Yeast to finish a stalled beer?

[aamcle]

I have a Triple that I have been Fermenting under pressure, apparently that was a bad idea wpl3787 doesn't like pressure and is inclined to stall.


I could add a yeast to finish it, it's too sweet, what would work well under pressure and tolerate 8-9%ABV? Would Lutra do the job?

Thanks All.

 

[dmtaylor]

Quit fermenting under pressure!

BE-134 or M41 are great. BE-256 and M31 aren't half bad either. NOT under pressure.

The new yeast might get unhappy in the alcohol, though. It can be difficult to get a new yeast to take over after an existing yeast already stole all their nutrients and desirable foods. So it's a bit of a crapshoot. But maybe worth a try.

 

[day_trippr]

Pitch a starter at high krausen to improve the odds of moving the needle...

Cheers!

 

[hottpeper13]

I use CBC to bottle condition always with great results. Make a starter of CBC and pitch at HK.

 

[JJFlash]

Lalvin EC-1118, pH tolerant and 12%+ alcohol tolerant.
Your flavor profile is fully developed so just need to finish fermentation.
I always keep this dry yeast in the refrigerator for such occasions.

 

[day_trippr]

Conditioning yeasts may not do much to solve a lethargic fermentation as they only process the monosaccharides that are likely the first to have been consumed by the original pitch. One has to expect what's left are the di- and tri-saccharides that CBC-1 and EC-1118 are unlikely to deal with well...

 

[mac_1103]

OP is worried about whether his primary fermentation is stalled. What does bottling yeast have to do with that? CBC-1 and EC-1118 only ferment simple sugars, and also will kill the beer yeast that's still in there. If the 3787 didn't finish, it's probably maltotriose that it left behind. And alcohol tolerance of 3787 is 11-12%, so that's unlikely to be the problem either.

 

[MikeCo]

Something more attenuative than 3787 that is a brewer’s yeast is what you want to try, since it will ferment the malt sugars, unlike the bottle conditioning yeasts which only ferment simple sugars. BE-256 would be good for maintaining flavor profile. BE-134 would work, but may give you some saison-like flavors. Lutra would probably work too.

 

[passedpawn]

I have a Triple that I have been Fermenting under pressure, apparently that was a bad idea wpl3787 doesn't like pressure and is inclined to stall.


I could add a yeast to finish it, it's too sweet, what would work well under pressure and tolerate 8-9%ABV? Would Lutra do the job?

Thanks All.

• Lalvin K1V-1116. It's considered a wine yeast, but does ferment maltotriose. I have it in a 16% stout right this minute. It will go higher. It's my goto high-grav finishing yeast - and a bonus, it's dry and super cheap (less than $1 per packet here https://a.co/d/eKNFYaE).
• consider adding a tsp of alpha amylase enzymes just in case your mash wasn't ideal.
• some yeast nutrients can't hurt, though I've never proven to myself they help

Some encouragement here https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/ris-fermentation/19010/2

 

[Whisky River]

• Lalvin K1V-1116. It's considered a wine yeast, but does ferment maltotriose. I have it in a 16% stout right this minute. It will go higher. It's my goto high-grav finishing yeast - and a bonus, it's dry and super cheap (less than $1 per packet here https://a.co/d/eKNFYaE).
• consider adding a tsp of alpha amylase enzymes just in case your mash wasn't ideal.
• some yeast nutrients can't hurt, though I've never proven to myself they help

Some encouragement here https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/ris-fermentation/19010/2

That sounds fantastic yeast. Do you co-pitch it, let it run alone from the beginning or just use it to finish off when the primary yeast runs out of steam?

 

[passedpawn]

That sounds fantastic yeast. Do you co-pitch it, let it run alone from the beginning or just use it to finish off when the primary yeast runs out of steam?

I add it after the initial yeast poops out. It might worked great from A->Z, but you'll have to find out on your own.

 

[DuncB]

First try a gentle release of pressure, this will rouse the beer and make a lot of foam, so do it in stages,
warm the beer up as well. Given it's a Belgian yeast in your beer go to 24 or more degrees C.

Then if this fails make a starter with some of the beer it will have yeast cells in and pitch that.

No need to complicate with other yeasts, the monks don't.

 

[IslandLizard]

WY3787 can easily withstand 8-12 psi, without a problem.
What temps are you fermenting at? Perhaps raising the temps a bit will help keep her going?

Did you pitch an adequately sized yeast starter for the volume and gravity?
Did you oxygenate the wort/beer?

 

[DuncB]

I think by the time you have released pressure to rouse the beer and warmed it up activity will kick off and then spund towards the end of your kickstarted ferment.