Bottle conditioning 'big' beer?

[lgp]

Hi everyone, I had a post a few weeks ago about a scotch ale milk stout beer I brewed as my first go at home brewing, which didn't work out so well, and since then I've had one batch go off very well, and a second that's well on it's way.

My second batch was a spiced pumpkin ale which actually ended up more like a pumpkin spice rye ale (between leaving the mulling spices in too long after the boil and using a little malted rye in the specialty bill, the flavors actually ended up complementing each other nicely) which sits at 6.7% ABV.

My question is about my third batch, which I'm about to bottle any day now. It's a very big winter/Christmas ale with lots of caramel, some spec b, light chocolate and some brown sugar/honey/maple syrup. It started out at 1.100, and I used White Labs San Diego Super Yeast, which has a tolerance of 10%-15% ABV. I used a yeast starter and yeast nutrient in primary, and after just 9 days in primary the airlock has settled down (about 2 minutes between bubbles), and the SG is sitting at 1.023, which is right around where I was expecting, and the beer is at 10% ABV. I'm waiting a few more days to take another reading, but assuming it's finished:

With a beer like this and this yeast strain, would I be OK just priming with corn sugar and bottle conditioning, or should I also pitch more yeast before bottling? The strain I used, on paper, should be fine for the ABV, but I've read that big beers can tire out the yeast and you have to re-pitch? I'd rather not spend another $6 on a second vial of San Diego Super Yeast (or other high-ABV strain) if I don't have to...thanks guys!

 

[unionrdr]

You should be fine with bottle conditioning. I've even got A big pitch of Cooper's ale yeast (rehydrated) to tolerate about 9.2%. And the ale was well cleared when I primed & bottled it. So I think you should be fine. I've got US-05 working on my Hellfire IIPA, which should come about 8.6%. I'll see how that goes if it tests done to day in order to dry hop/dry pepper it before bottling.

 

[MrAverageGuy]

Interested in the answers you get here....bottled one RIS recently using a hydrated half-packet of Nottingham (for the same reasons as the common advice you mention in your post)...but recently bottled a Yeti RIS clone that used WLP-001. Skipped the additional yeast at bottling. Won't know how either turned out for a good long while, so - curious what others say on this topic.

 

[unionrdr]

Well, in my experiences, big beers do take longer to carb & condition. That time varies widely, depending on the recipe, how much roasted malts are used, etc. A lot of dark roasted malt will be bitter till it mellows over weeks or months. Sometimes years. I switched from Black Patent to Black Prinz to avoid the need to mellow out all that bitterness.

 

[lgp]

Well, in my experiences, big beers do take longer to carb & condition. That time varies widely, depending on the recipe, how much roasted malts are used, etc. A lot of dark roasted malt will be bitter till it mellows over weeks or months. Sometimes years. I switched from Black Patent to Black Prinz to avoid the need to mellow out all that bitterness.

Yeah, I fully expect this to take a while to condition, I just want to make sure it'll actually carb OK without having to re-pitch. I'm planning on holding back at least a dozen bottles for next year. I didn't use too many dark malts in this. The darkest caramel was 60lv, the chocolate was a light-roast (for a chocolate anyway), and there's a LOT of light and amber base. SRM is about 25.

 

[unionrdr]

You should be good then. I like to bottle them when done fermenting & settled out clear or slightly misty. Then carb/condition/age them Then a week or two fridge time before drinking. My Hellfire IIPA started out @ 1.082 on brewday, 9/24/15. OG 1.082, first FG on 10/10/15 of 1.022. Today, second FG was 1.016. That gives 9.35% by Cooper's formula of (OG-FG)/7.46 + .5= ABV%. It tastes way better with no funk at all, & fermented with 2 packets of US-05 rehydrated. So it can take awhile to ferment. Bottled up, it shouldn't be more than a month till ready for fridge time. But that depends on how the lil yeasties feel about it at that point, of course.

 

[lgp]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to this one. I sampled the bit I pulled out for the SG measurement the other day, and it has LOADS of promise. Probably won't have a chance to bottle it until next Monday or Tuesday anyway, so I'll have another week to make absolutely sure it's done and to clear a bit.

 

[unionrdr]

That's the hard part, waiting for to settle out clear or slightly misty before dry hopping &/or packaging. I'm at that point with the Hellfire IIPA as of today. It's sorta like standing in front of the microwave yelling, " HURRY UUUUUP"!

 

[Psylocide]

You should be good then. I like to bottle them when done fermenting & settled out clear or slightly misty. Then carb/condition/age them Then a week or two fridge time before drinking. My Hellfire IIPA started out @ 1.082 on brewday, 9/24/15. OG 1.082, first FG on 10/10/15 of 1.022. Today, second FG was 1.016. That gives 9.35% by Cooper's formula of (OG-FG)/7.46 + .5= ABV%. It tastes way better with no funk at all, & fermented with 2 packets of US-05 rehydrated. So it can take awhile to ferment. Bottled up, it shouldn't be more than a month till ready for fridge time. But that depends on how the lil yeasties feel about it at that point, of course.

Why is Coopers formula so far off from the 'standard' formula and knowing that, why would you use it?

I got 8.6%

 

[unionrdr]

There's some 8 different formulas out there I've seen or stumbled onto at one time or another. The Cooper's formula stuck in my head & is at the high end of what BS2 usually gives. It was at 8.6%, FG 1.022 on 10/10 (Hellfire IIPA), then today, knocked off 6 points to 9.35% with the same formula. Each formula I've seen gives a different number, it seems.

 

[Pappers_]

Hi OP, I'll be the contrarian voice here. I always pitch a partial packet of yeast (usually US-05) when naturally carbonating any big beer. The worst thing that happens is that it was unnecessary and I wasted a half packet of yeast. Compared to the other possibility, that a big beer that cost a lot of money and time doesn't carb up, this seems prudent for me.

 

[unionrdr]

To me, I get it primed & into the bottles as soon as it clears to ensure there's enough yeast to do the job. but either way is fine.

 

[lgp]

Hi OP, I'll be the contrarian voice here. I always pitch a partial packet of yeast (usually US-05) when naturally carbonating any big beer. The worst thing that happens is that it was unnecessary and I wasted a half packet of yeast. Compared to the other possibility, that a big beer that cost a lot of money and time doesn't carb up, this seems prudent for me.

Is the US-05 neutral? No risk of unintended flavors by pitching a different strain of yeast to condition for months?

 

[Pappers_]

Is the US-05 neutral? No risk of unintended flavors by pitching a different strain of yeast to condition for months?

US-05 is indeed neutral. Also, the amount is so modest it doesn't really impact flavor, at least in my experience.

 

[lgp]

Just wanted to follow up on this. I did use a half packet of US05, and after 4 weeks in the bottle it has a good head to a gentle pour and the flavors are mellowing out nicely. I pitched way too hot at 85F (didn't prepare enough chilled water, and don't have a wort cooler), and I think I can taste some banana esters in it, but overall I'm loving the tastes in it. Plus the flavors mask the 10.3% ABV almost entirely. I can't pop one open unless I can relax for a few hours, which is great. Overall very pleased, can't wait to try again and pitch at <70F. Thanks for the help and suggestions!