Blending

Brewing Processes
1

Looking for some opinions.

I brewed a batch of Imperial Stout two weeks ago where I wildly overshot my OG.  I goofed and added 1.5lbs of sugar that were intended for a different batch…  Anyway the OG was super high (1.12x) and fermentation appears to have stopped at 1.040.

I’m planning to brew a smaller 3 gal batch to blend this down into something with a reasonable finishing gravity.

Should I ferment out the smaller batch and then blend?  Or mix the two and ferment out the mix?

I’m leaning to fermenting and then blending, but there’s also a ton of fermentables left in the first batch so I’m torn.

2

Ferment and then blend. You’re right there will still be a lot of fermentable sugar left behind.

If you’re kegging you have the option to blend and keg as it is or blend and see if it further ferments before kegging. If bottling you definitely should blend and see if there is further activity before bottling.

3

It’s headed for a bourbon barrel so there is no rush. I’ll give it at least a week to see if it drops at all but I doubt it will go much further. I had a similar experience years ago and the first batch stopped a 1.045.

4

What size barrel?

If it were me, I would want to rack into the barrel with a few extract points remaining to help minimize oxidation going into the barrel. So maybe calculate that into the blend from the 3 gallon batch as it nears its completion?

5

It’s a five gallon barrel.

6

I’d ferment then blend if it was my beer.

@brewinhard: Leaving a few gravity points for a spunding affect is a good idea.

7

Just an update.  Fermented the blending batch.  OG of 1.054 so 1.088 as a blend with the original.

Fermented, mixed them, fermented some more.  Final gravity at 1.020, so I’m pretty happy.

5 gallons going into a bourbon barrel tomorrow.