bad raccoon brewing
Member
Brewing a chocolate cherry stout based on this recipe with some tweaks:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/chocolate-cherry-stout.326884/
Original gravity on the wort post-boil was about 1.072. Using Safale 05, thought I'd probably get it down to the mid 1.020s, for an AVB of about 6-7% or so. Batch was almost exactly 5 gallons (640 oz). About 4 days into fermentation, I added 75 oz of black cherry concentrate. The gravity on that with a hydrometer was off the charts--about 2.080. I used the formula of ((SG1 * vol1) + (SG2 * vol2))/(vol1 + vol2). If my math is right, that gives a total starting gravity of about 1.178, which seems crazy high. Not sure my yeast is up to the task (pitched two packets that I had prestarted). Depending on how low it gets, the yeast may not survive the alcohol anyway.
Hoping someone can check my math and make sure I'm right on the approach. If so, what final gravity ought I be aiming for on a beer like this? I'm out of my depth, previously having kept to the 1.070 range for OG, finishing down to 1.020 or lower. I don't think I want this one anywhere near 1.020, as that would be a whopping 20% or more. At that level, I don't even think you can call it beer anymore!
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/chocolate-cherry-stout.326884/
Original gravity on the wort post-boil was about 1.072. Using Safale 05, thought I'd probably get it down to the mid 1.020s, for an AVB of about 6-7% or so. Batch was almost exactly 5 gallons (640 oz). About 4 days into fermentation, I added 75 oz of black cherry concentrate. The gravity on that with a hydrometer was off the charts--about 2.080. I used the formula of ((SG1 * vol1) + (SG2 * vol2))/(vol1 + vol2). If my math is right, that gives a total starting gravity of about 1.178, which seems crazy high. Not sure my yeast is up to the task (pitched two packets that I had prestarted). Depending on how low it gets, the yeast may not survive the alcohol anyway.
Hoping someone can check my math and make sure I'm right on the approach. If so, what final gravity ought I be aiming for on a beer like this? I'm out of my depth, previously having kept to the 1.070 range for OG, finishing down to 1.020 or lower. I don't think I want this one anywhere near 1.020, as that would be a whopping 20% or more. At that level, I don't even think you can call it beer anymore!