Thick Beer

There's your issue. 1.020 is very low for a beer of that strength. A lot of very big beers, sometimes they have gravities of 1.040 or higher. Adding higher protein grains (like wheat) to the malt bill could also increase body.

 

At the effort of not starting a new thread… I am posting a though that just occurred to me as I drained the last of my first pour of this THICK stout…



I remember back in the "early phases" of my craft adventure, that discussions about stouts always started with "they're too thick…" and this typically started when someone in the group was drinking Guinness. And the conversation would always work it's way to "it's lighter in calories and alcohol than Bud…." and it's not "thick…" it's drinkable!

My point is, back in the day, I used to defend stouts as not being that thick, whereas now I want
my stout to be thick!

Preferences… I guess they change over time!

 

I've gotten more viscosity out of rye malt than anything else, though I suspect that the very full body you're finding in the commercial beers you mentioned is due to a high final gravity.

Also, the maillard reaction and caramelization are not the same thing, this is a common misconception.

 

Lactose.

 

All good advice thus far. Especially the yeast selection.

Also consider a modified sparge or no sparge at all. It definitely yields a maltier thicker brew.

 

NO. Not (trying) to be a dick.

OP: I think that it's a matter of getting the best %60 mash you can out of a heavy beer at this point. You're going to mash at like 1.1qt water/lb grain and you're going to get 6+ gal of wort off the first runnings of a a huge grainbill. Using the right yeast is also importatnt. 1.020 is kind of low on such a big starting gravity. Finishing around 1.025 or 1.028 is a huge difference.

For r a BCBS (15% beer) I'd overpitch like crazy. They say it conditions 5 years before they sell it to you. Oak the crap out of the beer and let it sit. Sanitation is a MUST here. Any infection has 5 years to show up. I'd use the oven on the flask before making a huge starter directly from Wyeast or WLP. Stir plate it and chill EVERYTHING quickly.

 

Would love a proven good recipe that works for Ten Fidy or BORIS.
HB42?