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SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:55 pm

1.030 after 4 days, that's 8.2%ABV! I'm upping the ferment temp from 20Â°C by 1Â°C each day from day 3 'til 25Â°C. Sample jar was fizzing away nicely so I think there's plenty of activity in there still, also looks nice and cloudy with yeasties.

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:14 pm

Rockin'!

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:05 pm

Down to 1.023 for 2 days now, where FG should be. I'll leave this for a few days still as I've read about yeast mopping up undesirable by-products produced during fermentation. Should bottle Tuesday night.

oblivious · Post by **oblivious** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:45 am

If you can let it ferment right down, with beligans like that you want a final gravity in the low teens so it not to sweet

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:13 pm

OK. The temp of ferment has gone through it's increases and is at 25Â°C. This was started last Monday so 7 days so far. Yeast is WLP-500. So I leave it alone for another week? Would a rouse now help?

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:26 pm

Haven't roused, it's down to 1.021 this morning.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:10 am

Down to 1.020 this morning. I tasted the sample and it was really sourly bitter. Alcoholly as well but sour. Is this usual for a high strength brew at this point?

oblivious · Post by **oblivious** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:29 am

as in acid or vinegar, or a you confusing it with solvent aromas flavors

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:38 am

I'd say on the vinegary side

. It's only appeared in the last few days

.

oblivious · Post by **oblivious** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:42 am

give it a little while longer

If its is infected you could just drink it young if you want

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:53 am

It's not solventy. I can't drink it youg 'cos it tastes rank now, was hoping it was going through a phase

. I've not brewed anything like 9.5% before so it's new ground. Gonna bottle it tonight. Need the FV for more brewing and am happy having got 78% attenuation that bottles hopefully won't go bang!

Anyone who wants to reassure me that a sour taste when young is a sign of great beer to come is welcome. Will bottle and forget for a bit.

oblivious · Post by **oblivious** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:07 pm

I would transfer it to a secondary fermenter for two reason

1) big beer can do with a bit of time to clean up and let the flavors come together, the secondary although not always necessary is not a bad place to let this happen especially if the beer has been on the yeats for a few weeks

2) the most important if it is infected it will keep on fermenting on down, if you bottle now at 1.020 you could get bottle bombs

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 12:11 pm

Cheers Oblivious, I'll do this.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:01 pm

Right it has definately abated at 1.020, no infection, it tastes fine, I think the sample I had that worried me may have had excessive yeast in it

Have bottled 36 250ml bottles......I REALLY HATE BOTTLING, IT@S CR@P!!! I ditched about 5L at the end 'cos I'd had enough and hadn't prepared enough bottles.

Enjoying a wee sample alongside a pint of 50:50 Cascade, it's like a single malt chaser in comparison

. Despite procrastination to the contrary I am optomistic about this brew and will try to release only a few bottles each Chrimbo to see what age does to it. If it does taste good that'll be tricky to control

.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

SiHoltye · Post by **SiHoltye** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 11:40 pm

Opened a bottle.

Taste = getting there, actually tastes pretty good right now, the yeast is everything, and appear to mask any of my c0ck ups

Carbonation = low, think bottles needed more priming sugars.

All in all, well pleased so far.

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