Brewferm Grand Cru high FG

[Spooner68]

My last two brews were Brewferm Tripel and a grand Cru. The Tripel came out at 8.4% and four months down the line is clear, tasty and potent as I only had 500ml bottles and its not easy to leave a bit for later is it?

Now for the Grand Cru. I used spray malt instead of sugar and it went berserk in the tub and stopped popping after 3 days. Left it for a further 12 before testing. Lovely smell but it was sitting at 1.022 which seems quite high. I've bottled it anyway as I need the bucket, its 6.7% abv anyway and I didn't know what else to do.

I've heard of stirring up or setting more yeast but it seemed pretty finished to me. What would YOU have done?

 

[frenchy]

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=15082

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[morethanworts]

It is possible that 1022 could be the genuine finishing gravity of your Grand Cru, seeing that you added spraymalt. I had three Abdij kits finish at 1018 after a rousing and at raised temperatures, even just using sugar/golden syrup. I think you can ignore Brewferms '1.010' quoted, especially with spraymalt added. I've done 5 of their kits and none has finished that low.

Most of these Belgians don't necessarily need the extra body from the spraymalt that we would probably prefer in other styles and which we often add to one-can kits. I would suggest sugar would have given a drier finish more in keeping with the style.

Anyway, you probably have a decent beer in those bottles and if it was stable at 1022, I am guessing that may have been it. I'd keep them somewhere safe, mind...

 

[Spooner68]

I take the point on spray malt but fancied trying it. The FG was steady at 1.022 so I bottled in PET bottles just in case. It's got 2 weeks in the warming cupboard then out to my now chilly garage and we'll see what it's like at Christmas. Or maybe just the one sample bottle for my birthday in 6 weeks......

Thanks guys. Will keep you posted and see how the Abdij turns out now