9% ESB? Thoughts please

[BrewingPrepper]

Hey all,

I went to my LHBS, and wanted to pick up a High ABV version of my fiance's favorite beer. She likes ESB's.

I called them and asked them to put together something for me. Now normally Dan is there recommending things for me since I am a new brewer. This time he was out and his wife was running things. So I get there and she has the recipe ready but hasn't put the ingredients together.

Now I know women can put together a kit as good as anyone. My only issue is she didn't seem to confident she was putting together what I wanted. And this thing was 80 bucks. Granted this thing is a beast of a beer by the looks of it and the vigorous fermentation it bubbled for 4-5 days and still bubbles very slowly almost 2 weeks later.

Here is the kit she put together. Its a partial mash ''Some kinda ESB'':rockin:

.50 lb Pale malt 2 row
2.0 lbs Marris Otter (Baird)
6.6 lbs Muntons LME (light)
.25 lbs Cara Pils Dextrine Malt
2.0 lbs Muntons DME (Amber)
1.0 Crystal 120L
8 oz Corn sugar

Hops
1.0 oz Target 60 min
.50 oz Goldings 10in
1.0 Challenger flameout
.50 Goldings flameout

Yeast
2 smack packs of Wyeast london Extra special bitter.

Now her instructions were to ferment 2 weeks and bottle for 2. However since this brew is pretty big I thought I should leave it in primary longer. Please let me know what you think of the recipe and any advice on how long to ferment and bottle and any other thoughts you may have on this brew!

 

[beowulf]

While I'm not that well versed in partial mash or using extract, the recipe looks sound to me. It looks closer to about 8% to me, though, depending on a number of factors. As for the 2 week ferment, that sounds fine if it's done in 2 weeks (which is fairly common). My preference would be to do as you are speculating and give it another week or two.

2 weeks in the bottle is almost certainly not enough time. The defacto standard here on the forum is 3 weeks in the bottle at room temperature. However, some folks probably have great beer at 2 weeks. I've found that if you wait 3 or more (usually more) weeks, the beer gets much better.

 

[Double_D]

+1 to that

 

[BrewingPrepper]

I think I will go 3 weeks primary and then bottle. This brew had a monster ferment. It blew the stopper out and thankfully I was watching right before I went to bed when it blew. I cant imagine my dismay if it blew out and bubbled over all night.

I cant wait to try this one...my last brew a chocolate stout didnt turn out to good. Hoping it gets better with age.

I actually noticed on the printout for the recipe that it is a Modified King Koenig ESB. Any one know anything about that beer?

 

[Topher79]

When brewing a beer that big, I would ferment in a primary for 2 weeks, and secondary for another 3 weeks. I brewed a 9+% Oatmeal Coffee Porter back in December, and I would suggest the following:

When pitching that much yeast, install a blow off tube...if you have a 3 piece airlock and an auto siphon, you can make one by putting the siphon tubing on the airlock and the other end in a glass with some StarSan solution.

It sounds like you're bottling, and I would recommend adding some champagne yeast (rehydrated) with priming sugar at bottling. This will aid in carbonation.

Lastly...patience. I would not expect to drink this beer until September. High ABV beers need time for the alcohol burn to mellow out, and come into their own. Does this mean you can't try a few along the way, heck no! But the beer will come into it prime months after bottling. I don't plan on drinking my coffee stout until October, but I know the wait will be well worth it.

Let us know how it turns out, and good luck!

 

[BrewingPrepper]

Ok maybe ill ferment longer than 3 weeks Topher. I was planning on keeping it in primary though. I dont have a secondary fermenting vessel yet.

Off topic, I brewed a roughly 7% stout that has that alcohol burn, with a wine taste do you think that would mellow with age as you mentioned? Its been in bottles now for 2 weeks and still has alcohol burn and other strange flavors. Also seems very thin and not really creamy or anything. Sorry I am still learning all the proper terms!

 

[Topher79]

If you are only using a primary, then just let it sit in there for 5 weeks, IMO. It'll be a better bear in the end, and let the yeasties finish up their work. The last week or so, let it warm up a few degrees to help them clean up.

As for the 7% beer with body and alcohol issues, the body of the beer is probably grain related. Did you use steeping grains, or is it partial mash? If it's extract only, that would explain the lack of body. Letting it sit for awhile will definitely help. I usually don't drink my beers until 3 weeks after brewing. The more hoppy the beer, the better to drink it early on, as the hop character will diminish over time...

 

[Mongrel]

And this thing was 80 bucks.

Here is the kit she put together. Its a partial mash ''Some kinda ESB'':rockin:

.50 lb Pale malt 2 row
2.0 lbs Marris Otter (Baird)
6.6 lbs Muntons LME (light)
.25 lbs Cara Pils Dextrine Malt
2.0 lbs Muntons DME (Amber)
1.0 Crystal 120L
8 oz Corn sugar

Hops
1.0 oz Target 60 min
.50 oz Goldings 10in
1.0 Challenger flameout
.50 Goldings flameout

Yeast
2 smack packs of Wyeast london Extra special bitter.

$80? Really?

 

[Topher79]

Wow! $80 is pretty crazy. Here's the ingredient list and cost for my coffee oatmeal imperial porter: