Yeast for High Grav or Big Beers

[razyrsharpe]

From those on this forum who have been successful with High Gravity brew, what are some really good yeast strains that can do the job needed to create Big Beers? thanks!

 

[schatzke]

I was wondering the same thing, working up a barleywine. I have access to just Wyeast locally. Just use 1056 with a big starter?? And oxygenate it really good?? Looking for 10-12% ABV

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

I've gotten an 11% beer out of 1056. WLP099 can theoretically get you to 25%, though I've not tested this

 

[specharka]

WY1728 - Scottish Ale yeast for barleywines and imperial stouts.
WLP500 / WY3787 - Trappist Ale yeast for tripels and quads.
WY3711 - Belgian Saison yeast for monster saisons.
S-05 / WLP001 / WY1056 - Ale yeast for dry hop bombs. Will work up to 12% ABV.
W-34/70 - Weihenstephan Lager yeast for doppelbocks and high gravity lagers.

I've also had decent success with WY3522 (Belgian Ardennes) -- slightly more mellow than WY3787 / WLP500 for pale Belgians. I would stay away from WLP099 (Super High Gravity Ale) unless you're particularly fond of toenail polish.

 

[GrogNerd]

got my pumpkin barleywine from 1.125 down to 1.008 (90something% attenuation to 14.6% ABV) with WLP007. trick is to step-feed it

Added honey & yeast nutrient at the end of the boil.

aerated again, 24 hrs after pitching yeast.

Added maple syrup and more yeast nutrient on day 4 of primary fermentation.

11oz lyle's golden syrup and additional pitch of yeast on day 6.

1/2 lb sugar on day 8. at this point it was 1.018, my estimated FG, but several days later it had dropped to 1.008

 

[didinho]

US-05.
A pack every 10 litres and I got a great barley wine from og 1085

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

How big are we talking?

I've had good luck with the Wyeast and White Labs Scottish Ale yeast (1728 and I forget the other one); I had a Strong Scotch Ale top out at 11.8% (carbonated, though somewhat weakly, even after at least six weeks combined primary and secondary). I managed to get up to 12% on a Smoked Honey Imperial Porter with US-05, though I added CBC-1 (which is rated for 12-14% I believe) to try to knock the gravity down a little (it barely did) and to carb it when I bottled. I'm planning to use WLP099 for a 15-16% barleywine in the near future.

[EDIT]I was looking for stuff on WLP099 and found a site related to THE PROCESS THAT MUST NOT BE NAMED on which a commenter claims they've gotten up to 17% with White Labs' California Ale Yeast.

 

[slym2none]

I have made a 2.5G batch of a ~1.100 barleywine using a whole packet of US-05, got up to 12% I think.

 

[kev211]

I've never used the high gravity strain from white labs, but I got a triple IPA (that I overshot my og) from 1.110 to 1.011 using one pure pitch packet of wlp090 (SD super yeast) and a 2L starter on a stir plate for 36 hours. Tasted great, attenuated and flocculated like a beast

 

[specharka]

I've never used the high gravity strain from white labs, but I got a triple IPA (that I overshot my og) from 1.110 to 1.011 using one pure pitch packet of wlp090 (SD super yeast) and a 2L starter on a stir plate for 36 hours. Tasted great, attenuated and flocculated like a beast

San Diego Super Ale has the same attenuation as the Chico strain (WLP001), it's just faster and floccs out of suspension a little bit better. I believe there was a Brulosopher exbeeriment which showcased the minute differences between the two yeasts.

 

[kev211]

San Diego Super Ale has the same attenuation as the Chico strain (WLP001), it's just faster and floccs out of suspension a little bit better. I believe there was a Brulosopher exbeeriment which showcased the minute differences between the two yeasts.

Oh I know. Ive never WLP001 on this triple IPA but when i used 090 on it, the stuff crushed it. But I do love 001 too