm still single, so I don't have to explain the brewing lifestyle to anyone that I live with. :rockin: Of course the LL nixed me doing it here, but that just changed the location I brew at.

If your SWMBO doesn't like beer, make something she will drink. If she likes hard lemonade, make your own version. There's plenty of things you can make, much better than you can buy.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

7 days? For a beer of that gravity, I'd go 2 weeks minimum, probably 3. 4-6 might be more than you really need, though, especially if you're confident in your process (and if you're doing 10gal AG batches and fermenting in a keg, I'd say you're probably there). I'm not generally a believer in need for a long primary.

I would recommend upping the temp at this point, usually after 7 days or so I bump it to 72 (I usually ferment in the 60's) and let it sit there until I crash-cool a few days before kegging. At that point in the ferment, you won't really have any flavor development from the higher temp, and IMHO it helps the yeast get their work done.

Regarding aging, I'd bulk age it in a Sanke keg or in two cornies. I'd actually prefer two cornies in this case, as a single Sanke will have a lot more head space than you desire. If you go the Sanke route, make sure you fully purge the head space. But with bulk aging, you also have the ability to carbonate it in the aging vessel, drink a few after it's cold and clear, and then bottle off the keg. Don't need to worry about whether your yeast is viable for bottle conditioning when it's force carb'd.

Finally, regarding fermenting in a keg, I recommend this:
http://www.brewershardware.com/American-Sanke-Keg-Fermenter-Kit-with-Thermowell.html
I've been using this setup for >1 year now, and love it. I run a blowoff tube that's already fitted with an MPT fitting to connect to my CO2, and so I don't need to rack the beer: I can actually transfer to serving kegs under CO2 pressure and not risk oxidation (and thus don't *ever* need to move my full fermenter once it's in the fermenting fridge). Great setup.