Bottle conditioning High alcohol beers

I've got 2 big boys coming up soon

an Olde Ale at 11% abv +/-
and a Imperial Smoked Porter 8.5% abv+/-

I'm not set up for kegging, so I NEED to Bottle condition.

I've read bottle conditioning over 8% abv can be problematic... yeast too depleted to carbonate.

Do I add some fresh (dry) yeast to bottling bucket if so how much?

Do I just add some yeast nutrient to bottling bucket?

Or do I RDWHAHB?

These are my first 2 attempts, coming up, at some BIG beers. Best I did with extract was 6.6% abv

I actually prefer to bottle my higher gravity beers (above 8%) because I don't drink them nearly as fast as my lighter "session" beers.

You really need to be patient with big beers. Extra yeast shouldn't be needed unless you use an extremely long secondary. It will take a few months to get proper carbing...if not longer.

I bottled up my saison that was right about 9% abv and had no issues. Just bottled it like normal and it was carbed nicely within a month. Can't speak for your 11% brew though.

If it were me, I'd throw a little extra Cal Ale yeast in there at bottling. What could it hurt?

I'd STILL be patient though.

I'm just going to "RDWHAHB" and give them a little extra time.

thanks.

Munsoned said:

If it were me, I'd throw a little extra Cal Ale yeast in there at bottling. What could it hurt?

I'd STILL be patient though.

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how much would you add? would you pitch dry, rehydrate, or use a starter?
add to bottling bucket I do have some extra US-05 in the fridge for emergencies...

I dont think you should do anything, you aren't going to drink these beers any time soon so they will have plenty of time to carb up

I'm bottling a 10% Imperial Stout after 6 weeks in the fermenter this weekend and the guy at my LHBS recommended rehydrating a pack of S-04 and adding it to the bottling bucket.Like Munsoned said what can it hurt. It's kind of like cheap insurance.The only thing I'm worried about is possible off flavors.What do you guys think?

At this moment I'm drinking an IIPA that came in at 10.6%, and I primed and bottled as usual with no added yeast or nutrients. It was well carbed but a little green when I first tried it at 3 weeks. It's been just over a month now, and it tastes great.

I've used champagne yeast added to the bottling bucket with the priming sugar, I think it adds more carbonation and head without any off flavors

You can add yeast, but be sure it doesn't attenuate more than the original yeast, or it will change the beer.

Bottling yeast doesn't add much flavor, so other than the above, don't worry too much about what yeast you use.

Dry yeast is cheap, use 1/2 a pack, it'll all be fine.

I always use fresh dry yeast when bottling. If you think about it, the yeast in your beer is very stressed by the time you bottle, especially if you have a big beer. Some fresh yeast will actually reduce the chance for off flavors.

So here's something I keep in mind:

You have a "balance" right now. Your yeast has done the job it was intended to do with the sugars it had. A different yeast will do a different job. You add a different yeast now you run the risk of it attenuating the beer more, not just eating the priming sugar.

If you want to change up yeast you do so in the fermenter, let it finish doing what it is doing, and then prime and bottle. Even fresh yeast of the same strain may exhibit slightly different behavior being put in without having survived the ferment so that is best done in the fermenter and watched for a while.

My advice is to prime and bottle as it sits - unless you're been in the secondary for a really long time, > 6 months. It will take longer but in my opinion nothing is nicer than a bottle conditioned "big" beer. Soft, lacy carbonation, nothing brash, it's perfect.

My opinion is you dont need to add any yeast or sugar. At least for your 8.x brew i made a 9.5% belgian strong without any additions of sugar or yeast. Time and patience have proven to be the key for this beer. After 2 weeks carbonation was fine but flavor produced a ton of "hot" alcohol on the tongue and finish. Giving your beer time in the bottle will get it to the real quality you are looking for.

Heres a shot of my BGS after 2.5 wks in the bottle. Clear and penty of carbonation but flavor nowhere near what i was lookin for

Time and patience is something I need to work on, I blame it on my passion, not my beer gluttony