Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Bottling my high alcohol beer.  (Read 2255 times)

Offline neilrobinson

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 34
Bottling my high alcohol beer.
« on: December 18, 2011, 08:28:30 am »

     I have an APA, that because of a miscalculation in BeerSmith, I missed the gravity pretty bad. It came out to 1.090 OG and finished at 1.015 which means its at ABV of 9.8%. The last time I bottled a beer that the ABV was this high, the beer was overly carbonated. This might have been due to the honey and wine grapes in it though. My question is there anything I might need to do to make sure this beer is not over-carbonated and has enough carbonation?

Offline tygo

  • I spend way too much time on the AHA forum
  • ********
  • Posts: 2622
  • Sterling, VA
Re: Bottling my high alcohol beer.
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2011, 08:48:35 am »
Make sure that it's completely done fermenting before you bottle it.  Check the gravity over a period of a couple of days and make sure it's staying stable.  Your last beer may not quite have been done.

After that just add the correct amount of priming sugar and mix it well before bottling to achieve your desired carbonation. 

You didn't ask this but you could also add a little additional yeast in at bottling.  It's probably not necessary if the beer hasn't been sitting around that long but for a beer that size I would probably add a little in just to be on the safe side.  Can't hurt as long as your sanitation is good.
Clint
Wort Hogs