Barleywine - Champagne Yeast in Secondary

[CoolshipMike]

I'm brewing an all grain barleywine kit. The recipe indicates a SG of 1.084 and FG 1.023. Before the boil the wort measured 1.090. Unfortunately I couldn't check after the boil because the hygrometer broke. I used a Wyeast smack pack to get it going. When I got a new hygrometer in the morning there was already a some krausen forming and it measured 1.076.

After three weeks in the primary it measures 1.016. According to the kit instructions I'm supposed to rack to secondary, add a champagne yeast and condition for 1-6 months. What is the purpose of adding the champagne yeast at this point if the FG has already been achieved? Would it be ok to just condition for a few months in bottles?

Thanks

 

[Westel]

Hey Mike I would skip the champagne yeast, it seems dry for a barley wine already.

 

[BradleyBrew]

I would just bulk condition for X amount of time and about 2 or 3 days before bottling rehydrate and add the champagne yeast and add to the beer to ensure it will carb properly in the bottles over time.

Also, the gravity isn't out of a ale yeast range. I would skip the champagne yeast altogether and add some S-04 before bottling.