Bottle Conditioning Bourbon County Stout Clone

[bigdawg86]

I brewed an extract Bourbon County Stout several months ago (OG 1.135, FG 1.036 before adding approx 16oz bourbon) and bottled them 58 days ago (they had 6 week primary, 4 week secondary)... I chilled one for about an hour and when I popped the top there was some pressure present, but no effervescence to speak of... When I racked for bottling, I made sure there was PLENTY of TYB Dry Belgian in each bottle (Have read 16% ish tolerance). The bottles have been sitting at 70-71° the entire time.

1.) I know big beers take much longer to carb... if they carb at all.
2.) How long should I give them?
3.) How much does the time beer is refrigerated before consumed effect carbonation?
4.) I bought champagne yeast and have it on stand by... before re-pitching all bottles, I was considering just doing a single bottle to ensure nothing overcarbs.

Any insight from those who have actually bottled a big beer would be appreciated...

 

[FermentedCulture]

Dry Belgian is a strain of diastaticus, so if you do add champagne yeast it will be interesting to see if it over carbonates. Champagne yeast tends to have good tolerance to high alcohol and pressures plus it eats simple sugars which might get provided by the dry belgian strain - I guess it depends on if dry belgian is killer sensitive but so far I know of one other diastaticus strain which isn't.

21°C is probably a tiny bit on the lower side of things compared to breweries but 2 months is a long time.

 

[cegan09]

Since it doesn't say, i assume you did add priming sugar at bottling? How much? Silly question probably, but best to run through the basics first.

 

[bigdawg86]

Since it doesn't say, i assume you did add priming sugar at bottling? How much? Silly question probably, but best to run through the basics first.

Yes... I forget exactly how much but 3.5-4oz I think

 

[bigdawg86]

Dry Belgian is a strain of diastaticus, so if you do add champagne yeast it will be interesting to see if it over carbonates. Champagne yeast tends to have good tolerance to high alcohol and pressures plus it eats simple sugars which might get provided by the dry belgian strain - I guess it depends on if dry belgian is killer sensitive but so far I know of one other diastaticus strain which isn't.

21°C is probably a tiny bit on the lower side of things compared to breweries but 2 months is a long time.

What do you mean by diastaticus?

 

[cegan09]

Cool. Just crossing the easy stuff off. If you added priming sugar, added some fresh yeast, then it's just a waiting game. 2 months sounds like plenty of time however.

I've heard of other people cracking the bottle, adding yeast, and resealing. never tried it myself, but couldn't hurt to try on a bottle or two.

 

[FermentedCulture]

It's a strain of yeast which creates an enzyme that can ferment dextrins.