Fermenting High Gravity Ales
#1
Posted 14 May 2009 - 11:40 AM
#2
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:06 PM
#3
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:15 PM
Edited by MyBeerPants, 14 May 2009 - 12:18 PM.
#4
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:20 PM
I'm looking at trying my hand at a monster beer... a Bourbon County Stout-like beer that will have a OG in the neighborhood of 1.120-1.130..... the goal is to reach for ~12-13% ABV... are there some tricks to getting this kind of tolerance out of your yeast?? of course I naturally assume a huge huge starter... in fact I was planning on doing a 1 gal batch of this stuff to use as the starter for it... any suggestions on getting the kind of content I'm lookin for out of this?? would it be prudent to try and ferment with a standard ale yeast like 1028 or something then, if needed, transfer to secondary and use a wine/mead/champagne yeast to get a bit further down (if needed of course)...
#5
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:28 PM
#6
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:37 PM
#7
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:38 PM
#8
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:39 PM
I considered the 1728 since I've had good luck with it on the scotch ales that gravity in the 1.080-1.090 range...I do a big Imperial Stout every fall and age it for a year or so. It typically hits 13%+. I would mash lower than you think you need to, 147-149F. I would use some simple sugars in the grain bill, maybe 5-10% table sugar. I would use US05 or maybe WY1728, I've had good luck with both.Mashman
#9
Posted 14 May 2009 - 12:42 PM
I've used 1728 in AMBW and RIS with great success. It won't go as low as US05, but it will work well. US05 is so cheap you could dump 2-3 packs in and have good success.MashmanI considered the 1728 since I've had good luck with it on the scotch ales that gravity in the 1.080-1.090 range...
#10
Posted 14 May 2009 - 01:15 PM
#11
Posted 14 May 2009 - 02:09 PM
We used this yeast in our Club's Thomas Hardy clone with good results. Info as above apply: lots of O2, pitch a big starter ( making a small beer first a great idea), ferment at the lower end 66-68 dF, blow-off tube.has anyone tried the WLP099 Super High Gravity yeast??? their site claims it can ferment up to 25%
#12
Posted 14 May 2009 - 02:20 PM
#13
Posted 14 May 2009 - 05:24 PM
#14
Posted 14 May 2009 - 05:56 PM
#15
Posted 14 May 2009 - 06:07 PM
I've had US-05 (then U-56) ferment out to 11.54%. FG was 1.012. I was going to bottle condition those, but they never carbed in the bottle. I think I asked too much of that little red packet. My records show 132 days in secondary, maybe that had something to do with it not carbing too.Tony, I think you're starting to worry too much about this one. I've read that US-05 has an alcohol tolerance of 12% abv. Just pitch 3 packets (still cheaper than liquid!) and ferment around 65F. My last RIS (using US-05) came in at 10.5% easy-peasy.
#16
Posted 14 May 2009 - 06:31 PM
#17
Posted 14 May 2009 - 07:25 PM
Big beers are always harder to carb, best bet is to add fresh yeast at bottling as well as priming sugar. Hell I have a 12% BSG that needs to hit 6 volumes of CO2 to be ready for the methode champenoise.I've had US-05 (then U-56) ferment out to 11.54%. FG was 1.012. I was going to bottle condition those, but they never carbed in the bottle. I think I asked too much of that little red packet. My records show 132 days in secondary, maybe that had something to do with it not carbing too.
#18
Posted 14 May 2009 - 07:36 PM
Yes, it takes some work though. I've tried to max in once feeding the fermentation, etc. and only got 18% out of it.Anyways for the gravity you are shooting at it doesn't take to much extra. As mentioned: Mash low, aerate well, pitch a good cake (best off a lower gravity or pale ale type beer), roust the yeast, AND BE PATIENT.If your recipe is using any non-grain sugars as fermentables as well you can wait to put those in till its fermenting strongly and has gotten into the 1.050-1.070 range and then feed those in. Its a little harder for yeast to build up a healthy fermentation in the higher gravity worts so holding off on any sugars you can till they are fermenting healthily away does help.has anyone tried the WLP099 Super High Gravity yeast??? their site claims it can ferment up to 25%
#20
Posted 15 May 2009 - 01:13 PM
Uhm... that's pretty much the same thing as the BYO article I posted written by Jamil, (See post #12 above), except the BYO article probably has better advice on how to acheive this. If you do this, and I hope you do, please let me know the results. I've been tempted... but am just too lazy to do this.i haven't tried this, but i'm going to.
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