Avoiding Danstar Windsor bottle bombs

[ReverendJ]

So a while back I made an all-grain variant of the Northern Brewers whiskey oak porter, mashed in at 152F and got an SG of 1.065 and after three weeks in the primary and 1 in the secondary at 68F it was down to 1.023 and wasn't moving at all, so I wrongly figured it was done and bottled the beer. After I bottled and gave out my beer, I moved overseas then got reports back that I inadvertently gave all my friends and family bottle bombs. While the ones that didn't explode were very tasty, I'd prefer not to have this happen again.

So the question is, how do I get flavors I want without the explosions? I was thinking I could go with the Windsor for 2 weeks then dump in some US-05 in but I don't know if that would kill the flavor profile or dry it out to much. Or is there an other dry yeast (I live in Australia, liquid yeast I hard to come by) I could use. This next batch I'm going to split 50/50 and added oaked whiskey to half and leave the other half as a robust just so I can get more beers judged at the next comp (I'm vain like that)

I have a modified temperature-controlled fridge so I can fuss with the temp as much as I want.

 

[Aonghus]

My suggestion would be to eliminate the 2ndary altogether and do a longer primary. IN addition to which, you could also gently swirl the fermentor once a day to re-suspend the yeast, until such time as your gravity drops to your target F.G.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I agree with a longer primary. You also might want to warm up the fermenter by a degree or two until it gets to your target.

I just made a black ale with that yeast (SG 1.061, FG 1.014 target gravity was 1.013), bottled at day 21 and still ended up with one bottle bomb (WTF??) at day 35.

 

[serum]

I's also go with giving it more time in primary. I'm impatient and find it's better brewing when I know I'm not going to have time to bottle until around 3-4 weeks after brewing. That way I can be sure the yeast is done and I've found I get a more rounded flavour that way.

 

[Pappers_]

As stated above, keep it in primary longer, but my addition would be 'until fermentation is complete'. Don't go by weeks or time, go by the state of the fermentation. Keep it on the yeast cake until fermentation is done - doesn't matter if that is 10 days, two weeks, or a month. Then, if you wish, rack to secondary.