So I am planning an Imperial Stout. Work is getting busy, so I want to have a beer I can secondary for a while and not have to worry about trying to get in bottles a few weeks out. I have been trying dry yeasts and focusing on British styles lately. I really like what Windsor does for my beers and am wanting to use if for my next brew. I have one issue with it thus far though, and that is it always seems to under attenuate. I always seem to be about .01 above what is expected in Brewcipher. And many google searchs point to people saying this too. I plan to mash low-ish for a stout (at least my stouts) at 156. I also intend to use candi syrup, some in the boil some at high krausen. I was thinking about using an extra package of Nottingham that I have kicking around, but am not sure that will leave me with what just Windsor gives me. Would fermenting on the high side, improve it any? I typically am on the cold side. Or is just using an extra package all that is really needed? Tips, tricks or general advice welcome.
I have found Windsor to be a low/moderate attenuator ...even if Danstar says it is a "moderate" attenuator. I personally would rather use a more attenuative yeast for an Imperial Stout with a more dextrinous malt bill than a regular Stout. I think the added Notty is probably a good idea for an Imperial Stout.
I'd definitely consider Windsor to be a low attenuator, but I recently managed to get 75% apparent attenuation out of it for a Burton via a combination of a) using 15% (dark brown) sugar and b) mashing right down at about 144-145. That was starting at about 1.060 and finishing at a respectable 1.015. Still possibly not the most natural choice for anything imperial, although I can see why you might want the dark fruity thing it has going on.
I would just use Nottingham alone. Very versatile yeast that I have used in a number of beers big and small with great results.
Another no to Windsor. I do love that yeast for several brews, but all are 7abv and/or much less. Notty would b my choice
Danstar Windor does not process maltotriose well so it can result in low/medium attenuation depending on the wort sugars composition. You could choose to conduct your mash very low (e.g., 148 degrees F) in order to increase mono and disaccharide production and limit trisaccharide production. The other option is to use Nottingham. Your choice. Cheers!
Well damn... Looks like it will be Nottingham instead... Shame as I really like Windsor. This is the big thing. I have a brown, porter and bitter and get a great dark fruity thing without having much else to contribute to it. Just something I like in a beer.
If you really want to ferment with Windsor you can certainly do so. You just need to mash low (e.g., 148 degrees F) and I would recommend you mash longer than 60 minutes (more like 75 minutes). Cheers! P.S. I also prefer to ferment warm with Windsor (e.g., 70 degrees F) to promote the esters this yeast will produce at those temperatures. I am uncertain whether this is what you seek for an Imperial Stout.
You *could* try an overnight mash, that should help with attenuation. Also you could do a co-pitch of both Windsor and Notty, a lot of folks advocate that for the same reason. Hope you get what you like.
Or,,,,, lower the abv and youll be fine, but if its gotta b strong, perhaps split the batch and see. 1 packet per brew would be interesting.
If you really want the best of both worlds, you could do a proper pitch of Windsor, and once you see signs of fermentation occurring, toss in a pack of Notty.
Interesting bit about maltotriose metabolism in S. cerevisiae is that most strains don't ferment it, but respire it UNLESS they possess maltotriose-specific alpha-glucosidase enzymes, which not many do. Var. diastaticus, however, does. As do most Brettanomyces species. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11598808 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1005691031880
I recently posted of an old ale. OG 1.087. 9 points from sugars. FG 1.022. Pretty decent attenuation of 74%. I pitched on a Windsor yeast cake with added rehydrated pack of US 05 for insurance. Plus Brett c. in secondary (now down to 1.016). Not sure if the big pitch or the US-05 contributed more to the attenuation. If I made an RIS with Windsor, I would try the big pitch or the copitch with Notty. As an aside, I made an IPA once, that through a comedy of errors, ended up with a co-pitch of a packet of Windsor and a packet of Notty. It was, of course, delicious. It was a mostly pils malt with citra and centennial. Not sure if the morale to this is that the co-pitch was a great idea, or that citra hops can do no wrong.
