Help with a Brew House Kit mod. ingredient.

[lurker18]

Just transfered from the primary to a secondary for dry hopping. Tasted the sample from the hydrometer, and it was VERY VERY (VERY a few more times) HOPPY. This is going to be a huge hop bomb when it is finished. Also, using the starter that I though I messed up, talked about in another post, I managed to get the gravity from 1.092 to 1.020, and hoping it will drop a few more points in the secondary. Looking forward to killing a few taste buds with this when it is finished.

[Chris_J]

Just transfered from the primary to a secondary for dry hopping. Tasted the sample from the hydrometer, and it was VERY VERY (VERY a few more times) HOPPY. This is going to be a huge hop bomb when it is finished. Also, using the starter that I though I messed up, talked about in another post, I managed to get the gravity from 1.092 to 1.020, and hoping it will drop a few more points in the secondary. Looking forward to killing a few taste buds with this when it is finished.

Let's hope it dries out then. Hate to say I told you so but I think the carapils had quite a bit to do with that. Oh well. If you really want you could add some sugar to it if it's still fermenting to help dry it out a bit but that will only get you so far. And the yeast may have a hard time working with that large amount of hops and that high alcohol %.

[TheTodd]

Just transfered from the primary to a secondary for dry hopping. Tasted the sample from the hydrometer, and it was VERY VERY (VERY a few more times) HOPPY. This is going to be a huge hop bomb when it is finished. Also, using the starter that I though I messed up, talked about in another post, I managed to get the gravity from 1.092 to 1.020, and hoping it will drop a few more points in the secondary. Looking forward to killing a few taste buds with this when it is finished.

Let's hope it dries out then. Hate to say I told you so but I think the carapils had quite a bit to do with that. Oh well. If you really want you could add some sugar to it if it's still fermenting to help dry it out a bit but that will only get you so far. And the yeast may have a hard time working with that large amount of hops and that high alcohol %.

Then again, isn't 1020 down from 1092 pretty good? I think 1016 would probably be perfect, but if it really is that much of a hop-bomb, you probably won't mind a little sweetness up front to balance it. If that sweetness stays on the tongue throughout, however, I would definitely follow Chris's advice and cut back on the carapils if you try it again.

[Chris_J]

Just transfered from the primary to a secondary for dry hopping. Tasted the sample from the hydrometer, and it was VERY VERY (VERY a few more times) HOPPY. This is going to be a huge hop bomb when it is finished. Also, using the starter that I though I messed up, talked about in another post, I managed to get the gravity from 1.092 to 1.020, and hoping it will drop a few more points in the secondary. Looking forward to killing a few taste buds with this when it is finished.

Let's hope it dries out then. Hate to say I told you so but I think the carapils had quite a bit to do with that. Oh well. If you really want you could add some sugar to it if it's still fermenting to help dry it out a bit but that will only get you so far. And the yeast may have a hard time working with that large amount of hops and that high alcohol %.

Then again, isn't 1020 down from 1092 pretty good? I think 1016 would probably be perfect, but if it really is that much of a hop-bomb, you probably won't mind a little sweetness up front to balance it. If that sweetness stays on the tongue throughout, however, I would definitely follow Chris's advice and cut back on the carapils if you try it again.

Shit I forgot about that part. OK yeah that is pretty good attenuation. I guess the proof is in the pudding. Always reserve judgment until you've finished the batch and tasted it.

[lurker18]

The very hoppy part in this is not a bad thing. The sample actually tasted quite good, still alittle sweet, but hopefully the little fermentation going on will take care of this in the next week or two while dry hopping. I am not complaining on the beer so far. If I would have cut down on the amount of carapils, would that have not given the beer and even more pronounced hop kick and been really unbalanced? Right now this is tasting pretty good, lots of hops, but still drinkable. Much more, or being more unbalanced, it would be very sharp. Correct me if I am wrong on this please.

[Chris_J]

I think cutting it completely might lead to harsher bittering since there wouldn't be enough body or malt backbone to balance out the hops. If you're pretty much happy with it then it sounds like it's time to start fine-tuning. Maybe cut back on the carapils a little bit at a time until you find the balance that seems perfect for your tastes.

[lurker18]

Did the hydrometer test last night to see if the fermentation is done. Looks like I am going to be ending up with a FG around 1.017. Tasted this, and the bittering sharpness has fallen off a little (good thing) as well as the sweetness, although I kinda liked that sweetness. Tasted pretty darn good, I've had on of the hop bombs from the US that was pretty close to this, but I can't remember which one is was off the top of my head.

Hopefully bottling this one Sunday. Fingers crossed, this is my first time modifying, and so far everything seems to be going good.

[lurker18]

Finally go this beer to finish. It would not carbonate on it's own, so I tried to add some of the dry Coopers yeast that came with the kit. That did nothing, I am assuming the alcohol killed the yeast. Tried again with some champagne yeast and it worked. Had the first one last night, and it was quite good, no something you would sit and have a bunch of (11.2% ABV), but the champagne yeast got a lot of carbonation into it, took out some of the over the top body that it had, and left a very slight smokey flavour. Pain in the ass, but at least I don't have to dump it.