[tom]

Don't add more oxygen than usual all at once, just repeat it somewhere between 4-24 hours after pitching.

[rjharper]

So finally got round to brewing this today.  Mashed at 150 for 2 hours.  Boiled for 3 hours to get volume down. Aerated with oxygen before pitching, then 2 hrs after.  Pitched a huge WLP007 slurry at 60F.  OG hit 1.135.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

[jmcamerlengo]

Mash at 149-150 for sure.  Also Irish Ale yeast at fermented at 70 works great with RIS..gives just enough diacetyl that I think is desirable in a RIS.

Dry hopping also can add complexity to the mouthfeel.

[bluesman]

Looking at some of the NHC Gold medal winning recipes I'm seeing higher mash temps like 152F and as high as 158F on the most recent RIS brewed by Streve Fletty. Perhaps there is something to be said about that... Maybe the more dextrinous profile lends some balance to the beer. Apparently the BJCP Judges liked it.

[rjharper]

So no problems getting fermentation going then.  This is after the 1st 24hrs...

[bluesman]

I have a 1.120 RIS going in my fermentation chamber at 62F and I had to install the blowoff hose only after 8hrs. It was still blowing krausen after 36hrs this a.m.

[rjharper]

Update, after 2 weeks its gone from 1.134 to 1.042 and seems to have stalled out.  That's about 70% attenuation to 12.5% or so.  I used a full yeast cake of WLP007 Dry English, which is rated for 70-80% attenuation and tolerant to 8-12%.  I'm thinking it could have gone further but I lost a lot of yeast out the blow off.  I figure I have four options.

1. Rouse the yeast again, and see if it goes any further but its been still for a week.
2. I have a Belgian Strong Dark bubbling away. I figure in a week or so I'll have a fresh cake of WLP550 Belgian Ale, with 78-85% attenuation and 8-12% tolerance. I'm thinking I could go from RIS to Belgian RIS.
3. I'm planning to brew a Blonde Ale soon on WLP001 California, with 73-80% attenuation and 10-15% tolerance.  I had planned a different route for that yeast cake but if needs must, although thats easily two weeks out.
4. Grow up a big starter of WLP099 Super Yeast or >80% attenuation and >15% abv.

I like idea number 2 personally.

On any of the above I've been fermenting at 64F so far, and I can raise that to 68-70F.  I don't think its fermentables since I mashed long and low, and added sugar to boost fermentability and account for modified grains.

[tygo]

Transferring the RIS onto a yeast cake is not likely to do much.  Even if there are fermentable sugars available the yeast are going to be less than enthusiastic about going to work in that environment.  Your best bet is to get a small starter going, say a quart, let it get to high krausen, and pitch that directly into the RIS fermenter. 

That might shave a few more points off but I'm going to guess not very many.  I think you're probably close to done on this one.

[rjharper]

Thanks tygo
My thoughts on yeast cake versus starter were primarily based on cell count, there's going to be a whole lot more yeast in the cake than a quart starter.

I suppose I could throw in option 5, and pitch EC1118 Champagne Yeast but that seems like a Hail Mary.

Taste wise, its still too sweet, although not by much.  If I could shave off 5 more points I'd be happy enough.

[bluesman]

That might shave a few more points off but I'm going to guess not very many.  I think you're probably close to done on this one.

+1

Sounds like it may likely be finished.

[tygo]

My thoughts on yeast cake versus starter were primarily based on cell count, there's going to be a whole lot more yeast in the cake than a quart starter.

True, but the yeast in the starter will be wide awake and in the middle of fermenting stuff.  When you pitch them in they're more likely to keep eating.

I did this for an American BW that didn't attenuate as well as I hoped.  It stalled at 1.040.  I pitched two packs of US-05 in a one liter starter, let it get going, and pitched it into the fermenter.  FG on that one ended up being 1.038.  So it helped a little, but not much.

[rjharper]

That might shave a few more points off but I'm going to guess not very many.  I think you're probably close to done on this one.

+1

Sounds like it may likely be finished.

That may be the case but I hope not.  Out of 28lbs of grain, only 4lbs were highly modified (1ea of Carafa III, Chocolate, Coffee and Roast Barley).  Everything else was Pale or Munich, plus added sugar, and I mashed at 150. 

Next time I do this, I'm doing sugar additions at high krausen.

[denny]

only 4lbs were highly modified (1ea of Carafa III, Chocolate, Coffee and Roast Barley).

Color isn't an indicator of the degree of modification.

[tomsawyer]

You could add some starter wort to your cake and wake it up that way, then pitch the beer on it.  That would give you cell count as well as revved up cells.  When yeast floc out they are kind of going into dormancy.

Did you move this to a warm place for the last part of fermentation?  That might help a bit.

Overall I agree with those who say the beer is done, I generally figure on getting the low end of attenuation from a yeast when I'm putting it in the high end its alcohol tolerance.  Thats where some sugar helps, you figure on getting 70% attenuation from your malt and closer to 100% from your sugar.

And one final thought, don't judge the beer as too sweet just yet.  As it mellows and the flavors blend it might just suit you as is.  You really don't want it too dry with all that alcohol in there.

[Pi]

I did a RIS a few years ago with similar results. I "fortified" it with grain alcohol. Invert sugar works well, but a little late for that. wish I could tell you where i found the calculator for adding Everclear. Maybe someone here can help.