What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Matthew]

Alrighty, all set to go for the WnBC brew tommorow.

Russian Imperial Stout

Something, something, something, Dark Beer

Batch Size: 23.00 L
Boil Time: 90 min

5.00 kg Kolsch 56.18%
1.00 kg Flaked Barley 11.24%
1.00 kg Roasted Barley 11.24%
0.50 kg Munich 5.62%
0.30 kg Dark Caramel 3.37%
0.30 kg Pale Chocolate 3.37%
0.30 kg Mystery Grain X 3.37%
0.50 kg Molasses 5.62%

50.00 gm Nugget 50.1 IBU
50.00 gm Mystery Hop Y 47.5 IBU

1 Pkgs London Ale Wyeast 1028
1 Pkgs US05

Original Gravity: 1.083
Final Gravity: 1.020
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 8.36%
Bitterness: 97.7 IBU

[MrC]

500g Molasses sounds like a lot. I hope that ingredient volume came from a trusted source.

[Matthew]

Yeah I know, that's still in 'working status'. I'll prolly lop that figure in half, it's pretty rich at the mo with all that roast and pale choc.

[Matthew]

Need some advice on this - It appears that fermentation has some what ceased and is hovering around 1.027. I need to get that gravity lower as efficiency was a bit poor so I didn't hit a high enough starting point.

The London Ale yeast failed to fire at the time but has been sitting in a warm room and is now already to go. I pitched 2 packs of 05 to get the job done so far.

To get my gravity lower can I:

A) Pop in some brown sugar to give the yeasties a wake up and something to munch on?
B) Pitch the London Ale and have fresh yeasties do some more work on the sugars?
C) Both A & B?

Thanks

[jt]

So what was the OG and what's the revised target FG - how was the mash temp and is that consistent with the 1.027 - or just how much to go ?
Wouldn't add sugar, aren't they the wrong sugars to get the yeast working on
Could you rouse it and warm it a bit - see if it'll finish off ?

[JoKing]

A should work - but I'd make it white sugar as a good portion of Brown in unfermentable.

B probably wont work, because the new yeast will freak out when it gets dumped into something as high in alcohol as this. Youd need to culture enough yeast to overcome this, and to dominate the US-05. They will also assimilate the behaviour of the dominant yeast. There is more than enough US-05 in there to get 1.080 down.

C Should work - but you'd be wasting that 1028 yeast.

You could try option D. Rack the beer into a secondary fermenter, and splash it around on the way in. be sure to suck some yeast in there too. This shold give the yeast some fresh air and enough motivation to keep on trucking.

Furthermore, about 50% of molasses is unfermentable... so this might account for a higher gravity. Also - there is quite a lot of non diastatic malt in your grist - I would have been sure to mash that for 90mins. Anyway, I'd rack the beer onto some steralised white sugar and give it another week or 2. It'll turn out fine. My last RIS finished at about 1.025 or something like that - it just adds to the texture.

Jt is right too - warming it up a bit will help a lot.

[Tony]

London ale is a bit fickle. It really doesn't like getting below 21-22 deg. If it does it tends to get a bit sleepy. It is a rather warm temperature fermenting yeast, so have a look at that? It is a fine line between keeping the temp up and not fermenting any 'hot' (fusel) alcohols.

[Matthew]

Thanks chaps. I think I'll just leave it for now. Gave it a little shake to help waken up any lazy yeasties and we'll see how we go. I was pretty happy with how it was tasting so I guess that's the main thing. Just won't be as imperial as I'd hoped. My second fermenter is just getting prepped for perry cider...

[Mike Neilson]

Dude 5% Molaseses Balls!! Well the stuff I get off Jo anyway, Dude Whats Mystery grain X and Whats Mystery Hop Y? Imagine if we all had secrets on here!! Im Picking Brown Malt for the X and Columbus for the Y!! or for the why, Y wouldnt you use more?

[Matthew]

Nah, Molasses has been cut in half. 250gms should be stacks.

Mystery grain X = Weetbix!
Mystery hop Y = Sauvin

Nothing too special, I'z just stirrin' :-P

[Mike Neilson]

Nice havnt used wheetbix yet, whats it like? is it worth it?

Try 5% but stick it in the mash. NICE!!!! How much Salt is in that Molases? but in saying that in dark beer it will be sweet well sweet and seasoned!!

[jt]

Mystery grain X
Mystery hop Y


I usually brew with known hops and grains, it's the Mystery brain that gives me the unique results ...