bottle refermentation

Mapleroots · 03-21-2010, 04:37 PM

I brewed a dopple bock Lager this winter that has been sitting for close to 5 months now and I'm ready to bottle this German. My only question is if I can use the yeast at the bottom of the carboy to add this for bottle conditioning? Is this yeast even still active?

TipsyDragon · 03-21-2010, 04:40 PM

wait. you left a lager on the yeast for 5 months???? give it a good sniff and taste test before you do anything.

Mapleroots · 03-21-2010, 04:54 PM

sorry of the confusion, I racked from my primary to the secondary after 14 days and then let lager for 5 months. The beer tastes and smells great. My question is pertaining to the secondary, were I see some yeast and trub sediment. should I just invest in some fresh yeast to get some activity going again. I so how much would you recommend for 6.5 gal.

**Nurmey** · 03-21-2010, 05:05 PM

You may not need to repitch but it won't hurt just to be sure. Rehydrate a half a pack and add it to the bottling bucket.

jescholler · 03-21-2010, 05:16 PM

I don't have any experience with leaving a lager in the secondary for 5 months, but if I did, I would probably repitch. Check out this thread for some recommendations from Wyeast on how much yeast to use:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/bottle-conditioning-barleywine-165607/

Mapleroots · 03-21-2010, 05:32 PM

Thank you for that thread, I will be re-pitching a WLP833 German Bock using these measurements. This should be one tasty beer in say 2 months. just in time to open a few with the Germans for this seasonal brew.

**Yooper** · 03-21-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mapleroots

Thank you for that thread, I will be re-pitching a WLP833 German Bock using these measurements. This should be one tasty beer in say 2 months. just in time to open a few with the Germans for this seasonal brew.

I wouldn't bother repitching the Bock yeast. I'd save money and buy some dry yeast (like nottingham) and use 1/3-1/2 package of it. The easiest way is to boil the priming solution, and let cool. Pour that into your bottling bucket, and add the yeast. Stir it up gently and let it get a bit foamy. Siphon the beer into it. It'll "swirl" around and mix up and be enough yeast to fully carb up that beer.

Mapleroots · 03-21-2010, 11:41 PM

that sounds like a great idea. Do you have any opinion on the priming sugar that I should use. since I've been brewing, Ive used nothing but dextrose, but I'm not sure if I should use a grainier sugar or not for this style of beer.

**Yooper** · 03-21-2010, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mapleroots

that sounds like a great idea. Do you have any opinion on the priming sugar that I should use. since I've been brewing, Ive used nothing but dextrose, but I'm not sure if I should use a grainier sugar or not for this style of beer.

The priming sugar will ferment out, so you can use whatever you'd like. I just almost always use dextrose, but I've used DME occassionally, too. It really doesn't matter, since you won't get any taste from it.