Bottle conditioning a Belgian Triple... should I use bottling yeast?

[Muz]

Subject line says it all. I usually don't worry with bottling yeast but this Triple is a little higher ABV than normal so I thought I might need to. I was looking for CBC-1 but everywhere is out of stock at the moment. I can get some EC-1118. Just worried about changing the taste by using it.

About the beer:
OG 1.072
FG ~1.010
ABV 8.3
Fermentation yeast Belgian Abbey II (Wyeast 1762)
By the weekend when I intend to bottle it will have been in the primary at 20 degrees for four weeks.
I'll be priming with corn sugar and conditioning in champagne bottles

Side question - when do people find Triples come into their prime? About 12 months?

 

[MHB]

W1762 can cope with up to 12%ABV so its got the legs to condition the beer, only concern would be having enough in suspension after sitting in the fermenter for 4 weeks.
If you are bulk priming (I would) take a teaspoon or two of the slurry from the fermenter and stir it in with the Dextrose, so its evenly distributed in the bottles.

I would share concerns about what EC1118 can do to the flavour of a Belgian, its also extremely attenuative so you are likely to get a bit more fizz than expected.
Mark

 

[Muz]

W1762 can cope with up to 12%ABV so its got the legs to condition the beer, only concern would be having enough in suspension after sitting in the fermenter for 4 weeks.
If you are bulk priming (I would) take a teaspoon or two of the slurry from the fermenter and stir it in with the Dextrose, so its evenly distributed in the bottles.

I would share concerns about what EC1118 can do to the flavour of a Belgian, its also extremely attenuative so you are likely to get a bit more fizz than expected.
Mark

Thanks Mark. This is exactly what I was concerned about.

I typically don’t bulk prime. I’ve got an over the top method of making up my priming liquid and then using a syringe to individually prime each bottle. A little OTT but I’ve found it works well for me. No reason why I can’t add some slurry to the priming liquid though.

 

[JDW81]

Thanks Mark. This is exactly what I was concerned about.

I typically don’t bulk prime. I’ve got an over the top method of making up my priming liquid and then using a syringe to individually prime each bottle. A little OTT but I’ve found it works well for me. No reason why I can’t add some slurry to the priming liquid though.

Just be wary adding yeast slurry to a very hypertonic, small volume priming solution. This comment is only made on a theoretical basis, but there is a risk you could damage your yeast by excessive osmotic force across the cell membrane and end up with off flavours/not enough viable yeast in solution to prime. It may be fine (and isn't something I've ever done or read about), just basing this on fundamentals of cellular/fluid physiology and the damage osmotic forces can exert on cells.

JD

 

[MHB]

Fair cop, worth thinking about.
I suspect dormant yeast that has been sitting in an 8% ABV beer is going to be fairly slow to start working again (hours not days) and that a short exposure to a lot of sugar wont bother it too much.
Agree that bulk priming would be a better option, less stress all round.
Mark

 

[JDW81]

Fair cop, worth thinking about.
I suspect dormant yeast that has been sitting in an 8% ABV beer is going to be fairly slow to start working again (hours not days) and that a short exposure to a lot of sugar wont bother it too much.
Agree that bulk priming would be a better option, less stress all round.
Mark

I don't know if it is a real risk, just something I'd think about. Agreed it's for a short period of time, but I know the effort and time commitment that goes into big Belgians and would hate to see it go pear shaped and affect the quality of the product.

JD