Yeast OG limit?

[drummerboyas157]

so I just brewed one of the popular caramel cream ales and the wyeast I used was the german ale yeast. On the back it said up to 1.060 OG. I am just wondering how that works. My OG was right around there, if it was higher would the yeast die before the sugar was finished? I know in wine some yeasts die at a low % alcohol. How much room do they give when they say up to 1.060?

 

[Dan]

Drummerboy (got a little carried away long post )

If you used the Wyeast 1007 German Ale yeast, it is stated by Wyeast to tolerate an 11% ABV environment, has a fairly broad fermenting range (wort temp, not room temp) of 55-68 degrees F. http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=150

Let's say the OG was 1.060 and got all the way down to a FG of 1.010. That would make a 6.6% ABV brew, well within the yeast alcohol tolerance.

To get near 11%, a wort starting at 1.060 OG would need to ferment to 0.977 FG. Beer does not normally get that low on FG, at least none of the beers I know.

The one thing I didn't find on the Wyeast website is whether or not they were referring to using this yeast on what is pretty common, a 5 gallon batch or something smaller. Less volume less yeast, more volume more yeast. The rule of thumb is for 5 gallon or larger batches of wort at 1.060 make a yeast starter. This will increase the yeast cell count that is pitched into the wort and reduce lag time and off flavors produced by yeast.

As we all progress through this beer making addiction there are many things that brewers want to improve on. Yeast, the correct amount of yeast is one of them.

As far as yeast starters here is a link for making starters
by a guy here on HBT. Long thread, the first few pages are extremely informative.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/yeast-washing-illustrated-41768/

Once you read through that check out this Yeast calculator link. It will help you determine and design the correct starter size based on specific gravity and volume of wort. http://www.yeastcalc.com/index.html

Hope I helped. If I am explaining things you already know I apologize. Was a long day at work and this helps me unwind. haha Don't worry, your beer will be fine though. Try to keep your fermentation temp near the low side of the range. Let it sit in the fermenter for a few weeks and then take a gravity reading, if the same for a couple of days bottle/keg. And never stop learning!

 

[drummerboyas157]

Thanks for the info. I am still pretty new, so it is new to me. I just thought the yeast starter was the little packet in the wyeast that you smack. I need to do some more research. Thanks again for the links

 

[drummerboyas157]

I am still a bit confused on starters, can anyone link a detailed process to making starters and why? The link seems to be yeast washing which i haven't known of before either but from what I gather is you wash it and then toss it in a starter later.

So from what you said is it increases the count. It looks like my brew started bubbling about 4 hours after i put it in the primary and now its going pretty good.

What is in a starter and how do you make them?

 

[VTDuffman]

I am still a bit confused on starters, can anyone link a detailed process to making starters and why? The link seems to be yeast washing which i haven't known of before either but from what I gather is you wash it and then toss it in a starter later.

So from what you said is it increases the count. It looks like my brew started bubbling about 4 hours after i put it in the primary and now its going pretty good.

What is in a starter and how do you make them?

Mr Malty: Proper Yeast Pitching Rates

14 Essential Questions about Yeast Starters

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

check this out. it should be a good place to start. i like to use 1g extra light DME per 10ml water. so for a liter, use 100g, etc.

 

[Dan]

I am still a bit confused on starters, can anyone link a detailed process to making starters and why? The link seems to be yeast washing which i haven't known of before either but from what I gather is you wash it and then toss it in a starter later.

Sorry about that, I was thinking he covered making starters too.