14 replies to this topic

[Brian72]

How does SA do it with thier Utopias? Sorry, if this has been covered before.

[3rd party JKor]

without pants?

[chuck_d]

I believe they keep feeding the yeast during fermentation with stuff like maple syrup.

[Winkydowbrewing]

i had heard that they use a proprietary yeast which i believe was deemed "ninja yeast" and basically keep adding additions of fermentables to keep upping the ABV. over a long period of time. I have never heard homebrew getting up to the 24-26% range, but I know you can definitely accomplish 15% or so.

[3rd party JKor]

While kinda interesting from a process perspective, I have zero interest in drinking a 25% ABV beer.

[MtnBrewer]

i had heard that they use a proprietary yeast which i believe was deemed "ninja yeast" and basically keep adding additions of fermentables to keep upping the ABV. over a long period of time. I have never heard homebrew getting up to the 24-26% range, but I know you can definitely accomplish 15% or so.

NInja yeast is probably some strain of sake yeast. I was at Bristol one day talking to the head brewer about really strong beers. He grabbed three tasting glasses and disappeared into the depths of the brewery. He came back with what looked like 10W40 with about 10,000 miles on it. He said it was a special high-gravity version of their Winter Warlock oatmeal stout. He said that it took three different yeasts and a couple of years to ferment it down. The final yeast was a sake yeast. Apparently they have a very high alcohol tolerance.

While kinda interesting from a process perspective, I have zero interest in drinking a 25% ABV beer.

This is how I feel too although I have been known to climb into the madness to get a sample of Utopias at GABF.

[pods8]

White labs has one that can get into 21% supposedly with feeding the batch. Best I managed to get it up to was 18% when I tried.Mnt. interesting note about the sake yeast, I hadn't heard that one before.

[chuck_d]

Here's BYO on making 21% ABV beer: https://www.byo.com/...-all-grain-beer

[MtnBrewer]

Here's BYO on making 21% ABV beer: https://www.byo.com/...-all-grain-beer

Cause of Death Love the name!(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)Virtual OG = 1.210 FG = 1.044 Ingredients * 31 lbs. (14 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt

[Seagis]

13 tablets Beano

THAT'S an interesting ingredient.

[chuck_d]

THAT'S an interesting ingredient.

I believe it's purpose is to breakdown unfermentable sugars into fermentable ones, but it's been awhile since I read it.

[MyaCullen]

I believe it's purpose is to breakdown unfermentable sugars into fermentable ones, but it's been awhile since I read it.

It works, well. The liquid drops work better.I used it to make an "ultra" low cal beer for a friend, I hated it he loved it.Also have use it in a Rice/Corn experiment to try to achieve a grain fermentation without any malt.

[pods8]

Virtual OG = 1.210 FG = 1.066

Sounds like we started in the same place but FTFY for my FG. Too sweet. We chatted about this a bit back that I might blend it into something or such but now I have some other batches that need to get done.

[Deerslyr]

Here's BYO on making 21% ABV beer: https://www.byo.com/...-all-grain-beer

I can't tell you how many times I've read that very article... that and the Chris Colby "Reiterated Mash" article. Unfortunately, I can only find that it was in the December '07 issue of BYO and it appears it is no longer an on-line article. I can't seem to recall how Chris accomplished his fermentation.That being said, finding the recipe for Utopia is a bitch. But IIRC, it has other non-grain adjuncts in it that give it a boost. Even so, its impressive for such a high ABV using yeast alone... no ice filtering... no distilling.

[Genesee Ted]

I thought Uptopias was an ongoing process. A blending of a lot of stuff. Could be wrong and probably am. I never thought of sake yeast. Awesome. Also, I would absolutely love to drink 25% ABV beer. I concede that this is not a "traditional beer", but as a lover of fermented beverages, what a treat.