Montpellier packet has a huge feast ahead of it.

[Piston_Pounder]

I posted a similar version of this in the cider section.

Today I did a test to see which yeast I will prefer out of US04 and Lalvin's Montpellier in a cider/graf. I haven't made either a cider or a graf and I want to see how I prefer the differences in dryness with the finished products. I know that using sugar will add up to as much alcohol as the yeast can handle without adding any flavor and only drying it out. I still wanted as much flavor as I could while also upping the ABV. To get this, I used a larger amount of wort and boiled it down to increase the OG.

I decided to make a graph in two, one gallon carboys, brewed identically with different yeasts. I got 4lb of Maris Otter into one gallon of wort then boiled that down to two quarts. One quart in each carboy, then the remaining three quarts was filled with Santa Cruz organic pressed apple juice. One cinnamon stick each, and pitch. OG came out to 1.072
Oh and no, there's no hops. I didn't want the wort to be too overpowering in the graf so I mashed at 148-150 to make sure it wouldn't be too sweet from unfermentables in either attempt.

Now for the main story/question. After topping up each gallon carboy with apple juice, I had about one quart left. Not wanting it to go to waste, and having an extra pack of Montpellier laying around I decided I'd just toss the yeast in this slightly smaller than a gallon glass carboy and plug an airlock in. But why stop there? I also have some DME so I might as well boil it up and top off the remaining two quarts with wort.
As this wort is now boiling, I figure just to be safe, I'd better add some sugar. So an undefined amount of sugar gets added to the already undefined amount of DME. O.G. came out to 1.135.
Is that even possible for montpellier? I added nutrient and energizer. I will probably have to add more energizer later on? I don't use DME aside from starters so is it possible for it to dry right out to 18%?

 

[Piston_Pounder]

No interest. Should I bother posting my results?

 

[MrCrabby]

Definitely post your results, if only for future google searches!

A whole packet of Montpellier should be able to handle the amount of sugar in one gallon at that gravity. Looking through my Apfelwein notes, apparently I pitched a packet of that yeast into 5 gallons at ~1.080 and it brought it down to 1.004(!). YMMV. Spec sheet says it's tolerant up to 18%, but you may or may not need to finish it off with champagne yeast as it approaches that strength.
My notes also don't say that I added any nutrients, but I do have a note about a stinky fermentation, fwiw.

 

[bkboiler]

wow! go big or go home, huh? looks like you'll have plenty to drink and also give away too!
post a pic or the pint and tasting notes too...i'll read it!

 

[Piston_Pounder]

After a week of bubbling, the high gravity experiment has stuck at 1.080. Ive degassed and energized to no avail so I might pitch another pack of Montpellier.

The two actual Graf Gallons have ceased to bubble and are starting to clear. I need to get a thief that's narrow enough for the 1 gallon jugs before I can get a gravity but I'm pretty sure they are done. Once I get a new thief I'll post the final gravities and some taste notes.

 

[BigBlueDog]

A racking cane makes a narrow thief in a pinch. Sanitize, immerse in the fermenter, cover the open end with you thumb, and you've got a sample.