Imperial Stout yeast

[MmmBeer]

Should I use a high alcohol tolerant yeast, like a dry mead (or sweet mead) yeast, the eau du vin (21% alcohol tolerance) or just a regular irish ale yeast? I know about the dryness//alcohol producing properties of the mentioned yeasts but what other desirable/undesirable effects could they have on the brew? I am talking about liquid yeasts you probably figured.

[quantum24]

i would think it would depend on the gravity that you are brewing to and the final alcohol content. if you are within the 7-10% range i think it would be best to use the irish ale or even american ale yeast (i have heard of people using many of the enlish strains as well).

[ray m]

I agree with Quantum...I would definitely use an ale yeast like Irish Ale. Just make an HUGE starter...if you estimate your OG will be in the 80's or 90's, of which I've made 3 so far in this range, I would recommend at least a 1/2 to 3/4 gallon starter a couple days ahead of brew day. I have read that if the brew has not fully attenuated in the primary, then champagne yeast is used to attenuate the brew the rest of the way. I have, fortunately, never had to do this. Sounds yummy.......send me your batch & I'll tell you if you made it right or not!!!;)

[wortchillergoal]

I have done high gravity beers with a regular yeast. If you think you need more work out of them just rouse them back up into the wort/beer in your fermenter. I too, like raym, would be happy to give your effort some tastebud certification if you have any doubts.
Beer can be food but food can never be beer.

[MmmBeer]

Allright, well here's to impatience. I made a yeast starter of irish ale yeast, after 25 hours it had not kicked up, but was looking like it might soon. Being that the only time I had to brew was last Friday, I began mashing at about 3 pm and hoped a little more activity in the yeast starter would begin. Around 6:30 the brew was complete and chilled but, uh oh, yeast starter not kickin yet. I poured the wort (imperial stout if you've been following) into the carboy and plunked in the starter. Major activity within 3 hours, blowoff tube needed by next morning, and it's still bubbling away intensely. What do you think? The Irish ale yeast took? Or do I have a freakish gauze/lambic imperial whatever? I guess we will know when I rack it to the secondary and take a sip.... Until then any opinions? based on the evidence what would you say?

[Fast_Eddy]

I'm betting on the yeast starter.

[bigmf]

It's the yeast starter. I started a heavy scotch ale (1.075) a week ago with a smaller starter (24oz.) It had near explosive fermentation overnight and had ~2 inches of foam on the top by morning. Once the foam had gone down (4 days) I racked to the secondary. The siphoning was quiet with no splashing etc. but the act of moving it caused it to flare up. About two hours after the siphoning was complete, the beer was coming up through the air-lock. :eek:

Anyway their is no indication of any problems and the minor clean up didn't cause any trouble. I think that with the stronger beers the more violent the fermentation can be.

M

[sallad]

i think starters generally do their thing rather quickly.. i've rarely seen any of my starters bubbling. i've always assumed they just did their thing while i was at work and are all settled out by the next time i check on them. never had a problem, they've always done my beer good!

[MmmBeer]

Thanks guys, I feel better now. The yeast starter I made once with dry yeast flared up so I was expecting the one I made with liquid yeast to do the same. It's already tuesday and the krausen has not fallen! at least not as of this morning. And I pitched the yeast on friday!!! I'll let you know how it turns out... Man I put a lot of hops in, I got a 1 lb bag of fresh cascade, so the measurements weren't precise, but I erred on the side of hoppiness. It should balance though, 6.6 lbs liquid malt + 3 lbs dry malt + 6 lbs of mashed grain should be enough.