Will a bulk aged stout bottle condition without "help?"

[brewguyver]

I've had an 8% RIS bulk conditioning for about 3 months. I brewed with wlp007. I'd rather bottle condition than keg - what are the odds that it will carb up successfully without adding yeast at bottling?

This is the first time I've bulk aged a beer, and I've never added additional yeast at bottling.

 

[CGish]

You will be fine. I once forgot about a beer for almost two years. I went ahead and bottled it, and it carbed up just fine without any additional yeast. The beer was ruined and I had to pour it out, but the carbonation was just fine.

Good Luck,
Cody

 

[Homercidal]

Shouldn't be a problem. I once aged an american stout for 3 months and didn't even add yeast at bottling.

That said, if you are wanting to make sure it has viable yeast, you can add a couple of drops of fresh yeast to each bottle at bottling time.

But I think you will have plenty.

 

[solbes]

90% chance it carbs fine. 8% is not that high really to stress out yeast.

On the flip side it will almost guarantee to carb if you sprinkle a little yeast in your bottling bucket. So if you have some around, doesn't hurt to add a little bit.

 

[edroberts]

wlp007 is tolerant to at least 10%. I've brewed a few 10%+ imperial stouts and have never had any issues with carbonation when bottling. The only "issue" I've seen with higher ABV beers is that it may take an extra week or so to get enough CO2 dissolved into solution to get a solid creamy head when naturally carbonating.

 

[brewguyver]

Awesome - Thanks all. I won't need this for at least a month (may bring a bottle or two to San Diego for the conference), and I'm planning on cellaring most of them until the weather gets cool again.

 

[ciderWI]

I bottled a 5% stout that sat in a secondary for three weeks and it didn't carbonate. Sweet flat stout. Also happened in a cold crashed Pliny clone and a cider than sat in secondary for about six weeks.

 

[Homercidal]

Cold crashing a strong beer might be different. I can see where the cold may put them to sleep and the high alcohol might make it impossible for them to wake up and come alive.

I've had a Belgian Golden Strong Ale that took MONTHS to start carbing up. I think I had it in secondary for 6 months or more. I accidentally used twice the bittering hops, so that time was spent also waiting for the bitterness to drop.

It's really no big deal to add a couple drops of rehydrated yeast as bottling time if you are concerned.

 

[b-boy]

Why take a chance. I'd add some yeast at bottling time. I usually toss in a little champagne yeast with my bottling sugar. The alternative is opening 50 bottles and adding yeast if it doesnt work.

 

[brewguyver]

My first thought was to add it to the bottling bucket, but i realize it'll be tough to guarantee even yeast spread.

Any hints for getting even distribution? amount of yeast to amount of dehydration water so that i don't end up with bizarre carbonation?

 

[Homercidal]

My first thought was to add it to the bottling bucket, but i realize it'll be tough to guarantee even yeast spread.

Any hints for getting even distribution? amount of yeast to amount of dehydration water so that i don't end up with bizarre carbonation?

You could add it to the bottling bucket with the priming sugar if you want. You aren't really as concerned about an even amount, as much as just making to sure to get 'enough' yeast in each bottle.

Even a tiny amount will cause carbonation given enough time, if the alcohol content doesn't kill them all, and that's unlikely at that ABV.

 

[Gavin C]

One other option which you may already have considered and dismissed would be to cold crash and keg as per your usual routine.

Let it carb up and have a few beers on tap yourself (for quality assurance purposes). Bottle the rest from the keg with a BMBF as and when you decide to. No extra yeast, no worries on carbonation (although at 8% I doubt there will be any issues), get to have some on tap some in bottles, the best of both worlds.

Some would argue this method also results in less potential for oxidation. Not convinced on that point myself though asuming correct optimized bottling protocols are in effect.

 

[b-boy]

I bottle from a keg using CO2 to push the beer. I add the sugar to the keg, rack the beer, add the yeast, purge with CO2 in that order. It mixes pretty well, but I still shake the hell out of it before bottling.

 

[Mexibilly]

I bottled a 10.2 stout after 1 month primary and 2 months secondary with 2.7oz corn sugar. It took a month to carb, and after 1.5 months I have just the right amount of carb and decent retention.

 

[brewguyver]

I bottle from a keg using CO2 to push the beer. I add the sugar to the keg, rack the beer, add the yeast, purge with CO2 in that order. It mixes pretty well, but I still shake the hell out of it before bottling.

I sprung for the all-in-one wine pump last year, so I usually bottle off a carboy via vacuum. It works pretty well. Before that I used to rack to the keg and bottle too - much less oxidation. For this one I want to bottle condition rather than keg condition - I like the flavor that comes out better.

From a yeast standpoint I have mangrove jack west coast and workhorse beer yeast, plus Montrachet and lalvin 71-b wine yeast wine on hand. I can also run out and grab champagne yeast, or start another round of WLP007. Best option?
71-b lying around as well as

 

[TxBigHops]

Why take a chance. I'd add some yeast at bottling time. I usually toss in a little champagne yeast with my bottling sugar. The alternative is opening 50 bottles and adding yeast if it doesnt work.

I'm in the same boat and have been looking for advice. This thread seems to hit the nail on the head. Mine is a 9.5% RIS fermented with S-04. Im leaning towards the advice above - why take a chance? Don't see any downside to adding some additional yeast. Trying to decide between using Danstar CBC-1 Cask and conditioning and Lalvin EC-1118 Champagne. Will I experience any differences between them?