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Author Topic: High Gravity  (Read 2547 times)

Offline brian-d

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High Gravity
« on: July 18, 2011, 09:41:55 pm »
Is three weeks on the yeast cake in the primary too long for a high gravity beer (1.080-1,090)?  Thanks.

Offline The Professor

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2011, 10:13:56 pm »
Is three weeks on the yeast cake in the primary too long for a high gravity beer (1.080-1,090)?  Thanks.

Not too long at all. 
In fact, you probably need that much time (or more) depending on how much yeast you pitched initially.
In my house, after  around 4 weeks it would go into secondary for at least another 4-6 months.
AL
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[499.6, 101.2] Apparent Rennerian
Homebrewer since July 1971

Offline brian-d

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2011, 10:22:20 pm »
I brewed 10 gallons and pitched two separate 1200 ml starters.  Good thing I put a blow off on right away.  talk about an active fermentation.

Offline oscarvan

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2011, 12:46:10 am »
My $0.03

Three weeks on the yeast is about it for me. After that I keg and indeed if a big beer give it a few more weeks.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
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I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline punatic

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2011, 01:14:22 am »
Thank your lucky stars you're not brewing near a quantum singularity...  talk about high gravity!
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


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Offline euge

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2011, 01:19:18 am »
I get nervous after three weeks and with that kind of gravity it should be ready for the keg/bottle and conditioning regardless. Sounds like the yeast were up to the task. ;)

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

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Offline tygo

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2011, 05:57:27 am »
I don't get too nervous after three weeks but I agree that if the right amount of yeast was pitched that it should be done.  Unless maybe it was a 1.100+ lager....I might have to try one of those sometime...maybe a bock...anyway, back on topic you'll be fine.
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Offline nateo

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2011, 08:29:30 pm »
Are you sure it's done fermenting? I don't start counting weeks until it's done fermenting. If the gravity has been at terminal for 3 weeks, then maybe that's too long. If it's still fermenting, 3 weeks isn't long enough.
In der Kürze liegt die Würze.

Offline bluesman

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2011, 09:24:08 pm »
I recommend leaving the beer on the yeast as long as they are fermenting sugars. Once they stop, let them rest for 2-3 days and get them off so they don't start dying and spilling their guts in your beer. Monitor your airlock and when it slows down to a trickle, take a gravity reading. Then wait a day or two and take a second reading. When you get two readings the same, the beer can be racked off the yeast at that point.
Ron Price

coastsidemike

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2011, 10:39:12 pm »
This one is worth experimenting with, say to rack half or more of it and let the portion on the yeast cake have more time.  I agree with Bluesman on this in terms of process and recipe calculations, however when I leave a gallon or so sitting for an additional month there's a flavor intensity that's baking in (perhaps from hop particulate that I can't filter).  I've had no bad results so far when doing this with ales, and there's an obvious difference.

Offline euge

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Re: High Gravity
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2011, 11:47:04 pm »
I recommend leaving the beer on the yeast as long as they are fermenting sugars. Once they stop, let them rest for 2-3 days and get them off so they don't start dying and spilling their guts in your beer. Monitor your airlock and when it slows down to a trickle, take a gravity reading. Then wait a day or two and take a second reading. When you get two readings the same, the beer can be racked off the yeast at that point.

+1 My preference is to leave the broth-flavors to soup and out of my beer. :P
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis