Fermentation???

[LivHoppy]

I got a recipe off the internet for an Imperial Stout and just spent this morning brewing it. The recipe did not have fermentation instructions. This will be a very high gravity beer. I added a ton of fermentables and the recipe said the abv is 13.2. I just poured it in the primary fermenter and pitched the yeast. Does anyone have an idea of how long to ferment, bottle condition, etc.?? Any other tips or advice would be helpful too.

Thanks!!!!

 

[FuelshopMcgee]

What was the recipe? I assume this was extract? What type of yeast did you use and how much? Did you make a starter? With high alcohol beers yeast health is absolutely needed to turn out a good beer! There is a lot of info needed before anyone can help out.

I hate to assume but from your questions it seems as if you may be new to the hobby. There is a ton of info out there but if I could get you started in the right direction my personal advice would be to read John palmers "how to brew" www.howtobrew.com and get a good grasp on what the processes are before you brew again. I would also try brewing a less extreme beer for your next batch it takes a lot of knowledge and hardwork to make a 13% beer not taste like a bottle of hootch.

 

[LivHoppy]

Here is a link to the recipe:

Hopville . "Russian Imperial Stout" Russian Imperial Stout Recipe

yes, this is my third time brewing so it is an extract+specialty grain recipe. the yeast was white labs super high gravity yeast and i did not make a starter.

Thanks!!!

 

[Seven]

Mrmalty.com estimates 414 billion yeast cells needed for a beer with an OG of 1.119. If you pitched only 1 pack of yeast you WAY underpitched. You'll probably want to get more yeast and pitch it ASAP to prevent a stuck fermentation.

 

[Seven]

Also check the manufacturer's site here for important information about the yeast you are using, i.e., WLP099 yeast requires heavy aeration over several days...

 

[prpromin]

The comments on the recipe on Hopville indicate that there might be issues with the recipe itself - did you alter it in any way before brewing?

 

[FuelshopMcgee]

The last thing I want to do is scare someone away from the hobby with things like your beer is doomed but it may be that you bit off more than you can chew with this one. If you have a lhbs (local homebrew store) go grab at least two more vials of the same yeast and pitch them in. This is not IMO the correct way to ferment a beer but at this point it could save it at least. Keep your temps under 70 and above 60. Use your hydrometer not your airlock meaning when you see your airlock stop don't guess pull a sample out and take a reading with your hydrometer. Repeat that for 3 days and if the reading is the same it's done fermenting.

 

[MrManifesto]

Fermentation is going to take at least a month and might get stuck from the under pitching. Conditioning on the other hand...you could let this sit for a year, easy. That's the trouble with big beers, they take big time. I'd grab at least two more vials, read up on making a simple yeast starter and pitch that at high krausen. Then I'd kick back, read up and brew a whole lot of lower gravity brews, trust me, you'll have the time

 

[dcp27]

Does anyone have an idea of how long to ferment, bottle condition, etc.?? Any other tips or advice would be helpful too.

I'd go get at least 2 packs of S-05 or nottingham and pitch them. you can also get WLP001 or another high alc tolerant liquid yeast and make a huge starter, but dry yeast would be the quicker, easier and cheaper route here. WLP099 isn't a good primary yeast, it can give off some undesired flavors and 1.119 isn't high enough of an OG to need it. put your fermenter in a tub of water and keep it under 70F for at least the first 4 days of fermentation, and leave it at least 4 weeks.

give this a read for more tips on big beers: How to brew a big beer
and these about yeast starters:
http://www.mrmalty.com/starter_faq.php
http://www.mrmalty.com/pitching.php