Help, I made a monster (too big?)

[miletwo]

Hey folks, back to craft after a couple of moves. Yesterday I made a monster DME based brew with a SG of 1.121 and pitched Still Spirits whiskey on it. Now I'm thinking that was probably kinda dumb to keep a SG that high. It's super happy at the moment but I fear with a potential alcohol of about 18% and the alcohol tolerance for this yeast around 15% that I might have flubbed it up a bit.

Should I:
1) Leave it alone, chalk it up to experience and carry on as normal
2) Split it into two fermenters and water it down

Recipe:
3lb Amber DME dissolved in 2 gallons
5lb Sugar in 1 gallon - inverted w/tartaric acid+heat
Top it up with cool water & ice to about 5.5 gallons in 6.5 gallon bucket (still at 95° so I let it cool for a while until it hit 89)
2lb flaked corn in the fermenter
1 package Still Spirits hydrated/aerated/fed on a stir-plate for 2 hours while the mash cooled to temp.
Shoot it with o2 for 60 seconds and let it hang in the shower since yesterday.

[Dr Griz]

I reckon that your yeast may go a bit farther than it's rated, but the little buggers will be seriously stressed! Pushing the OG like that will definitely give you more ethanol, but so much of it will be mixed with off-flavors that you may actually have less useable product at the end of the day (unless, of course, you're aiming for a neutral, but that seems a waste of good extract).

I've split a batch and diluted when I made a similar mistake (for a mead, rather than a wash) and it worked a treat. Another option might be to pitch another yeast (EC 1118 is rated to 18%), but without propping it up with a starter first, you're still gonna have some stressed yeasties.

[dunluce]

If you have the equipment (another fermenter), I'd split them and slowly add water to bring it to the desired specific gravity. Or, if you don't care too much, let it run its course as an experiment.

[miletwo]

I am pretty lazy but would like to salvage it if possible. Another bucket and bubbler can be easily obtained and it's only been fermenting about 14 hours at this point so I'm pretty confident it can be saved. I think I'll split it. Thanks folks!

[Dr Griz]

I think I'll split it.

Tell us how it turns out!

[miletwo]

Split complete. I poured off half into a new fermenter and topped both up to 5 gal line and had a quick taste... delish so far, still sweet so the yeasties shouldn't be too stressed yet given there shouldn't have been a ton of alcohol for them to contend with, no off flavors in the mash at least. Crisis averted. They're bubbling again and happy so far.

I'll post again once I run it off.

[miletwo]

Ugh! These yeasties must have ate vegamite, chili dogs, and overcooked eggs. Nasty little turds. The wash tastes okay, but GAWD is the smell not awesome.

I ain't worried though. It should still distill fine, but geez I might have to move them out to the garage (currently hanging out in the tub of a spare bathroom).

[Dr Griz]

Sounds like stressed yeasties to me -- I often used to get sulphur (and worse) when I let ferments get too cold in my basement (thus my questions about your heat mat in another post). The good news is that, if you can correct the original cause of the stress (and let's hope that reducing the gravity did that), your little buddies will go a long way to cleaning it up later.

[Hambone]

What’s the worst thing that can happen? You’re learning from everything...even the less successful runs.

[miletwo]

They're starting to smell a little better today. Woof! Nothing like yeast with indigestion, eh? LOL!

[Deplorable]

Try dropping a ball of copper wire in the fermenter or a length of copper pipe to help remove the sulfur?

[miletwo]

Try dropping a ball of copper wire in the fermenter or a length of copper pipe to help remove the sulfur?

Interesting idea, thanks!

[Toxxyc]

Remember it's not just a high ABV that stressed the yeast. A too high OG also stresses the yeast via osmotic shock.

[miletwo]

4 days in and the SG is about .993

I'm gonna let it go a few more days to let it rock out with the floc out and then think about stripping Friday or Saturday. I don't think it can really get much lower. Tastes/smells okay now. Lessons learned.

[Dr Griz]

Crisis averted! Well done!

[miletwo]

Remember it's not just a high ABV that stressed the yeast. A too high OG also stresses the yeast via osmotic shock.

Not sure if that's really the case here as it was pre-hydrated in a lower gravity solution with yeast nutrients and lots of O2, but still possible for sure.

https://beersmith.com/blog/2018/01/10/b ... ity-beers/

[Toxxyc]

Definitely possible, even if you rehydrated in lower gravity solution. Keep in mind sugar is a preservative. Enough of it will stop and prevent yeast growth altogether (look at honey).

[Demy]

Generally a high OG is not recommended (although your yeast may cope) especially when coupled with heat stress.Sulfur odors are an indicator of stress but this can vary from yeast to yeast ... for example some lager yeasts typically produce that. annoying odor, generally disappears towards the end of fermentation.

[miletwo]

Yea, I'm definitely going to shoot for below 14 Brix from now on unless doing a neutral spirit.

Have to do dumb things every once in a while for "educational" purposes, I guess.