Very High OG - Add more yeast?

[tbtregenza]

I started a 5 gallon batch of IPA over the weekend following directions from the pre-packaged ingredients kit. I forgot to measure OG prior to placing in primary fermenter. I managed to get some out for a reading and it measured 1.135 to 1.14. I double, triple, and quadruple checked I was properly reading the hydrometer and I was.

I've never had this high of an OG reading and if this batch has any chance of creating beer I figure I should maybe add more yeast either now or when I rack later this week into secondary. Any thoughts on best time to do this?

It took about 36 hours for the primary fermentation to really start kicking. I'm planning on dry hopping in the secondary before bottling in two weeks though so not sure best time to add additional yeast, if at all.

Thanks!

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[eastoak]

why would you take it off of the yeast? are you wondering about adding more yeast before or after moving the beer?

 

[tbtregenza]

Yeah I'm wondering if I should make a starter and pitch more yeast now or wait until I rack it in a few days. Or if adding yeast will even help. That original gravity is the cause for my concern - if it wasn't so high I wouldn't think of adding more yeast anyway.

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[eastoak]

how large was the initial pitch? if it was large enough i would leave it on the yeast at least until it has reached final gravity, not anytime sooner than that. i doubt a one week fermentation is enough for a beer that big so i would not think in terms of time, think in terms of hydrometer readings instead.

 

[boydster]

I wouldn't add more yeast. If visible fermentation has already kicked off, there is already a large enough colony established and new yeast would do very little.

Was this an extract kit? If so, did you use the right amount of water? If both those answers are yes, and you didn't add any additional fermentables, this may just be a case of the wort being stratified and you pulled a dense sample.

 

[tbtregenza]

Yeah it had dme and lme as well as some grain. I think the stratification theory is the strongest, I have a feeling if we took a sample from the top of the batch it would be lower OG. We'll keep monitoring the readings every few days. Thanks for the tips.

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[Calder]

If you followed the directions from a pre-packaged IPA kit, your OG will not be anywhere close to 1.140. ........ because it would not be an IPA.

List the ingredients, and somebody will tell you roughly what it should have been.

 

[tbtregenza]

This is the kit I bought:

http://www.shopbrewmeister.com/index.php/falconers-flight-ipa.html

I think boydster's theory about wort stratification is probably correct. I just can't see how that OG could be achieved since it's pretty simple following directions.

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[high5apparatus]

I predict in the end it will be beer.

 

[eastoak]

This is the kit I bought:

http://www.shopbrewmeister.com/index.php/falconers-flight-ipa.html

I think boydster's theory about wort stratification is probably correct. I just can't see how that OG could be achieved since it's pretty simple following directions.

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calder is right, this is not a 1.140 kit. at this point just let it ferment and it will probably be ok.

 

[Calder]

This is the kit I bought:

http://www.shopbrewmeister.com/index.php/falconers-flight-ipa.html

Looking at the kit, l would estimate your OG should have been around 1.065. With extract, you can't be far off. Most variation would occur due to the amount of sugar extraction from the grains (I assumed 50%), and the final volume in the fermenter (how close is it to 5 gallons). The variation around my number is probably +/- .005.

It looks like a lot of crystal in the recipe. I would expect it to end somewhere around 1.018, or a little higher, which to me is fairly high for an IPA. Not much can be done now

To answer your original question, you do not need to add any more yeast. RDWHAHB.

 

[tbtregenza]

Looking at the kit, l would estimate your OG should have been around 1.065. With extract, you can't be far off. Most variation would occur due to the amount of sugar extraction from the grains (I assumed 50%), and the final volume in the fermenter (how close is it to 5 gallons). The variation around my number is probably +/- .005.

It looks like a lot of crystal in the recipe. I would expect it to end somewhere around 1.018, or a little higher, which to me is fairly high for an IPA. Not much can be done now

To answer your original question, you do not need to add any more yeast. RDWHAHB.

Just a quick update - I never will know exactly what the Original Gravity was, but I just bottled over the weekend and the Final gravity was 1.019 to 1.020 after adding priming sugar.

Amazingly accurate prediction, Calder! Will update in a couple weeks after tasting it. I tried a sample when I bottled it and it was very hoppy, but there was not a strong alcohol taste to it. We'll see!