Extract Imperial Stout Recipe - Thoughts?

[dad_of_jon]

I was gonna rehydrate two packs of S-04 in chilled boiled water. Think thats enough? Or maybe pitch 3 to be sure?

mj has a yeast that will do 14% - i used one packet re-hydrated.... for this...

brew 22 -king kong

10/09/2016
2kg extra dark dme
1 kg medium
1 kg ex light
500g dwe
500g candi dark
450g golden syrup
500g aromatic malt
500g dark crystal
250g roasted barley.
250g caramunich iii

20.5 litres - OG 1.108

01/10/2016
1.010 - fg

12.86%

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Was that an Imp Stout? How did that turn out for you? Im concerned about mouth feel with mine. I don't want it to have a watery mouth feel - Thinking I may add some Oats for mouth feel?

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Also do you think I'll struggle to hit 10-11% with S-04? I really wanted to brew this weekend so I don't have time to get more. I don't mind having to pitch bottle conditioning yeast before bottling if I run S-04 into the ground but I just want it to hit the ABV.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Also do you think I'll struggle to hit 10-11% with S-04? I really wanted to brew this weekend so I don't have time to get more. I don't mind having to pitch bottle conditioning yeast before bottling if I run S-04 into the ground but I just want it to hit the ABV.

I've not used s-04 in ages, MJ M41 will finish the job in a single re-hydrated packet for 21 litres.

you'll get around 8% with s-04 . I used grains with my extract and they contained unfermentables so the beer had some sweetness but tempered with the large amount of roasted grains. it was 'thick' but not cloying.

The beer was superb, well just how I like it, thick strong and boozy.

 

[KiaOraBrew]

I've heard people getting 12, 13, 14% with S-04 if you keep agitating the yeast cake as you gravity test etc. I may give it a go as I don't have time to get an extra yeast packet. Wish me luck!

 

[dad_of_jon]

I've heard people getting 12, 13, 14% with S-04 if you keep agitating the yeast cake as you gravity test etc. I may give it a go as I don't have time to get an extra yeast packet. Wish me luck!

worst that can happen is you'll fall a bit short, which in itself will mean it won't be thin & dry

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Ok somehow something has gone wrong. I've followed all ingredients and the recipe to the tee but somehow my SG has come to 1.081 according to my refractometer? Is that just a dodgy reading do you think? How could it come up so low?? I had a slight boilover but I'd say nothing more than a pint was lost... I even reduced the top up water by around half a gallon to account for this but its still short by a good 20~ points?!?!

 

[Brew_DD2]

What temperature did you take the reading at?

 

[KiaOraBrew]

I cooled the wort down to about 23-24 degrees then topped it up with 10 degree water from the tap to reach 4.5 ish gallons overall. The recipe called for 5 but I reduced to account for the boilover to try hit my numbers.

 

[Brew_DD2]

What temperature were the grains steeped at? If it wasn't a mash, you'll have got next to no sugars.

 

[Brew_DD2]

Worth double-checking with a hydrometer as well.

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Steeped at 160 F for 35 mins. I've reduced the efficiency to 0 in Brewers Friend and it still wouldn't come out anywhere near as low as mine has.

 

[Brew_DD2]

You say 5 gallons. Are you working in US or Imperial gallons?

 

[KiaOraBrew]

US I presume that's what Brewers Friend measures in. My fermenter bucket is US gallons

 

[Brew_DD2]

I'm out of ideas then. The only other thing I can think of is that the later additions haven't mixed in well with the rest of the wort.

 

[prog99]

I used 2 packs of s05 in my last imperial stout. Came out fine.

 

[KiaOraBrew]

A very strong fermentation is happening. Its quite hot despite the room being an ambient 18 degrees, the fermenter is sitting at 24 degrees! This yeast is crazy. I ended up pitching 2 x S-04 and 1 x US-05 to ensure cell counts were high enough to hit the numbers (Despite them being mysteriously low).

Krausen is a good 10cm high!

 

[phildo79]

Did you take an OG reading with a hydrometer?

 

[KiaOraBrew]

Did you take an OG reading with a hydrometer?

I took it with a refractometer.

 

[phildo79]

I've never found those to be that reliable. And even more so when it comes to an FG reading.