Wyeast 3711 at bottling: high abv, cold crashes, and gelatin fining

[replacement]

I’ve searched but haven’t come across a situation quite like this: let’s call it an experimental brew along the lines of a Belgian double IPA, or something like duvel tripel hop.

I’ll cut to the chase and ask if anyone would use additional dry yeast at bottling for a 10%+ abv brew that has been cold crashed in a secondary over the course of 2-3 weeks, and fined with gelatin for a few days. If I add some S05 (1-2grams, rehydrated) to the bottling bucket would it help it carb, or would the high abv just stress and kill it off?

For more detail the recipe was extract + 1lb sugar, and a 2l 3711 starter took it from 1.090 down to 1.007 in 2 weeks. At that point I transferred to a secondary to help drop out some of the 3711 (very low floc). I chilled the secondary (40F) for a little over a week then moved back to room temp and dry hopped with pellets. I bagged the pellets and was planning on going right to bottling after 7-10 days, but it got extremely cloudy/hazy. I’m not sure if it was all hop particles, or some yeast came back into suspension. So it went back in the fridge and after a week with no noticeable improvement I fined with gelatin.

I know that after a short cold crash there should still be plenty of yeast to carb, even with gelatin fining; but I’m thinking that what is left is stressed after attenuating out a big beer and going through temp changes (down to 40F, back to room temp, down to 40 again and then back to room temp to condition), plus I don’t want to wait months and months for this to carb since it’s supposed to be hop forward. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[frailn]

I have done 8% ABV beers with 3711 and never had a problem carbing up quickly when bottling. I don't think it will be an issue at 10%.

But, if you want to be absolutely sure - try searching the forum on the use of champagne yeast at bottling for high ABV beers. There is a lot of info out there. I think Red Star is the brand most use, it's a dry champagne yeast.

 

[replacement]

Thanks. I didn't make it out of work before the homebrew shop closed, so I'm taking that as a sign to just bottle with no additional yeast. I'll see how it goes.

 

[looneybomber]

I know a lot of folks on here say it's unnecessary, but on high abv beers that I secondary, I add a hydrated packet of EC1118 in the bottling bucket. I had two batches that didn't carb on me, but once I popped the cap, added a little champagne yeast and recapped, they were carbed in a couple weeks. I don't risk it anymore since it's a dollar worth of insurance.

 

[replacement]

Bomber how much yeast was added to each bottle, just a few specs?

 

[looneybomber]

Well I rehydrated with 2oz warm water, then used around 1mL per 12oz bottle since it that's the whole package