Attempting 40%+ ABV beer... "Barley Brandy"

[Cape Brewing]

(nodding in quiet confidence)

JESUS... I GOTTA get that vid put together and posted. Even though it didn't turn out the way I wanted, there was nothing about that day that wasn't epic. Deep fat fried whole hog and 29 taps flowing.

Back to your normally scheduled program..

 

[Ravenshead]

^^I must see this. Post it you must.

 

[bob1852]

^^I must see this. Post it you must.

I'm beginning to think this didn't happen....

talk, talk, talk - yet no evidence: other than the blurry picture of the brine - which could've either been the pig, or bigfoot

 

[DakotaRules]

Cape if you have a thread going for your pig I have video and pictures also. And evidence if the 32 taps!

 

[lastsecondapex]

Cape if you have a thread going for your pig I have video and pictures also. And evidence if the 32 taps!

How much did he pay you? I call shenanigans!

 

[Cape Brewing]

I have a HBC meeting tomorrow night and then I am heading to upstate NY Weds through Sun for a fam reunion. It'll happen.

Here was a thread I started on it:


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f172/epic-256086/index7.html

 

[bottlebomber]

I had a great idea for you to obtain your barley brandy this morning. You can distill it. Yuk yuk yuk

 

[Cape Brewing]

Its stalled and I cant get it to budge. I trued the boules bread yeast trick and nuthin. I have pitched a few healthy slugs of 099 with Oxygen and still nothinv. I am at 1075. I still havent tried the champaign yeast so there is at least one more shot but I'm not holding out a ton of hope. It sucks because I thinkit tastes awesome so far. It just needs to keep drying out a bit.

Some one is gonna suggest beano but I can't possibly imagine fermentables being the issue. I mashed at 145 for almost two hours. It can't possibly be full of complex sugars.

 

[bovineblitz]

Would brett have a shot at doing anything?

 

[bottlebomber]

Would brett have a shot at doing anything?

Oh it would do something alright...

 

[biochemedic]

Its stalled and I cant get it to budge. I trued the boules bread yeast trick and nuthin. I have pitched a few healthy slugs of 099 with Oxygen and still nothinv. I am at 1075. I still havent tried the champaign yeast so there is at least one more shot but I'm not holding out a ton of hope. It sucks because I thinkit tastes awesome so far. It just needs to keep drying out a bit.

Some one is gonna suggest beano but I can't possibly imagine fermentables being the issue. I mashed at 145 for almost two hours. I can't possibly be full of complex sugars.

I can't remember without going through the whole thread....What was your OG, and what is your current ABV? You may be stuck trying something like a champagne yeast, but perhaps consider other yeasts that are good a restarting stuck ferments, such as Wyeast 3711.

Whatever yeast you consider repitching, I'd make a starter, then repitch that yeast onto a new starter with an OG above your current (say, ~1.080), then after that settles down and drops, decant of the spent starter and remove 1-2 quarts of your wort, and move that onto the starter cake...if you can get that to start, then pitch the whole thing back into your whole batch...

 

[bottlebomber]

Whatever yeast you consider repitching, I'd make a starter, then repitch that yeast onto a new starter with an OG above your current (say, ~1.080), then after that settles down and drops, decant of the spent starter and remove 1-2 quarts of your wort, and move that onto the starter cake...if you can get that to start, then pitch the whole thing back into your whole batch...

That's a damn fine idea

 

[jeepinjeepin]

On a stir plate. With heat. And O2. And a prayer.

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Whatever yeast you consider repitching, I'd make a starter, then repitch that yeast onto a new starter with an OG above your current (say, ~1.080), then after that settles down and drops, decant of the spent starter and remove 1-2 quarts of your wort, and move that onto the starter cake...if you can get that to start, then pitch the whole thing back into your whole batch...

BRILLIANT! :rockin:

 

[biochemedic]

On a stir plate. With heat. And O2. And a prayer.

And yeast nutrient too, it also occurs to me...

And thanks to all for the qudos on the yeast starter idea...

 

[lastsecondapex]

Use Lalvin Ki-1116 or EC-1118, They're tolerant to 20-25% in much harsher conditions than Champagne or 099. It restarted my Imp stout in about 6 hrs, and 099 wasn't doing anything. It's a killer yeast strain though, so only use it as an absolute last resort.

