Brewing with high gravity yeast

[Likefully]

My brother in law brought me a vial on WLP 099 and I want to try make a very high ABV beer with it.

Will the following approach work:

Step one - make 20L SG 1.060 (or thereabouts) add the vial, aerate per normal and allow the fermentation to start. Once fermentation starts, after a few days, move to step 2.

Step two - make 20L SG 1.10 (or thereabouts) - aerate that a lot and once aerated then mix the already fermenting batch into this. Let the fermentation get going and then move to Step 3.

Step three - repeat step 2 (with a new batch).

Do I need to worry about oxidation when adding the already fermented beer into the fresh wort?

Whats the maximum SG i should be aiming for with the second and third batches?

 

[cannman]

So you want to make progressively stronger batches of beer, mix them, during fermentation... and you have a 14gal fermenter? or are you mixing the two batches between 2 6gal carboys?

My advice would be to not do the step fermentation and just make 10 gallons of the strength of beer that you want and pitch an appropriate amount of yeast. Do you have a stir plate?

I wouldn't worry so much about oxidation but rather the introduction of new microbes and wild yeast... but yes, you will oxidize your fermented beer because your second batch will be aerated and full of oxygen...

 

[Rcbandl]

I would think you would probably need to start with a very high gravity wort to begin with and make an appropriate sized starter with the yeast. And for feeding it, smaller, super high (1.200) OG worts in smaller amounts maybe 1 gallon at a time would be the way to go.

Each time you would need to oxygenate it as well as add small amounts of yeast nutrients. You are going to get oxydation no matter what. But a very long aging should cover it up with pleasant flavors. Think big barleywine. This wont be a beer you would be drinking anytime soon.

 

[flatlanderHQ]

One effective method to achieve higher gravities is to reserve a portion of sugars for addition during primary fermentation. Instead of adding them during the boil, add them in increments as high kreusen tapers off. Take your sugar addition, sterilize in boiling water, allow to cool, and dump into the fermenter. This keeps the yeast churning, boosts gravity, and aids in attenuation of the beer. If find this method works best with Additions of about .5 lb at a time. You can do this several times over the course of your primary. I do this with my 11% Belgian Quads this way and it works every time.

 

[flatlanderHQ]

One more thing, add .5 tsp of yeast nutrient along with the sugar addition.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I would make a 20L batch of 1.060 beer to drink. When fermentation is done I'd pitch the cake into some 1.1xx wort if you want to and see how it goes. The other option would be to pitch it directly into some 1.090 wort and let it ride.

 

[Likefully]

Thanks for all the comments

This ...

I would make a 20L batch of 1.060 beer to drink. When fermentation is done I'd pitch the cake into some 1.1xx wort if you want to and see how it goes. The other option would be to pitch it directly into some 1.090 wort and let it ride.

sounds like the most logical approach to me and I might go this route. The strange thing is that White Labs don't suggest this approach, but rather adding wort during fermentation.

 

[Rcbandl]

I would make a 20L batch of 1.060 beer to drink. When fermentation is done I'd pitch the cake into some 1.1xx wort if you want to and see how it goes. The other option would be to pitch it directly into some 1.090 wort and let it ride.

This method will only get you so far. To go above 11-12% you need to constantly feed the beer and add more o2 and nutrients each time to keep things going.

http://www.rappbrewing.com/index.php/our-beers/omg

 

[DurtyChemist]

This method will only get you so far. To go above 11-12% you need to constantly feed the beer and add more o2 and nutrients each time to keep things going.

http://www.rappbrewing.com/index.php/our-beers/omg

Nothin on that link says they constantly add more wort. It says lots of malt, lots of hops, lots of yeast (read 20L starter) and lots of aging.

Using the yeast to ferment a 20L starter is the same as a 2L starter. The major difference is the amount of yeast you'll gain. Read the book Yeast and you'll find out the two well respected authors say commercial breweries typically grow their yeast cultures 10 fold so they'll ferment a 20L starter for around a 40-50 gallon batch of beer.

 

[Rcbandl]

Nothin on that link says they constantly add more wort. It says lots of malt, lots of hops, lots of yeast (read 20L starter) and lots of aging.

Using the yeast to ferment a 20L starter is the same as a 2L starter. The major difference is the amount of yeast you'll gain. Read the book Yeast and you'll find out the two well respected authors say commercial breweries typically grow their yeast cultures 10 fold so they'll ferment a 20L starter for around a 40-50 gallon batch of beer.

Its there,

"4 weeks of fermentation including twice daily additions of yeast nutrient, oxygen, and concentrated wort"

The problem with pitching way to much yeast initially is your going to stress the yeast out. There is not enough oxygen and nutrients for the yeast to build the cell walls and other necessary components to keep fermenting. To get such a high gravity, you need to coax and slowly feed the yeast to keep everything moving.

I have read the yeast book and have a pretty good understanding of how things work.

 

[Likefully]

Its there,

"4 weeks of fermentation including twice daily additions of yeast nutrient, oxygen, and concentrated wort"

Now that this is settled How do you add the oxygen if you don't have a pump? Can you aerate the additions using the forearm, bicep and hip method (also known as shaking the bageezos out of it).

 

[DurtyChemist]

Now that this is settled How do you add the oxygen if you don't have a pump? Can you aerate the additions using the forearm, bicep and hip method (also known as shaking the bageezos out of it).

Try it and find out. Why would adding oxygen through a tank and diffusion stone be any different than oxygen added from shaking the fermentation vessel? It is oxygen. The only thing I could see someone saying is the amount of oxygen dissolved into solution but if you apparently add it twice daily along with concentrated wort over an extended period of time you're good to go.