Yeast in secondary before bottling?

[Andyy]

Anyone know much about this? Ok I'm thinking adding a yeast starter 2 days before bottling to the secondary? Am I kidding my self or what?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Unless you've been aging the beer for a long time, there's probably no need to add yeast.

 

[Andyy]

I only ask this because Ive had sweet tasting ales before. I get plenty carbonation. Which now I understand to be to do with some unfermentable sugars in the primary, is this ture?

 

[Malticulous]

If the beer finished it has to be unfermentables from the recipe or process. You shouldn't need to add yeast but if you do it's best to add it to the bottling bucket. A few grams of dry yeast is plenty.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I only ask this because Ive had sweet tasting ales before. I get plenty carbonation. Which now I understand to be to do with some unfermentable sugars in the primary, is this ture?

If you're doing extract beers, they will always end up a little sweeter than the same type of beer done in all-grain. You're exactly right...the unfermentable sugars are left after fermentation and there's really not a whole lot you can do about it unless you use a wild yeast. Pay attention to your yeast selection, and try to pick something that is known for fermenting a bit lower.

 

[Malticulous]

Not so, all grain just gives you control over the fermentablity. With extract you have to add simple sugars to increase the fermentablity. With all grain you can adjust the mash temp and time. You can easily make just as dreadfully unfermentable extract with all grain.

 

[dukeredhair]

I've made some really big beers without ever adding yeast at bottling. If you have left over unfermentable sugars making the beer sweet adding more yeast isn't going to fix that. The sugars are unfermentable. If your beer has fully fermented to your expected final gravity it's done.
That said I don't think it would hurt anything to do it. It just seems kinda pointless.

 

[daksin]

Yea, the only time you want to add yeast at bottling is if the beer has been conditioning in bulk for a really really long time (more than 6 months- chances are a beer you condition this long will be big anyway). Otherwise, there are more than enough yeast in the beer after secondary to carbonate it on your priming sugar.

 

[Andyy]

Ok so how do you reduce the final gravity below 1.010 even lower let's just say to 1.000 (for arguments sake) with just a 1.8kg can of extract and some yeast usale 05

 

[Malticulous]

Sugar. Sugar will turn into alcohol. Alcohol is lighter than water so the hydrometer will sink further down into it. It's sure not going to make the beer better.

 

[Andyy]

I understand that but how do you make the unfermentable sugars fermentable? Because that's the only reason the hydro is not geting any lower than it is.

 

[cervezarara]

Some people use amylase or "Beano." The enzymes break the longer sugar molecules into simpler sugars that can be consumed by ale yeast. This will make the finished beer bone dry, and you cannot know how low the finished gravity will go. Amylase (alpha and beta) are the same enzymes present in the mashing process, so their action is probably limited to some degree. Beano can break almost any sugar, acts slowly, and may result in overcarbonation/ gushers/ bottle bombs if it keeps on acting.

Why do you want to have a lower FG? Is the beer too sweet, or do you want a little more alcohol? I would really recommend letting it as is, and shooting for something different on the next batch.

 

[KAMMEE]

You don't want to break unfermentables down into alchohol, you want some body to your beer unless you're going for a very dry beer. The other reason your beer may end up "sweet" is because extract boiled for a long time does tend to carmalize a little and more melenoidins are produced. Try boiling your beer with the hops and half the extract from the beginning, and add your remaining extract in the last 10 minutes of the boil. This should help some with the "sweetness" factor. If you want the unfermentables to break down, get some amylase enzyme and add it to your finished beer. It'll dry out to 1.000

 

[Andyy]

I see. Well when make IPAs I boil with only water and hops and add the extract and malts in the last minute only to disolve and mix into the water

 

[Yooper]

I see. Well when make IPAs I boil with only water and hops and add the extract and malts in the last minute only to disolve and mix into the water

To make great IPA that finishes dry, you could steep the grains as usual, then bring that up to a boil after removing the grains. Add 1 pound of malt extract, and boil as usual. Add the remainder of the recipe's malt extract near flame out. Also, consider replacing 1 pound of the malt extract with corn sugar. That will give a drier finish than an all-extract beer.