Super High Gravity RIS

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old_tx_kbb

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I brewed a new RIS with an OG of 1.116 and had planning on feeding it more sugar to get it to 18% ABV.

I initially used a fresh yeast cake of WLP004 from a Dry Irish Stout batch
(my propagation batch) and O2 to oxygenate it. After it looked like the yeast was slowing down (3 days), I took a reading and the gravity was 1.032....I loved that !

I added 3 lbs of honey and more oxygen.....but it has stuck at 1.042. I'm planning on adding some DAP and either a champagne yeast or WLP099 starter to get it unstuck.

Any thoughts on the WLP099 or the champage yeast ?

Thanks to all of you !
 
More info on the post above:

With the OG at 1.116 and the FG at 1.032, then the initial ABV was right at 11%. Since I was using a fresh yeast cake of WLP004 and lots of O2, I got a pretty good apparent attenuation of about 72%....which is fine for WLP004. WLP004 has a medium to high alcohol tolerance, so I can see why the yeast pooped out at 11%. I don't think the DAP will help.

I think I could do alright with a starter of either the WLP099 or the champagne yeast. My only experience with the WLP099 was a big 20% Barleywine that finished at 0.998. At first it was rocket fuel with little body. After a year of conditioing, the
alcohol/solvent heat was gone. I'm just concerned that the WLP099 will finish at an extremely low gravity.

I've also read about mashing a pound of malted barley at 140° F to extract about a quart of liquid that would have active beta amylase enzymes and add that to my fermenter with a risk of affecting my sanitation.

If anyone has experience with high gravity stuck fermentation and possible solutions....I'm open for suggestions.

Thanks !
 
*crickets*
I too am interested in the answer to this question but having no experience with a brew of this high gravity I would only add speculation.
 
Without any other feedback...it was time to make a decision on this huge AG Russian Imperial Stout.

I'm going with the idea of a highly oxygenated starter of the WLP099. It's spinning away on a stir plate right now....and I'll pitch it tomorrow. If more yeast is needed...then I'll go with the champagne yeast....but I doubt it will need any more. My experience with WLP099 is that it ferments with great speed at higher temps....so I'll keep this below 70 degrees. If the WLP099 over-attenuates....then I can always blend this with another RIS...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will make things right. I have plans to rack this off to a 20 liter whiskey barrel I'd gotten from a local distiller here in Tennessee when it's time for it to condition for awhile in secondary.

Hopefully it will reach it's stride by Christmas 2013.....but just in case the Mayans were right....I'll be testing it before this December.
 
Since your issue definitely appeared to be yeast alcohol tolerance, I'd say the WLP099 was probably the best way to go.

The only thing I'd add is that even though honey is a simple sugar it can sometimes take a while to ferment, especially when near the alcohol tolerance of the yeast. I had US-05 take a mead to 13%, but it took a couple months of very slow bubbling to get those last few points. WLP099 should take care of that though, I would think - although I have no personal experience with it!

Hope it turns out well!
 
what do you conisder to be over-attenuated? if you want it to finish around where the 004 initially kicked off (1.032), champagne may be the better call so it just eats the added honey. the 099 will likely take it a bit further.
 
After 16 hours it's gone down to 1.022....so it's dropped 20 points....

It's not too hot....it's very alcoholic..here at 1.022 it still has some good body, although it still tastes sweet, even a bit cloying

I'm pretty sure the 099 wants to keep eating....

I'd like it to go down a little bit more...maybe to 1.016....but then I think I'd have to crash it down to 30° F to stop the fermentation.
 
I've used the 099 to finish off barleywines in the past and it has done a great job. You just need to get it going in a decent sized starter. I even had the 099 get a 1.117 beer down to 1.010; very nice indeed.
 
I measured again last night and it was down to 1.015. I really don't want to take a chance with it getting below 1.010.....so it's off to the freezer to crash it at about 31°F. I don't think it will freeze at this temp with so much alcohol in it. I think I'm satisfied with 16% ABV. I know I could go higher, but I don't want to compromise the taste for more alcohol contest.

I'll rack it later to secondary to get it off the yeast and hope that I keep very little yeast. Probably let it sit in secondary for a month or two....then move it to my whiskey barrel for awhile...until I get the oak/whiskey character that I'd like for i to have.

Thanks for your input everyone!
 
I did a taste test after 3 days at 31°F. Not hot alcohol taste at all....alcohol perception is much lower than I could have ever imagined with a Russian Imperial Stout that is so young at 16% ABV. It's very vey low!

I'll work on getting my barrel ready for transfer...
 
Wow that's pretty amazing that it tastes good this young. You're gonna have a nice aging beer on your hands if you can lay a few bottles down! Congrats!
 

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