Adding yeast to carbonate flat bottled beer

[Mad Scientist]

So, I brewed my X-mas ale a while back, and I thought it was done, and the very high gravity was due to a lack of fermentable sugars. After priming and bottling, and three months later, the has been no carbonation.

So, in effort not give away flat ale (which actually tastes pretty damn good anyway), I'm going to pop the caps, and add some champagne yeast. The reason for doin this is that the ABV is at 9.5%, and I would tend to think that most ale yeats would crater if added to that high of an alcohol environment.

I was thinking that I would re-hydrate the yeast, and add a metered amount, like say 1 or 2 ml from a sanitized dropper.

A final concerned here is that there may be more fermentables than I thought left and I might be creating two cases of bombs....:(

Thoughts?

[wortchillergoal]

I once used dry yeast to do this. I just dropped a minute amount inot each bottle. It worked fine.

To avoid bottle bombs, run through a quick check list first. have the bottles been sitting at the proper temp? Did you add the priming sugar? Can you afford another month before adding yeast to bottle?

I hope I have been of help and good luck.

[markaberrant]

I wouldn't use a yeast with a higher attenuation than the one originally used. Try a basic dry yeast first. I'd be scared the champagne yeast would further ferment the beer (aka bottle bombs).

[HogieWan]

the only problem with adding champagne yeast is that it very well may eat some of the sugar that the last yeast left behind.

I would give up one bottle as a "starter" for another batch of fresh yeast of the fermenting strain. The starter would be more for getting the yeast used to the alcohol content than anything.

[wortchillergoal]

The beer I had problems with was a barleywine. It had a high ABV as well. If you want to rehydrate, go ahead. i am telling you though that a few flakes pwe bottle of dry yeast did the trick for me.

It had been suggested to me to go with a dry champange yeast. I decided against it and used a regular beer yeast. Glad I did.

[Mad Scientist]

I was acutally considering purging a carbot with dry ice, and emptying the beer back into it, then adding the champagne yeast, letting it go for a week or so, then re-priming and bottling.

[wortchillergoal]

I would be careful about repriming. The extra sugar is a good cause for bottle bombs.

[HogieWan]

just drop fresh dry (not champagne) yeast. What was your fermenting strain, BTW?

[dparsons]

Take three bottles and try it three different ways. Give the bottles a couple weeks and see what works well. You've still got time before Christmas.

[Magnew]

I have done this a couple of times. In fact I JUST did it with a high gravity brown (ca. 8% ABV). I ditto what has been said by a couple of others above. Just buy a packet of basic dry ale yeast. Sprinkle a few grains into each bottle. Re-cap. Shake. Let sit. Serve in a couple of weeks.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by HogieWan
just drop fresh dry (not champagne) yeast. What was your fermenting strain, BTW?

Wyeat 1028, London Ale. I was quite stumped as to why the yeast pooped out on me at 9.5%, when it had quite a way to go, near as I can see, I could have gotten at least another 1.5 - 2.5% out of it. Recipe follows:

15 lb pale ale malt
2 lb aromatic
2 lb victory
.5 Crystal 40
.5 crystal 90
.5 crystal 120
.25 chocolate
2 lbs rice hulls

Mashed at 154 to 155
O.G. 1.098.
F.G. 1.026

It tastes good, but it is malty sweet

[Mad Scientist]

On the subject of dry yeast, I can';t just run over to the store and buy some yeast. I have to mail order all my stuff. And the brewstore wants 6.00 just to ship a 1.50 packet of yeast :(

[Magnew]

It will sit fine in the bottle. Nothing bad will happen to it. When you order ingredients for your next batch, include a packet of dry yeast.

[markaberrant]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
Wyeat 1028, London Ale. I was quite stumped as to why the yeast pooped out on me at 9.5%, when it had quite a way to go, near as I can see, I could have gotten at least another 1.5 - 2.5% out of it. Recipe follows:

Mashed at 154 to 155
O.G. 1.098.
F.G. 1.026

It tastes good, but it is malty sweet

74% attenuation sounds about right to me. It falls right in the normal range for 1028 yeast and you mashed pretty high.

[mookow]

Originally posted by Boerne Brew
Wyeat 1028, London Ale. I was quite stumped as to why the yeast pooped out on me at 9.5%, when it had quite a way to go, near as I can see, I could have gotten at least another 1.5 - 2.5% out of it. Recipe follows:

15 lb pale ale malt
2 lb aromatic
2 lb victory
.5 Crystal 40
.5 crystal 90
.5 crystal 120
.25 chocolate
2 lbs rice hulls

Mashed at 154 to 155
O.G. 1.098.
F.G. 1.026

It tastes good, but it is malty sweet

Granted that the majority of your grain bill should be rather fermentable, I dont think you are going to be able to drop the FG much on this because you mashed at 154°F-155°F. Had you mashed at 149°F or 150°F you might be able to drop it more, but right now I think you've gotten just about all you could expect to get from #1028 or any other "normal" attenuative yeast. You could possibly try using White Labs 099 (the hi-gravity strain) which might drop you a couple points... but I suspect that wont yield much more than a couple points.

[Mad Scientist]

At this point, I desire only carbonation.

[HogieWan]

PM me your address - I'll pick up a packet of US-56 and mail it your way in a padded envelope.. It'll be a lot cheaper that way and the dry yeast will survive the USPS shipping.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by HogieWan
PM me your address - I'll pick up a packet of US-56 and mail it your way in a padded envelope.. It'll be a lot cheaper that way and the dry yeast will survive the USPS shipping.

Bourne? Let me know - I can ship today!!!