First Barleywine Question

[Jonk4]

So my first barleywine is in primary chugging away happily. I used S-05 yeast. Part of the recipe is adding sugar after a few days directly into the primary. I'm pretty confident in doing that and using that technique. I am wondering if S-05 can get down to the predicted final gravity of 1.026 or if i should repitch a higher attenuating yeast with the sugar? The OG was 1.113. Part of me wants to wait until most visible fermentation is done, check gravity then add new yeast on the basis of that reading. Another part is thinking ," THROW IT IN NOW! ADD SUGAR! SHAKE THE FERMENTER! IT'S RUINED IT'S INFECTED!"(gnashing of teeth, etc.)
I really want the ABV to be around 11% and I think White Labs California Ale Yeast can get it there. Any thoughts?

 

[Demus]

Cally ale won't get it any lower than s-05. The bigger factor is your initial pitch rate, aeration technique, rehydration technique and wort fermentability. How'd all that go?

 

[TheZymurgist]

Wait until you see the fermentation start to slow, then add the sugar (dissolved in water, and boiled to sanitize), but don't wait too long. You want to hit it when the yeast is starting to slow down, that way you wake them back up with the simple sugar, and they munch on more of the complex wort sugars in the process. I've only used dry yeast once, so I don't have as much experience with it, but you did pitch two packets, right?

 

[grainbill]

Have always used a champagne yeast with good results but any yeast that can stand up to the alcohol content is good. I have pitched yeast at two different stages with great results. Have never added sugar. If you can, condition at least 6 months. I have had some last in the bottle for about two years. If you do another batch, a second running is a good way to have a session beer while you are waiting for the barleywine to do its thing...

 

[sweetcell]

hold off on using the champagne yeast. wine yeast, like champagne, are almost all "killer yeast" - they will kill all brewer's yeast within 48 hours. and wine yeast can't digest maltose and maltotriose... so: if you add the wine yeast too soon - before all the complex sugars are digested - you'll be killing off the brewers yeast which are the only who can eat it. so adding champagne yeast can actually result in a sweeter beer. the solution is to first make sure that the brewers yeast is all done and has crapped out before adding champagne yeast.

US-05 and cal ale are the same strain, the Chico strain. they exhibit minor differences but have the same attenuation numbers. by adding cal ale, you'll essentially be adding more of the same. would have been best to add it during your initial pitch and increase your pitching rate.

 

[Whippy]

The US05 is capable of 11%ABV...I'd use two packets with something that high in gravity. I hope it works out for ya!

 

[Jonk4]

I didn't mention this in the first post: it is a 2.5 gallon batch that I pitched one packet into.

 

[Jonk4]

also this is an extract recipe.

 

[sweetcell]

I didn't mention this in the first post: it is a 2.5 gallon batch that I pitched one packet into.

you should have plenty of yeast, then, to get the job done - especially if you rehydrated.

 

[brewinginnc]

I have a barleywine in primary right now and 001 has it at 12.6% abv. I dont see it dropping any lower.

 

[Jonk4]

Alright then, I won't repitch. I'm probably going to add the sugar tomorrow morning. I brewed this past Saturday and it seems to have slowed down a bit. I removed the blow-off tube and affixed an airlock that is bubbling along pretty fast, but the hard churning in the carboy has mostly stopped. Thanks for the help. I'm not going to secondary this just let it sit in primary until FG is reached then bottle and put up for a few months. (if i can wait, that is)