Heavy honey stout ABV

[geoffclifton]

In complete contrast to my half kilo K&K's I've just put in my third brew of honey stout. I'm not looking for cigars or flames for the recipe as we already know this is a very nice beer. I changed this brew from 1Kg of dark crystal malt to !.5Kg dark roasted malt and ran the recipe through the brewers calc to refreh my memory of what to expect. I'm a tad surprised at the lower than expected predicted FG of 1010 and at the high ABV of 8.2% so I'd appreciate expert comment

OK I know the hydrometer should be my source of info but I lost faith in it ages ago due to the interference of suspended solids and gas. Much prefer to watch the airlock (blowoff hose into a jar) and once I can get through a smoke and a coffee without seeing a single bubble I bottle next day. That said I'll leave the stout for 14 days at 18* regardless. My draughts on half a kilo are finshed in 5 days and bottled at 7 days.

Anyway the stout. Do you agree with the BC predictions and will it really go to 8.8% ABV or will the yeast likely give up before it gets that high?

Goldings hop bag boiled 30 minutes
1.7Kg Coopers Stout
1.5Kg Morgans dark roast liquid malt
1 Kg Honey
1Kg Dark brown sugar
28 litres total in fermenter
2 x Coopers kit yeasts pitched at 25* and down to 18* in 4 hours. Fermenting vigorously at 13 hours.

Cheers, Geoff.

Edit. I was 2 litres shy on the first posting. Now down from 8.8 to 8.2% ABV. That's 2 litres more water bring alcohol down by over half a percent.

[warra48]

With 1 kg of honey, and 1 kg of brown sugar, it surely will be at least that strong.
BeerSmith, if I did it correctly, gives an OG of 1.116 for 23 litres.

[geoffclifton]

Fermented out beautifully in 8 days. Fg 1012.
Bulk primed the batch on 200g sugar.
I was given a fat hydrometer tube last week, good timing. It's nearly double the size of the case that comes with hydrometers and has a self standing flat base. For peace of mind I tested this brew at bottle time. The larger tube gives a better and faster result.
Got to give myself the Dummie award though I forgot to pull the blow off tube out of the fermenter when I dumped it into the bulk primer and thus siphoned half a litre into the wort. Not too concerned as the jar had a lid with the tube passing through a hole so I'm confident the water was well blanketed with CO2. Had to change it twice during ferment as this brew went like Vesuvius. Oh and and the FG tester tasted glorious. A bit sweet, no kidding , but stout and honey and mocca all there. The carb and a bit of age will do it's thing.

Geoff.