Need Some Advice

[blakie21]

Sorry another FG question.. never had this issue before because I use spreadsheets and work out the FG and it almost always hits the exact point I expect or close.

My chocolate stout recently has stopped quite high. Now I am not sure what stouts usually finish at being heavier beers but mine seems to have stopped at 1.024 or so. Here is the recipe -

Can of Coopers Irish Stout
500g Dried Dark Malt extract
500g Dried Light Malt extract
200g Chocolate malt
250g Maltodextrin
200g Milo
'Black-pac' (http://www.homebru.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=612)
S-04 Yeast

I realise it is pretty hard to tell from the ingredients, the milo is around half sugar so should be half fermentable. The blac-pac contains crystal malt, wheat malt and hops.

Will be leaving it for another few days at least anyway but just checking if anyone knows what to expect roughly from this recipe? I do keg so no bottle bomb risk at least but just want to make sure its not stalled. Raising the temp anyway and rousing the yeast to be sure.

Appreciate any advice!

 

[kelbygreen]

OG?? how long has it been in fermenter, volume???

hard to say without OG readings and so forth, But you have a bit of maltodextrin and milo there also not sure whats in the black pack if its a far bit more of crystal then that will contribute.

what did you expect FG to be?

 

[blakie21]

Hard to say what i expected because putting it into a spreadsheet was only an OG of 1.056 yet I got 1.070 (putting milo as dextrose as I figured it was mostly sugar?). However I don't know how much wheat malt was actually in the black-pac

I did wing this recipe. Its only been in for around 6 days or so and am patient enough to let it do its thing (finally ahead in the production line ).
The FG was expected to be 1.016 but when I put crystal malt in it didnt seem to raise the FG? which i thought it does?

The beer doesnt taste too sweet really either. Could just be more time needed, most of my beers have rocketed down to 1.020 and taken a long time to fall lower. Just thought I would ask because I have never done a stout before and what to expect for a FG

 

[kelbygreen]

I have not done a stout but with a OG of 1070 and only pitching 1 pack of yeast I would give it longer then a normal brew, Your OG may of been high as some of the ingredients may not of mixed properly or maybe as you say there are to many varying ingredients you used so the calculations could be off. If you can leave it another 6 days as of the such high OG and the readings you have. I wouldn't expect it to get to 1016, but 1020 should be around the ball park (only off the top of my head) just leave it be and rouse the fermenter twice a day to get the yeast back up into suspension but try not to splash the wort around just a gently swirl back and forth.

Sit on it and wait you may get a few more out of it, I think you may have under pitched ( although I never gone as high as 1070) but you may need a pack and a half to get the right pitching rate. It should be close though so may just need that little extra time and loving to get it down. As I say aim for 1020 but few points here or there wont make a difference. If it dose not budge in 3-4 days just keg it but if it it does leave it till next sat and keg it if its stable then.

 

[blakie21]

Yeah I only realised after because I expected only a standard 1.050ish beer but due to extra grains etc it came out alot higher.

By the time I had done it all I just pitched and hoped rather than going out and buying another packet. I think I will be okay, I did a belgian (1.070) without a starter and using liquid yeast and it turned out nice.
Cheers for the advice, just wanted to make sure I wasn't expecting 1.016 because I doubt it will drop that much. I will give it another week or so probably anyway as it can't do much harm.

 

[bruce86]

Yeah I only realised after because I expected only a standard 1.050ish beer but due to extra grains etc it came out alot higher.

By the time I had done it all I just pitched and hoped rather than going out and buying another packet. I think I will be okay, I did a belgian (1.070) without a starter and using liquid yeast and it turned out nice.
Cheers for the advice, just wanted to make sure I wasn't expecting 1.016 because I doubt it will drop that much. I will give it another week or so probably anyway as it can't do much harm.

hey blakie keen to know how this one turns out the missus doesnt like beer but this sounds like something that could change all that have u done something similar before?

 

[blakie21]

Will let u know Bruce. Going to keg it tonight probably. Only managed to get it down a point or two to 1.022.

Not sure if it will be a hit with the missus yet though as its quite bitter. Will give it a go on my missus and see how she likes it . Would be nice if she was actually asking me to make beer ;D then she can't complain about random brewing stuff around the house, in the laundry sink, on her desk etc etc haha.

Will post an update tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Will let u know Bruce. Going to keg it tonight probably.

Not sure if it will be a hit with the missus yet though as its quite bitter. Will give it a go on my missus and see how she likes it . Would be nice if she was actually asking me to make beer ;D then she can't complain about random brewing stuff around the house, in the laundry sink, on her desk etc etc haha.

Will post an update tonight or tomorrow.

My mrs now likes my beer and still complains about brew days, though not about my stuff.

Goomba

 

[Cloth Ears]

Will let u know Bruce. Going to keg it tonight probably. Only managed to get it down a point or two to 1.022.

Figures I ran give a FG of 1.021 for OG of 1.070 (6.7%). How much was actually in the fermenter? From your figures I would have expected 19 litres - is that right?

 

[blakie21]

It hit around 20 litres in the end. Awesome, must be about right then! Thanks Cloth Ears.

I kegged this just now and did the impatient force carb method. This beer is really nice! Actually really stoked as I completely winged the recipe!

It is pretty easy drinking for the percentage. next time I would try and keep the temps down a bit more since it was at 22 degrees after the first few days despite my efforts. No noticable off flavours though. Chocolate is quite subtle but there, you could add more if you wanted a more chocolatey beer but I think this is perfect for me.

 

[Truman42]

Not sure if it will be a hit with the missus yet though as its quite bitter. Will give it a go on my missus and see how she likes it . Would be nice if she was actually asking me to make beer ;D then she can't complain about random brewing stuff around the house, in the laundry sink, on her desk etc

That's the only thing I can get away with lying around the house.. Because my missus loves my beer. Lol
"What are these dishes doing in the sink?". Umm..... That's just brewing stuff honey"
"Oh, okay"