Yeast question on a higher gravity recipe

Hi folks,

I want to make this BYO magazines 15th anniversary ale, seen here http://***********/blogs/byos-15-anniversary-ale-test-batch.html/blogger/Chris Colby/

I notice the recipe calls for 2 types of yeast, am i reading that correct? Never heard of adding 2 types of yeast. Also, how soon should I make the yeast/starter. i heard 24 hours before i brew, is this accurate? Thanks in advance!

Einherjar Ale

(12% ABV base beer for BYO’s 15th Anniversary Ale)

(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)

OG = 1.114 FG = 1.020

IBU = 47 SRM = 28 ABV = 12%



Ingredients

10 lbs. domestic 2-row pale malt

7.5 lbs. Vienna malt

1 lb. 14 oz. (30 oz.) Munich malt

15 oz. wheat malt

8.0 oz. aromatic malt

4 oz. crystal malt (60 °L)

3 oz. chocolate malt

1.5–4.0 lbs. cane sugar (amount depends on wort gravity after wort collection)

1/4 tsp yeast nutrients (in boil)

1/4 tsp yeast nutrients (in fermenter)

15 AAU Summit hops (90 mins)

Trappist ale yeast (2 qt./2 L yeast starter)

Scottish ale yeast (2 qt./2 L yeast starter)

That is indeed two yeast strains. Kind of an odd combination, IMO, but it could be good. BYO probably knows what it's doing.

With new liquid yeast I make the starter the night before I brew. You'll get maximum yeast reproduction in the first 12-18 hours. After that, your starter is just making beer.

Definitely make a starter, pitching even an 11g pack of yeast might not be enough to finish your ferm, its happened to me. From then on, when Im making a big beer, I make a huge starter from Mr Malty's instructions. Trust me, it will help your ferm to finish faster and reduces the chances of re-pitching yeast after a stalled fermentation.

Follow the instructions here
http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

-Jefe-

+1 on Nateo

I have read a little about yeast combinations, in fact White Labs has some "blends" in their inventory!

As an option, you could let the starter finish out in about 3 or 4 days, chill overnight in the fridge, when ready to pitch just decant the starter beer from the top of the yeast(the yeast will settle out). Mixing some wort with the yeast before you pitch will help get all the yeast out of the container.

thanks everyone, makes sense!

I think the Trappist High Gravity is just used to finish off what the Scottish Ale yeast leaves behind. The Trappist has a higher attenuation than the Scottish Ale. I'm thinking that if you used 100% Trappist, it would have too many esters and phenols for what the brewer intended.

This might be a bit off topic since it's not related directly to your question. Here's a good website to read if you're going to do a big beer:
http://beerdujour.com/Howtobrewabigbeer.htm

When using the Mr Malty calculator, be sure to enter your yeast production date. For this beer, a 4 liter starter will be just big enough if your yeast was made yesterday.

I've had issues with under-attenuated big beers in the past, so I treat pitching rates as exponential. Quick rule of thumb: I make a 2l starter for a 1.050 beer, I'll make an 8l starter for a 1.100 beer. Is that too much yeast? Maybe. But having too little yeast is a lot worse.

Avery makes some very big beers. I read in Brew Like a Monk when they started making their Reverend Quadruple, which is only 1.090-ish, they had problems with under-attenuation. Since then, they upped their pitching rate to the point they call it "Too many to count" and their big beers turn out a lot better.