Which is a better fermentation method for high gravity beers?

I'm looking to brew a high gravity porter for christmas this year, aiming for OG 1.100.

I've browsed several questions on this site relating to high gravity beers and the tendency seems to be towards putting in all fermentables and yeast(s) right at the start of fermentation and just letting it crack on.

My question is, is this method more favourable over doing a secondary pitch of yeast along with a secondary addition of fermentables into the primary after an initial fermentation period?

My plan was to initially use enough fermentables to reach 6/7% ABV (FG equivalent) using US-05 at the low end of the fermentation temperature range, leave that to go for 3/4 days and take a gravity reading. Following on from that, I would add a second lot of boiled malt along with a high ABV tolerant yeast and allow that to ferment slowly over the next week or so, slowing upping the temperature until everything has fermented out. How does this sound?

Topic extract-brewing primary-fermentation high-gravity yeast homebrew

Category Mac

1
answered at

Your best bet is to add all your fermentables at once. The reason is that if you wait until your 7% beer has completed primary fermentation to add more yeast, you are adding that alcohol tolerant yeast to a hostile environment - one in which there is already a high level of alcohol present. Despite being bred as a "alcohol tolerant" yeast, it is still yeast and still requires ideal conditions in order to kick off fermentation: good aeration, good temperature, and low alcohol concentration.

Make sure you make a healthy starter, and make sure you control your temperature - if you let it ferment at ambient, it may ferment just fine but you'll end up with some unpleasant fusel alcohols.

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