Freeze Concentrated Stout

I recently made a stout for Thanksgiving.  I took inspiration from a BrewingTV episode when Chip took a chocolate stout and freeze distilled (jacked) it.  While making this stout itself, I decided to make a 6 gallon batch rather than a 5 gallon batch with the intent of doing the same.

On keg day, a mere 8 days after brewing I took a gallon of the beer and placed it in a clean, sanitized water jug.  I added 1 cup of water (which was primed) to the jug and then stuck it in my freezer for 24 hours.  The FG of the stout was 1.010.

I took the jug out of the freezer and much to my surprise about 20 minutes later it was already starting to thaw.  I placed the jug on top of a strainer which was sitting in a large Pyrex measurer (see pic).  It took about 10 minutes for all of the dark liquid to drain out.

I was coming out pretty quickly, looking much like motor oil getting drained from the pan.  After all was said and done there was about 1600ml of liquid before drain from the jug started to dry up.

I then took my bottling wand and attached small funnel to the end of the tube that I use to connect my want to my bottling bucket and poured the liquid slowly into some swing-top bottles that I had.  I managed to fill 3 bottles and then poured the rest into a glass to sample (for science).  I’m going to let the bottles sit for about 2 weeks and see what happens.  I’m also going to try this “Jersey Jack Stout” next to the stout I made from the other 5 gallons of wort.

First taste from the left-overs: As it warmed the roast flavors came through.  The glass darkened as I swirled the glass around.  Faint smells of alcohol on the nose, but zero in the taste.  It’s hard, but I can pull some orange aroma.  Some rye, some roast, and even some citrus on the tongue.  I’m hoping, but not holding my breath, that any surviving yeast will carb up those bottles.

The whole process of bottling took about 20 minutes and yielded 3 beers.