Barleywine Under-attenuated

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by kkleu357, Aug 18, 2016.

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  1. kkleu357

    kkleu357 Savant (1,170) Apr 2, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    I brewed up a barleywine (my first ever) almost 4 weeks ago. OG was 1.118 and mash temp was 151F.
    Used Wyeast 1968.

    Took a gravity reading yesterday and it's sitting at 1.040. FG should be closer to 1.030. (Note I did use pure oxygen to aerate it)

    I was going to wait until Saturday to see if the gravity is still going down, but part of me thinks I will not hit that FG since 1968 is rated for 9%abv and this beer is already at 10.5%abv. I went into this thinking this would happen and thought maybe pitching some WLP099, Super High Gravity Ale Yeast, would work. Anybody recommend or warn against this?

    Thanks!
     
    #1 kkleu357, Aug 18, 2016
  2. loebrygg

    loebrygg Initiate (0) Jun 4, 2016 Norway

    1.040 is not that bad for a Barley Wine with OG 1.118
    you have have 65% attenuation and you want some residual sugar i a BA
    I would worn agains using WLP099, Super High Gravity
    I used that in a RIS and it ended up at 1.000
    Better to pitch an active starter and/or use some sugar
    to dry it out
     
    #2 loebrygg, Aug 18, 2016
    anteater likes this.
  3. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    What was your recipe? Why do you think it should hit 1030? What temp did you ferment at? What temp is it at now?
     
    #3 wspscott, Aug 18, 2016
  4. kkleu357

    kkleu357 Savant (1,170) Apr 2, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Honestly, I built it in beersmith and it said the FG should be in the 30s. It does taste really good at the moment, but I thought it was a tad too sweet. My girlfriend really liked it and seems to lean on leaving as is.

    22lbs of pale malt, 1lb Crystal, and 4oz chocolate malt.

    Pitched yeast at 65F, but by next day it was super active and up to 78F. Cooled it back to 72F, but it took a while. I pitched a 4L starter with pure oxygen and yeast nutrients and they went nuts. Next time I will use my fermentation freezer, but I had a lager in it.

    Currently sitting at 66F.

    After @loebrygg 's comment, I will not be using WLP099. Probably just leave it as is.
     
    #4 kkleu357, Aug 18, 2016
  5. anteater

    anteater Pooh-Bah (1,936) Sep 10, 2012 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    For what its worth, I recently had an imperial stout end at 1.040 from an OG of 1.134. This was first time I really got that thick chewy mouthfeel that I love in stouts like BCBS, Huna etc... It is definitely sweet, but if you like that then it might not be a bad place to end.
     
    #5 anteater, Aug 18, 2016
  6. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Taste it. If you want to drop the FG you can use an additional yeast. You can also try to warm your beer up to about 70F, if you haven't done this already.
     
    #6 inchrisin, Aug 18, 2016
  7. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    Are you kegging or bottling? If kegging, you could always pull a gallon out and pitch WL099. Once fermentation has completed, chemically kill the yeast and blend back. If it does take it down to 1.000, blending one gallon of 1.000 with 4 gallons (assuming 5 gallon batch) of 1.040, will yield a final gravity of 1.032. The reason I ask about kegging, is the chemical remaining in the one gallon, may be enough to kill the yeast in the 4 and you'll need to force carb; hard to say if enough chemical, I've never done something like this.

    You could also just try this to see what any yeast does. If you try on one gallon and the strain takes it down to 1.030, then just don't kill the yeast and blend back. Or even if the plan isn't to blend, pulling a small volume will let you test without risk to the large volume and if unhappy with results you have to throw away one gallon vs. full batch.

    Just some ideas . . . food for thought.
     
    #7 InVinoVeritas, Aug 18, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2016
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  8. kkleu357

    kkleu357 Savant (1,170) Apr 2, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    It actually tastes really good. Does have a thick mouthfeel. I just thought it was a tad bit too sweet. But, it's still got 5 months of aging followed by some bourbon soaked charred oak additions before it's ready, so the sweetness may calm down some. I think I'll try to raise the temp closer to 70F to see if it lowers the gravity at all, but I think this forum convinced me that 1.040 is actually not too high.
     
    #8 kkleu357, Aug 18, 2016
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  9. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    No worries. The same exact thing just happened to my recent barleywine. It finished high around 1.040 like yours, but it tastes wonderful.

    My advice is to taste it. If it tastes good, and the gravity is steady for about a week, then it's done and you should just enjoy it. Age will be kind to this beer as well of course.
     
    #9 dmtaylor, Aug 18, 2016
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  10. corbmoster

    corbmoster Pundit (848) Dec 15, 2014 Texas
    Trader

    If it doesn't get down to the gravity you anticipated, but tastes great to you, then it's still a good brew right?
     
    #10 corbmoster, Aug 18, 2016
    MrOH likes this.
  11. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    I have had 1968 take beers north of 11% before back when I really had my stuff together. I did not use O2, just stirred aireation (areation?) and again the next morning by pouring the wort back and forth into a sanitized pot. A homebrewer's Yorkshire square if you will buy that.

    Was you 4L starter on a stirplate?

    I myself have never had any luck restarting a stuck fermentation.

    If it tastes good drink it.
     
    #11 NiceFly, Aug 19, 2016
    telejunkie likes this.
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