Does high alcohol kill yeast or just stop it from working...

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reincarnationfish

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I've been making up beer recipes from scratch a bit in order to learn the ropes and one of my early attempts has come out over-strong (7-8%+) and is refusing to carbonate. When you get too strong for the yeast, does it stop working or just die out? If it's just stopped working, then could I theoretically split a bottle into two bottles, add water to each and leave a few days to create a drier, carbonated, 4%+ beer?
 
I believe too much alcohol will kill off the yeast but 7-8% doesn't sound too high for me. Depends on how fresh the yeast was, what make, the quantity, whether it was made from a starter, volume, timings, etc. etc.

More info might help to give you a better answer but if the yeast has gone personally I would add more yeast (1028 is pretty good for high alcohol beers, but I've also used S04 before). Theoretically splitting a bottle is possible but would require extreme caution not to introduce any oxygen or nasties. Personally I wouldn't do it and then you are still back to repitching yeast. Others here though may be able to help more though.

Ps I like the sound of R-Type ale!!!
 
reincarnationfish said:
I've been making up beer recipes from scratch a bit in order to learn the ropes and one of my early attempts has come out over-strong (7-8%+) and is refusing to carbonate. When you get too strong for the yeast, does it stop working or just die out? If it's just stopped working, then could I theoretically split a bottle into two bottles, add water to each and leave a few days to create a drier, carbonated, 4%+ beer?
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I would suggest leaving it as is. It will not turn out bad in the end, although it may want a month or so to mature and carb up.

If you want something to drink in the meantime, here is my personal suggestion:

If in Doubt, brew a Stout.
 
I was going to add that the yeast was S04.

Slid: Thanks, yes, I'm suffering slightly from the noob brewer's lack of patience. The only thing that makes me feel better about it is that since I first posted to this forum about a week ago, I've seen three or four even newer members suffering from this same affliction.
 
reincarnationfish said:
It's got to the point where I'm only buying ingredients based on the fact that I can make a video game or pop culture reference based on their names.
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Like, just incred.
My tiddly peeps are now like 18 and 21 and they would be just fasc!

Back in the boring world, how did the Bramling Cross brew turn out?
I am OK with "big hop" stuff but the beers I really like at this point in time, are the ones with the English hops and the dark malts. Starting to be partial to a roasted barley flavour as well.
 
Well, to be honest, though I've been using English Hops, I'm still going for big hop pales mostly. Choice of hops is down to wanting more locally sourced ingredients and the fact that a bunch of hops are available on special at my local brewshop for £1 for 100g. There's no subtlety in my made up as I go along recipes, I'll leave that for when I have a better clue about what I'm doing. I figured heavy hopping would help cover any off notes in the flavour when I was learning the ropes and I do like hoppy beers.

So the Bramling is not being used the way any *normal* person would, it's a heavily single hopped pale. Probably has come out best of the beers I've drunk so far, mostly because I screwed up in ways which are obvious in hindsight the least (bottling seems to be my nemesis). To me, the aroma leans heavily on oranges, which is pretty unusual in a pale. With that in mind I would guess it might be interesting to try in saison or witbeer in similar quantities. As for how to use it traditionally, I don't know much.
 

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