Time to bottle, but lots of unfermented sugars and out of yeast

[dankev]

It's time to bottle the Russian Imperial Stout I brewed up in June. It was 1.088 OG, and I didn't pitch nearly enough yeast. Gravity only got down to 1.034. I assume there is next to no yeast left in there for carbonation. What's the best procedure for bottling?

As a side note, I'm tasting it right now for the first time since I transferred to secondary (July), and it tastes delicious. If it were merely a few degrees cooler, I'd be very happy if I had ordered it at a bar.

 

[bdupree]

there should still be plenty of yeast in there for bottling, it's only been 5 months or so. I would try make sure that gravity reading is correct. What kind of yeast did you pitch? Thats about 7% abv, it shouldn't have killed the yeast. what temp did you mash at? did you add any non fermentables like lactose?

 

[dankev]

I'm pretty sure the gravity reading is right. It was my first brew, and it was all extract. The kit came with a packet of Safale S-04. I didn't realize I needed a starter. No non fermentables. It was the Northern Brewer RIS, btw.

 

[BigRob]

I'd say it's not time to bottle the beer, keep em sealed in a rubbermaid if you disregard that advice and bottle anyway.

Personally I'd try pitching another packet or two of S04 and seeing if I couldn't get fermentation going again and get it down to your expected FG

 

[dankev]

After sitting for 4 months, is there enough oxygen in the beer for the yeast to do anything?

 

[BigRob]

The yeast use O2 for reproduction, not fermentation afaik, the reason we aerate is to allow the yeast to propagate and then begin fermenting once they use up all the oxygen. If you underpitch or underaerate the yeast either dont reproduce to a sufficient cell count to quickly ferment your beer, or you end up with a stuck fermentation, etc.

If you were kegging this beer I would say don't worry, but in bottles I would be extremely concerned with the potential bottle bombs.

 

[dankev]

If the brew stopped fermenting due to a too-small pitch, is it likely there's enough active yeast left to make bottle bombs? It seems like it wouldn't be likely, but I definitely have no idea.