High Abv Yeast

[Black Dog Brewery]

Hi All,

I have a mate who has just got a reflux Still who thinks that as I brew beers I should know all about it. I have a few questions as I have never used one and have no idea, which is fairly normal for me!

It appears that people that use these use plain sugar and they brew to as high a ABV as possible before "refining it.
1. can you get any better result from using even LME +/- Hops
2. Does the Yeast effect the end flavour or does the "refining" remove all benefits and flavours of quality products.
3. What yeast will allow really high ABV.

Thanks for any thoughts

Cheers BDB

 

[Torsion]

I am by no means an expert on this, but I did some reading a while back and it appears that most people using a 'still just use sugar and "turbo-yeast" (I beleve you can pick this up at you LHBS) to create a high abv "base", then distill it to create a pure spirit for flavoring.

To answer your questions tho:-
1. Use malt and you will make whisky. I have no idea what effect hops could have on the process?
2. Again, not sure, but the reflux will scrub almost everything out apart from the alcohol - so I would assume not.
3. Not sure, but that "turbo yeast" was a term I heard thrown about, maybe champane yeast?

However, it is illegal to use a 'still to create spirts in Australia (as far as I am aware, please correct me on this if it's wrong), it is legal in NZ tho.

HTH
Cam

 

[Doc]

Yes, sorry BDB, it is illegal here in Oz.
So we want to not discuss it on this forum.

Sorry topic closed,
Doc

But if you want a highly alcohol tolerant beer yeast look out for White Labs WLP099 High Gravity Ale yeast.