Question regarding yeast with high gravity beer

Yes, there is such a thing as using too much yeast. Try Mr. Malty or YeastCalc to get an idea about how much yeast you need. I don't know if Beersmith has a built in yeast calculator.

IMO, a fresh 11.5 g pack of US-05 into 2 gallons of 1.118 ale wort is overpitching slightly. But I don't think it would hurt.

 

Yes, use the whole sachet for the 2 gal batch, but don't expect anything close to 72% efficiency on such a big beer. If concerned you'll be overpitching, skip the rehydration.

 

Hope this isn't too late, but I don't think US-05 is going to handle a starting gravity that big. Theres more to it than pitching enough yeast. You need a yeast that will tolerate that level of alcohol and ferment all the way out. WLP099 is a strain to look at.

 

I used Chico in an 11.8% ABV beer. Brewcipher pitch rate and O2. Wyeast yeast nutrient. No problems at all. I would venture a guess that most yeast strains can tolerate alcohol higher than what the manufacturers publish, if you treat them right.

ETA: The reason I guess this is that I've also heard several people over the years talk about their successes with yeast strains above their supposed ABV tolerance levels. And I am admittedly not a fan of yeast manufacturers' published specs.

 

My club did a mead vs yeast thing for the NHC in 2014. The Chico yeast took a while, but got to 15%.

 

I have used chico to hit 13%

 

Wørd.

More like 60% .... unless there's a third sparge ... above average pre-boil volume ... and an extra long boil.

 

Doubt you'll get 72% efficiency with a huge beer like that. Shoot for about 53%, that's been my experience with huge beers. Others might disagree; if so they're probably not telling the whole truth, like they had to sparge 7 gallons and boil for 3 hours or something wacky like that.

One pack of US-05 in 2 gallons will do 'er.

 

Temperature control is a much bigger concern with this particular scenario.

 

Coincidentally, I was reading an eisbock recipe in Brewing Classic Styles last night, and here is what Jamil had to say:

The mistake many brewers make when attempting this style is that they start with a beer that has too much alcohol and caramel flavor. They end up with a beer that is overly sweet and candy-like or one that is very hot with solvent-like alcohol. It is important to brew a very clean, doppelbock-style beer, with a good level of attenuation. Once it is concentrated by freezing, any fermentation flaws become concentrated and more intense. If you don't start with a very clean lager beer with a dry-enough finish, or you don't allow enough lagering time for the beer flavors to mellow, you won't end up with a very good eisbock.​

Now, obviously he was writing about an eisbock, and you are not brewing an eisbock. But I feel some of his advice would apply to your situation. In particular, why push your system to the limit in terms of OG, when you are going to concentrate by freezing anyway? I imagine your odds of getting a good, clean fermentation are higher at 1.070 than at 1.118, and you can concentrate it to whatever ABV you want.

 

^ This

An ice beer is normally brewed to a relatively ordinary gravity level, and then frozen to "concentrate".

Unless your aim is to make something ~20% ABV?

 

Sounds like a plan -- just leave it sit for 3 weeks before taking a reading. It would be wise also to swirl the fermenter every couple of days to keep the yeast in suspension a little better so that they don't get tired and fall out too early.

 

How long after pitching did it seem to slow down? With a high gravity wort like this, I would expect a day or two of very active attenuation, followed by several days of slower activity (but still attenuating).
I've never had to swirl a fermenter to keep yeast from flocculating prematurely. YMMV.

(And stop counting bubbles for cripes sake!)

 

The pros must need to use a big crane to swirl their 100bbl fermenters.

 

Not necessary if the wort has been oxygenated with a really big...

 

Try Wyeast 1099 sometime. Or Windsor. Fermentation is complete in 36 hours or less, and you're lucky to get 60% attenuation with those yeasts. Belgian yeasts also can be very finicky. Other yeasts, not quite so susceptible, but it's still a potential concern.