Using EC-1118 Champagne yeast to carb up a troublesome DIPA?

[Juno_Malone]

Hello!

A while back, I brewed a more-or-less Heady Topper clone using the Vermont Ale yeast. After transferring to the primary carboy, I had about 4.8 gallons @ 1.080 OG. By the time everything had settled out, the FG was 1.008 and I bottled ~4 gallons (after trub loss) of ~9.2% ABV beer. They've been in bottle for 3 months now, at 70-75F, and have failed to carb up to any noticeable amount (I added 96g priming sugar solution to the bottling bucket, which should've been enough for 2.5vol CO2).

A friend recommended getting a hold of a packet of CBC-1 yeast, sprinkling a tiny amount in each bottle, and re-capping them. I wasn't able to find any CBC-1 yeast at my LHBS, but I did get a couple packets of Lalvin EC-1118 which is a Champagne yeast. If I open up each bottle and sprinkle a little bit of this yeast in, will that solve my carbonation problems? Or will the champagne yeast eat in to some of the residual sugars that the Vermont ale yeast didn't, causing over-carbonation and possible bottle bombs?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Build]

Vermont Ale yeast attenuates best when the mash is low, under 150F, and simple sugar is added 5-10%. Otherwise it leaves a lot of unfermented sugar that the champagne might get around to eating.

Are you sure the priming sugar was stirred well? Are some bottles more carbonated than others, or all completely dead?

If you keg, I would gently pour them all into the keg and force carb.

 

[NTexBrewer]

I use EC-1118 to bottle condition my beers. As long as your beer was finished fermenting the champagne yeast will only eat the priming sugar. I've never had a problem. I have never done what you are proposing. I've always added the extra yeast at bottling. Report back if you get your beer carbonated.

 

[teamcoaster]

I know it's bad form to say, Me too, but I add champagne yeast to carbonate all my bottle conditioned beers.

I'd probably empty the beer back into your bottling bucket, pour the re-hydrated yeast into the batch, give it a very gentle stir and re-bottle.

The level of carbonation comes from the priming sugar not the amount of yeast so don't worry about adding too much of the champagne yeast. For me, it works great and does not affect the flavor of the beer.

I use EC-1118 to bottle condition my beers. As long as your beer was finished fermenting the champagne yeast will only eat the priming sugar. I've never had a problem. I have never done what you are proposing. I've always added the extra yeast at bottling. Report back if you get your beer carbonated.