General guidelines for re-pitching yeast during bottling?

[STEVESKI]

Are there any general guidelines regarding when it is necessary to re-pitch yeast at bottling time? I know the longer it sits in the secondary and the higher ABV the beer it is plays a factor.

Is there any harm in pitching in half a packet of some neutral type yeast like S-05 mixed in with the sugar at bottling time? The last thing I want is for one of my beers that I've been patiently bulk aging for 6 months to a year to not carbonate and be a waste.

I'd rather not ever re-pitch just because it's an added cost, but I don't want to risk a batch of beer on it.

Specifically, I'm talking about apfelwein after about 4 months of aging and then a bourbon barrel ale (~ 7.5%) that will sit between 6-9 months in the secondary.

 

[Mozart]

Noob brewer here myself, who's never done a lager, but were it me, I'd turn to John Palmer for advice.

Ninety five percent of the time there is no difference between priming for lager beer and priming ale. But once in a while you will need to add fresh yeast for priming and carbonation purposes. This is most common when the beer is given a long cold lagering for more than two months.

More on repitching, how much and how to, in the link below:

http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter11-7.html

Edit: Noticed that you're talking about an apfelwein and not a lager, but I would think the principles would be pretty much the same, but I am willing to stand corrected on that point.

Cheers!

 

[Bamsdealer]

Buy some champagne yeast. Its under a buck. Just sprinkle a quarter packet into your bottling bucket as you are racking and bottle. It will be fully carbonated in just a few days

 

[STEVESKI]

Buy some champagne yeast. Its under a buck. Just sprinkle a quarter packet into your bottling bucket as you are racking and bottle. It will be fully carbonated in just a few days

Champagne or wine yeast won't cause any issues or off flavors? I thought I read somewhere to only use yeast which is very neutral to not cause any strange flavors?

 

[Bamsdealer]

Not that I've experienced. I've used it a couple times with success. It's known for high alcohol tolerance, clean profile and supposedly isn't good at fermenting complex sugars like maltose, so it should only go after the priming sugar you add. The only time you may have an issue is if your primary yeast crapped out prematurely and your beer didn't finish.