Any super-high gravity brewers?

[Caffinehog]

Has anyone out there ever brewed a beer with 15%+++ alcohol? I mean homebrewers, since I know darn well about the 18% worldwide stout from dogfish head.
I'd like to explore the really deep end.

[chris1kanobi]

What do you want to know? Use alot of hops and crystal malt to balance out the flavor. Pitch as much yeast as you can (a primary cake if possible) airate the wort very well and use an alcohol tollerant yeast like Whitelabs High Gravity Ale yeast. It will take a long time for the flavor to mellow. I had Sam Adam's Quadruple Bock at the 2003 GABF and it claimed to be 25% alcohol. It tasted like watered down wiskey, :eek:

[Fast_Eddy]

Attenuation of super high gravity worts can be a problem. There are a few strategies that I've read....see last months BYO for a good discussion of this issue.

[S.F.B.]

The highest alcahol I have done is around 12%. It just went into the secondary and I won't be bottling for a few months. I did what chris1kanobi said and pitched over a Scotch ale yeast that I just racked. Others that I have done include anything from 7%-9.5%.