To repitch or not to repitch, that is the question...

[Choncer]

... that I didn't ask myself, when I moved a two month barrel aged stout from barrel to bottle.

Took a FG on it, showed about 8.5ABV, figured there would be enough yeast kicking around for bottle conditioning, added priming sugars, bottled and put it in the closet.

Been doing some "after the bottle" reading, and finding that I may have been off base and might have just bottled 5 gallons of beer that will be as flat in 4 weeks as they were when they went in the bottle.

S-04 was the strain used.

Generally just looking for thoughts/speculation from anyone who's experience with barrel aging is greater than "This is my first one." I know the only way to know for sure is to wait it out, but now I'm getting antsy to crack one (two days in bottle) and see if there is any carb.

Just one more reason I need to cough up the cash and move to forced carb...

Thanks.

 

[oceanic_brew]

Take one bottle, preferably the smallest one and place it somewhere warmer. Swirl it around daily over the next week. Cold condition it for a day and try it.

Trying it after a couple days isn't a good indication.

 

[jmos]

I've found S-04 (which I like) does not have enough viable yeast left to carb well if the abv is much above 8% right out of the primary; aging only makes it worse. I had one batch carb really poorly and one barely at all with abv's over 10%.

For the one that really didn't carb (after 8 weeks of waiting) I got a pack of CBC-1 and rehydrated it (boil, cool, dump in dry yeast) and used a sanitized eye dropper to put a squirt of solution into each bottle. It worked fairly well; at least the bottles are somewhat carbed and drinkable now.

 

[kh54s10]

How long was it barrel aged? Less than a week in bottles might tell you nothing. I have had some that showed very little carbonation at a week and were perfect at 3 weeks.

I would suggest you wait at least 2 weeks and probably 3 before testing, then you can determine whether you need to do anything else.

I did a Russian Imperial Stout. It fermented about 3 weeks, I then had it in secondary on and added oak chips for the last 2 weeks for over a month and a half. The yeast was US-05, my notes say 2 packs rehydrated. I don't remember if I did use 2 or not.

Anyway it was in fermentation and aging for over 2 months and it carbonated perfectly.

 

[Choncer]

How long was it barrel aged? Less than a week in bottles might tell you nothing. I have had some that showed very little carbonation at a week and were perfect at 3 weeks.

I would suggest you wait at least 2 weeks and probably 3 before testing, then you can determine whether you need to do anything else.

I did a Russian Imperial Stout. It fermented about 3 weeks, I then had it in secondary on and added oak chips for the last 2 weeks for over a month and a half. The yeast was US-05, my notes say 2 packs rehydrated. I don't remember if I did use 2 or not.

Anyway it was in fermentation and aging for over 2 months and it carbonated perfectly.

This was in for two months as well. I wanted it to be ready for Thanksgiving. I'll crack one at week. If it's low/no perceivable carb, then I'll just hold off, crack another the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. If it's good, refrigerate the rest, if not... figure something else out.

 

[Choncer]

Curiosity got the best of me.

Put one in the fridge this morning, let it cool 12 hours and popped it.

Damn thing is OVER carbed. Not bottle bomb levels, but fizzy on the tongue to the level of being compared to a light beer. Head was almost non-existent and fell off quickly.

After letting it sit and "fiz-off" some of the carb, it's actually pretty good. A bit thin like a guiness on mouth feel. Now it has me scared about the rest of them. If this one was soda pop on day 4, what are the rest of them going to do over 3 weeks?!

I'd say I'll get a mop ready, but they're sitting on carpet. Maybe time to put something under the cases.

Thanks for all the input. Happy brewing.

 

[GHBWNY]

Curiosity got the best of me.

Put one in the fridge this morning, let it cool 12 hours and popped it.

Damn thing is OVER carbed. Not bottle bomb levels, but fizzy on the tongue to the level of being compared to a light beer. Head was almost non-existent and fell off quickly.

After letting it sit and "fiz-off" some of the carb, it's actually pretty good. A bit thin like a guiness on mouth feel. Now it has me scared about the rest of them. If this one was soda pop on day 4, what are the rest of them going to do over 3 weeks?!

I'd say I'll get a mop ready, but they're sitting on carpet. Maybe time to put something under the cases.

Thanks for all the input. Happy brewing.

I'd stick them in a big plastic tub with the lid on tight and some weight on top. If you get a bottle bomb and you have the room, transfer them to the fridge. You could always pop caps, re-sanitize new ones and re-cap.