https://www.experimentalbrew.com/podcast/episode-97-legend-answers
It’s time! Time for a whole bunch of questions and answers. In this go around it seems many of you have hops on the brain - so it’s only fitting we also announce a chance to win 2 tickets to Yakima Chief Hops Hop and Brew School®. Enter by 7/26 at https://www.experimentalbrew.com/hopandbrew! On with the questions!
Cleaning all my stuffs for tomorrow’s brew day…what better way to pass this monotonous time? Listen to the podcast, of course.
I found your tip on brewing high-alcohol content beer very, very interesting. Don’t get so caught up on a huge OG, aim for a low FG. That seems counterintuitive to me since it’s so easy to ramp up OG. Just throw more fermentables in the kettle! I’m wondering if you might share your tips on getting that FG as low as practical.
Great stuff, as always. I really look forward to these shows.
Thanks for the kind words.
First, I want to make sure that you understand I was talking about Belgian styles, especially tripel and BGSA, but some of this may be applicable to other styles. The key is to make a highly fermentables wort. To do that I use all pils malt and table sugar to about 20% of total fermentables. I mash at 148F for 90 min. and make sure I pitch healthy, active yeast. I start fermentation in the low 60s and after 5-7 days I increase the temp to 72-74F. And I give it plenty of time. Stan Hieronymus has noted that in Belgian beers it can take as long for the last 10% of fermentation as the first 90%.
Thanks Denny. Filed away.
No substitute for this kind of experience and know how. There’s a lot of that around here.