using Mr. Malty calculator for a barleywine

[johnnyt471]

So, Mr. Malty says, for a starter for a 1.120 OG beer, to use 2 vials of yeast with 2.24 liters of water, or 1 vial of yeast with 5.55 liters (!) of water. This seems like a lot. I don't have anywhere to make a 5.55 liter starter and I didn't think I'd have to buy two vials, but I know getting the right attenuation for a high gravity beer can be tricky. Any thoughts on this?

 

[wonderbread23]

Use dry yeast or brew another beer first and harvest the yeast slurry.

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

You have 2 options.

1. Step up your starter until you've fermented out 5.5 liters of wort. For example, if you have a 2 liter flask, you would basically need to make a 2 liter starter, let it ferment out, decant, then repeat that twice.

2. You can make a simple, low gravity beer with the same yeast, then pitch the barleywine onto that yeast cake. You might be overpitching, but it never hurts to have plenty of healthy yeast for a beer that big.

 

[jmo88]

Use dry yeast or brew another beer first and harvest the yeast slurry.

Right. Or step up your starter a few times, which might take you a week. With that much trouble, I'd opt for brewing a full starter beer and use the slurry, if you want to use a yeast that isn't US-05 or 04.

 

[johnnyt471]

If I were to use a dry yeast instead, would I have to have 2 packets?

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

If I were to use a dry yeast instead, would I have to have 2 packets?

Probably at least that, if not more. Mr. Malty has a dry yeast option as well.

 

[jmo88]

The calculator in my software shows you'd need 25 grams of rehydrated dry yeast if it was manufactured in August. Add a gram for each month beyond this date, so 26 grams for July. It's specific, but that's what it says. If it were me I would add nearly three 11 gram packs and call it good.

 

[johnnyt471]

Probably at least that, if not more. Mr. Malty has a dry yeast option as well.

oops! I didn't even notice that. Thanks

 

[SwampassJ]

I plan on doing the yeast cake method in Januaryish time frame. Was going to make a special bitter with WLP002 and after it was done pitch Stones Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout onto it so I wouldn't have to deal with stepping up a starter 2-3times and waste a bunch of DME.

 

[johnnyt471]

ok, so let's say my OG is 1.141

Could I just use 3 packets of nottingham dry yeast (which comes out to 33 grams) when I first pitch? I'm afraid of doing this and then getting hit with a stuck fermentation later.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yes, 33 grams should do it. I'd also rehydrate it first.

 

[johnnyt471]

I've never rehydrated the yeast. How to Brew says to soak the yeast in 95-105 F water for 15 minutes, then add it to the wort. Should I wait until it cools down first?

 

[maida7]

I've never rehydrated the yeast. How to Brew says to soak the yeast in 95-105 F water for 15 minutes, then add it to the wort. Should I wait until it cools down first?

Yes that's how you'd rehydrate.

Also, it would be wise to oxygenate your wort and do a good job managing the fermentation temps.

 

[johnnyt471]

Yes, making a beer that big will be an interesting experiment. My basement is a pretty steady 68 degrees F. This is the extract recipe:

1.5 lbs crystal 40L (steeping)
15.3 lbs light LME
1 oz magnum (60)
1 oz chinook (60)
1 oz fuggles (10)
OG: 1.141
IBU: 88

how does that look?

 

[Frodo]

So, Mr. Malty says, for a starter for a 1.120 OG beer, to use 2 vials of yeast with 2.24 liters of water, or 1 vial of yeast with 5.55 liters (!) of water. This seems like a lot. I don't have anywhere to make a 5.55 liter starter and I didn't think I'd have to buy two vials, but I know getting the right attenuation for a high gravity beer can be tricky. Any thoughts on this?

Not sure if you're already decided on using dry yeast; if not you could always make the huge starter in a 5 gallon carboy if you have one. I just did a 6L starter for a barley wine in one and it worked great. Being so big made it really easy to shake it/swirl it every time I walked by.

 

[johnnyt471]

A this early stage of my brewing career, I like to KISS, so I'm just using 3 packets of Nottingham. It's pretty cheap anyway!

 

[Frodo]

It was no more difficult than any other starter, which is really easy anyway. I was just pointing out that you probably do have a big enough container but may have overlooked it. Dry yeast is cheap, and good too.