high gravity experts?

coyote · 02-22-2008, 08:45 PM

looking for a bit more input on this problem. (no disrespect to malkore and YooperBrew.)

www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=55868

thanks!

**Brewtopia** · 02-22-2008, 09:07 PM

My experience with the big Belgians that I've brewed, particularly Grapes of Wrath and Une Terreur Sainte is that I've had to re-yeast in the bottle to get them to carbonate sufficiently.

With the combination of the very high OG on these beers along with the long aging period I wasn't convinced that there was enough viable yeast left to carbonate. I used a packet of Safbrew T-58 re-hydrated and added to my bottling bucket along with the normal amount of priming solution.

I was very happy with the results. I did however use Belgian beer bottles that are thicker and designed to hold more pressure than the typical 12 or 22 oz. bottle.

I did bottle a couple of Une Terreur Sainte's without additional yeast to see if they would carb and there was very little carbonation in those bottles even after several months.

I plan on adding additional yeast at bottling to Monstrocity as well which is currently in the secondary. It had an OG of 1.125

landhoney · 02-22-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewtopia

I plan on adding additional yeast at bottling to Monstrocity as well which is currently in the secondary. It had an OG of 1.125

I'd like to hear about that one topia, and ferocity.

**Brewtopia** · 02-22-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by landhoney

I'd like to hear about that one topia, and ferocity.

Monstrocity is an interesting experiment. I took 5 gallons of the first runnings of Stix IPA from the last brew day along with a large slurry of Abbey II yeast from the fermenter. Took it home and boiled it up using all Saaz hops. I was going to water back to around 1.080 but thought "what the heck" and just went ahead and pitched the yeast into the beer with an original gravity of 1.125. It is currently sitting in the secondary at 1.020 and I just added 2 oz. of French oak cubes.
I'll add the recipe to the data base once I know how it turns out.

Ferocity is a Tripel that I brewed using only Pilsner, Caravienne, Caramunich, a pound of candi sugar and one Styrian Goldings hop addition. I pitched onto the Monstrocity yeast cake and got a HUGE ferment! Still deciding whether or not to oak it. OG on this beer was 1.081

landhoney · 02-23-2008, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brewtopia

Monstrocity is an interesting experiment. I took 5 gallons of the first runnings of Stix IPA from the last brew day along with a large slurry of Abbey II yeast from the fermenter. Took it home and boiled it up using all Saaz hops. I was going to water back to around 1.080 but thought "what the heck" and just went ahead and pitched the yeast into the beer with an original gravity of 1.125. It is currently sitting in the secondary at 1.020 and I just added 2 oz. of French oak cubes.
I'll add the recipe to the data base once I know how it turns out.

Ferocity is a Tripel that I brewed using only Pilsner, Caravienne, Caramunich, a pound of candi sugar and one Styrian Goldings hop addition. I pitched onto the Monstrocity yeast cake and got a HUGE ferment! Still deciding whether or not to oak it. OG on this beer was 1.081

Sorry for the

discussion coyote, had to hear about these. Brewtopia those sound great, very interesting beers.

coyote · 02-23-2008, 01:12 AM

no problems at ALL...I love hearing about these as well!

Brewtopia, thanks for your response!

avidhomebrewer · 02-23-2008, 02:00 AM

I've made many big beers (up to about an og of 1.150 or so), mainly Belgian brews, which had an og around 1.100 or so. I used normal brewers yeast for the big Belgians (usually Wyeast abbey I and abbey II, strong ale, etc.). I agree with the link in your post above, with malkore and yooperbrew. If you add champagne yeast, they will probably over-carbonate if you bottle right away. If you add champagne yeast to the secondary and let ferment for a while, it will dry out your beer, which isn't good for a beer this big. I pitched a HUGE volume of yeast and used the same yeast to carbonate without any issues (although I'm gonna keg the 15%). I found that the Wyeast strains can easily carbonate a big beer without pitching any more yeast, even after sitting in the secondary for 6+ months.

malkore · 02-23-2008, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coyote

(no disrespect to malkore and YooperBrew.)

No worries. I am not a high gravity expert, and besides...with internet forums, you don't know who knows their stuff and who just likes to hear themselves talk...err, type.

coyote · 02-23-2008, 12:48 PM

appreciate the replies...