 

[motobrewer]

Its stalled and I cant get it to budge. I trued the boules bread yeast trick and nuthin. I have pitched a few healthy slugs of 099 with Oxygen and still nothinv. I am at 1075. I still havent tried the champaign yeast so there is at least one more shot but I'm not holding out a ton of hope. It sucks because I thinkit tastes awesome so far. It just needs to keep drying out a bit.

Some one is gonna suggest beano but I can't possibly imagine fermentables being the issue. I mashed at 145 for almost two hours. It can't possibly be full of complex sugars.

try beano.

 

[Cape Brewing]

try beano.

Hat the hell are you doing posting?? Isnt it conjugal-visit time at the men's super-max? Shouldn't you be putting your hair up in ponytails by now?

 

[Brew-Happy]

Use Lalvin Ki-1116 or EC-1118, They're tolerant to 20-25% in much harsher conditions than Champagne or 099. It restarted my Imp stout in about 6 hrs, and 099 wasn't doing anything. It's a killer yeast strain though, so only use it as an absolute last resort.

I use EC-1118 here at work and it does work like a beast. Fermentations are usually done in a few days.

It leaves a slight residual sweetness in our wines. ~1-2% so it will dry your beer out. But if you ice distill this that will boost your sugars back up. Maybe backsweeten, but you will need to sterile filter.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I have had a couple packs of 1116 and 1118 waiting in the wings. I think it is time to just fire them in and see what I get.

 

[paulthenurse]

Use one or the other, not the two together. They don't play well together.

 

[Brew-Happy]

I have had a couple packs of 1116 and 1118 waiting in the wings. I think it is time to just fire them in and see what I get.

EC-1118 is very neutral in aroma and flavors from the yeast. We use it so we can get a good idea of the profile of specific grapes.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Wasnt going to putch them together... And was plannin on using the 1118.

I will probably rack to another fermenter... Again... To get it off of whatever 099 that has been pitched so far and then try the 1118

 

[makomachine]

I love the thought process and the tenacity but have to think you are oxidizing this beer with all of the futzing. What process are you using to keep transfer oxidation to a minimum?

 

[YogiBearMead726]

Use Lalvin Ki-1116 or EC-1118, They're tolerant to 20-25% in much harsher conditions than Champagne or 099. It restarted my Imp stout in about 6 hrs, and 099 wasn't doing anything. It's a killer yeast strain though, so only use it as an absolute last resort.

Just to clarify, those yeasts are not tolerant up to 25%. EC-1118, 18-19% maybe if you're really really good about managing your fermentation. K1V-1116 is more like 16-18%. EC-1118 also is a Champange yeast...

As for the killer yeast thing, why exactly is that an issue? If all other yeasts have crapped out, why would it matter that K1V puts out some protiens that other yeast find toxic? Also, the killer factor doesn't affect all yeast the same way...the yeast being affected has to be sensitive to that specific protien for any issues to arise.

I would personally go with something like Uvaferm-43 for restarting stuck ferments. If that doesn't help, probably nothing will.

You could always try fortifying this to help dry it out...it might be cheating, but it might be one of the only options.

Good luck!

 

[biochemedic]

So what was your actual OG again?...how far has this thing come already?

 

[Cape Brewing]

1200. Its down to 1075 so a little over 17% abv

 

[bottlebomber]

1200. Its down to 1075 so a little over 17% abv

Man... I just followed a thread where scotland did a DFH 120 clone and pushed it well past 20% with 099. He was of course nursing it along with dex the whole time. Maybe the mistake was in slugging it with all that sugar at once. Maybe you could have dried it out more if you fed your second, stronger batch in a little at a time until the yeast conked out, then called it good...

He was waiting on his brew hand and foot though, and you were cruising all over the coutryside doing all kinds of BS maybe next time you'll nail it

 

[brandonhagen1]

very intrested to find out what happens

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I love the thought process and the tenacity but have to think you are oxidizing this beer with all of the futzing. What process are you using to keep transfer oxidation to a minimum?

At 15%+ is oxidation really that much of a problem?