Yeast advice needed

[TheBeerGuy]

I am brewing an Imperial Bourbon Stout with an estimated OG of 1.122. I have never done a bath this high and I really don't want to screw it up. My initial thoughts were to pitch two packages of US-05 directly when the wert is below 80* I am not too sure if 1. that's the correct yeast to use and 2. Will two pkgs be enough. I am not going to re-hydrate it just pitch on the wert. Also after the primary is done I will be placing it in a secondary for the next 10-12 months with oak chunks soaked in my favorite bourbon for the entire time it is in the primary.

 

[ChelisHubby]

if this was mine i would either build a starter or if I could not then I would pitch 4 packages. Second I would not pitch at 80 unless there was a death threat, cool it down to below 70 before you pitch. You are going to be close to the limit of what your yeast can make before the alcohol kills it. I don't know how to advise.

 

[ericbw]

Better safe than sorry. Like ChelisHubby said, make a starter or pitch 4 packs. That's a huge beer!

 

[bschot]

I just ran some numbers in brewer's friend yeast calculator with high gravity selected, it suggested using 5 11 gram packets. I think that US-05 would be an excellent choice for the yeast. As long as it is fermented in its temperature range it should provide a neutral flavor. Regardless of the number of packets you pitch you should re-hydrate. My brew buddy read research on yeast and it said that there can be significant cell death without re-hydration. You can read the article here: http://brulosophy.com/2014/09/15/sprinkled-vs-rehydrated-dry-yeast-exbeeriment-results/. I'm not sure about oaking that early, I personally would want to wait for the beer to about ready or ready to package that way it can be oaked to what ever level you wish and then packaged.

 

[ericbw]

But yes, that yeast will work.

 

[schatzke]

Just curious why not re-hydrate? Sprinkling dry yeast directly onto a wort of that strength is going to put some serious stress on the yeast, especially if you are planning on pitching at 80*.

 

[TheBeerGuy]

OK well I will pitch when it is at 70* and I will re-hydrate the yeast.

bschot, Would a liquid with a starter build enough cells needed rather than spend all the money on 5 pkgs dry yeast? I was thinking something like a 1056 from Wyeast.

 

[laredo7mm]

...Would a liquid with a starter build enough cells needed rather than spend all the money on 5 pkgs dry yeast? I was thinking something like a 1056 from Wyeast.

I pitched a decanted (cold crashed at high krausen) 4 liter starter of WY1056 into a 1.108 RIS and I had active fermentation within 4 hours. Gravity was at 1.021 at seven days, and at 14 days it was at 1.021. I pitched at 68° and held 68° during fermentation. temperatures are beer temp, not air temp.

 

[kh54s10]

OK well I will pitch when it is at 70* and I will re-hydrate the yeast.

bschot, Would a liquid with a starter build enough cells needed rather than spend all the money on 5 pkgs dry yeast? I was thinking something like a 1056 from Wyeast.

1056 is the same strain of yeast. Many say they can tell differences it beers using each. YMMV

You might want to look for a strain with higher alcohol tolerance. Your beer is going to be near 12% ABV. 1056 has an 11% tolerance.

5 packs of dry yeast should be about $20. A vial of 1056 should be about $7 If you make a starter from one pack it needs to be about almost 5 liters. If you do two packs you are now at $14 and still need a 2 liter starter.

 

[ericbw]

You can spend a month stepping up till you have a gallon of starter. Saves money but not time.

Or brew a 5 gallon of something normal then use that yeast cake.

 

[bschot]

If you use a single packet of liquid yeast you need a 3.1 L starter at a pitching rate of 1M cells/mL/degree Plato; with 2 packets you need a 2.5L starter, both are with a stir plate. And that is assuming you get a brand new smack packs. I hadn't thought about alcohol tolerance, so be sure to pick a strain that will handle it. I second the idea of using slurry from another batch, Brewer's Friend says to use just over a half liter (.539L to be extremely precise.) One other consideration is that when doing high gravity ales you really need to use oxygen. You can never reach the dissolved oxygen rates necessary with atmospheric oxygen, so that is one plus for using dry packets. Before we got our oxygen wand we would probably use our wisk and drill to whip up a good head of foam, pitch the yeast and hope for the best. Regardless of what you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck.



-Brian

 

[pdxal]

+1 on oxygenation, not aeration.
I'll add that you need to add yeast nutrients. Many times it is oxygen and nutrients that limit yeast growth and fermentation in big beers with sugars added to increase gravity.
Making a small beer and pitching onto the yeast cake is a very viable option too.
You may be able to coax 12% out of many yeasts, but you have to treat them optimally. I would also suggest using a yeast like EC-1118 or Pasteur champagne yeast at bottling to ensure you get carbonation.