2nd Yeast?

[Andy_P]

I brewed a holiday ale last weekend, OG came out at 1.110
I used the WL Trappist yeast, the airlock was bubbling like crazy for 3 days. I plan on adding some Amaretto to it this weekend. Should I pitch a 2nd yeast seeing that the OG was so high? I forgot to take a reading today before work, it's been about 6 days.

*Edited to fix my OG.

 

[schokie]

Sounds like you have a good fermentation going, so I wouldn't worry about it. What you have is fine. If you're going to bottle you might want to consider pitching a second batch of yeast a few days prior to ensure you have healthy yeast for bottle conditioning. But that depends on how long you're aging the beer and how quickly you want it to carbonate. But I wouldn't add anything extra at this point just to help with fermentation.

How much did you pitch initially? If you didn't do a starter then it would have been best to pitch both yeast at the beginning. But it's too late to worry about that now.

 

[Andy_P]

I didn't use a starter for this, pitched 1 vial so far. I am going to bottle, was thinking about 2 weeks in the secondary. Adding Amaretto and a cinnamon stick. Also, with the cinnamon stick is it better to break it up or just throw it in whole?

 

[JR_Brewer]

I agree with schokie. Too late to worry about it.

Add the amarreto (which may kick-start further fermentation), and then take the gravity after a few days. If it's too high, find a write up here on HBT on "Stuck Fermentation." There are several options you could consider, one of which would be to add yeast.

 

[kh54s10]

Assuming that the OG was 1.110 not 0.110 using just one vial was not nearly enough yeast to properly do the job. It will ferment the yeast but when underpitching a lot the yeast need to spend a lot of energy reproducing before they start the fermentation. This can lead to off flavors.

It is too late to worry about that for this beer. But, look into making starters when using liquid yeast, especially with big beers.

I don't know about using the cinnamon stick. I never have so far.

I would let this ferment for 2-3 weeks, check the gravity and if it is ok, rack to secondary, add the Amaretto and cinnamon and leave it for another 3-4 weeks. I would bottle condition these for at least 3 months.

 

[duboman]

No need to add yeast now and most likely you won't need to add yeast at bottling either, there should still be plenty of viable yeast in suspension at that time as well.

Once the beer is at final gravity take a sample and be sure there are no off flavors from the stressed yeast. If there are off flavors present leave the beer on the yeast to clean up. If no off flavors are present then rack it into secondary and add the Amaretto. Give it a few days and then sample to taste. Allow it to be a bit stronger than you desire as it will fade a bit with conditioning. Then add the cinnamon. 1-2 sticks should be fine, whole. Cinnamon can be overpowering so go easy and again, sample in a day or two to taste. Once the flavor is where you want it, package it

 

[Andy_P]

Yes, sorry it was 1.110.

Thanks for the tips, I'll take a reading tomorrow and see how the taste is.

 

[Gameface]

Once your beer is actively fermenting there are many many times the amount of yeast you pitched in there. The problem with underpitching is that there is excessive reproduction which can cause undesirable flavors. Adding another vial of yeast doesn't significantly change how much yeast you have at that point and it doesn't erase the flavors that were produced during the lag phase while the yeast were reproducing.

 

[Andy_P]

I think I am going to be OK with this one. OG was 1.110 and took a reading yesterday, was at 1.020. No off taste in it. Only problem I may have is at 11.8% when I add the Amaretto it may push it close to the 15% which might kill off my Trappist yeast. Someone told me to use champagne yeast right before bottling?

 

[Gameface]

Sounds good!

RDWHAHB

 

[BigRob]

I wouldn't think Amaretto will increase the ABV much, unless you're adding a whole bottle.

 

[Andy_P]

About 500ml.

 

[schokie]

The danger with adding a different type of yeast prior to bottling, especially Champagne yeast, is that the new strain might consume sugars that the WLP500 didn't. Best case, there aren't enough unfermented sugars left to make much difference. Worst case, you bottle right away and end up with bottle bombs. If you want to add anything, add more of the same strain of yeast used for fermentation.

WLP500 has high alcohol tolerance. If you had a normal, complete fermentation, I wouldn't worry about it. Just bottle what you've got at bottling time. The only downside is it might take an extra week or two to carb up for you.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I used this yeast recently. OG of 1.094 and it's currently down to 1.016. I spent a week making a stepped up starter for it. It's a Quad with tart cherries and wine soaked oak chips.

 

[BigRob]

Pretty sure champagne yeast only eat simple sugars, unlikely there's any remaining after WLP500 took a run at it. Certainly it doesn't consume maltose or any of the other complex sugars.

 

[Andy_P]

Moved this to a secondary on Sunday and on Monday it started bubbling again.