Anyone experienced the Safale K-97 yeast?

wolfboy · 08-12-2008, 01:34 AM

Hello everyone

I am using the Safale K-97 yeast for a room temperature brew right now. It has been in the primary for 8 days already, and the kreutzen still hasn't settled.

Is this normal? I do agree that the yeast has a very firm foam during the primary fermentation.

Thanks

J

**Yuri_Rage** · 10-01-2008, 12:17 AM

I just used the stuff for the first time last month. It works as advertised - creates a pretty firm krausen layer during fermentation, has very low flocculation, and results in a pretty clean flavor profile. It's great for an American wheat or a Blue Moon/Shock Top style "wit," but you'll never make a good Bavarian or Belgian style beer with it. Overall I'm slightly disappointed, but I guess I'll be making a TON of American wheat beer since I have something like 485 grams left!

**niquejim** · 10-01-2008, 07:05 PM

K-97 makes a great Alt ( and who doesn't love a hoppy-bitter German Ale)

Omalleys · 10-01-2008, 07:57 PM

I've used this yeast once commercially in a Belgian style Wit. Didn't much care for it. I do think Fermentis makes some good strains, including for commercial brewing. I've had great results with US-05 and S-23 lager.

Omalleys · 10-01-2008, 08:12 PM

I forgot to comment on your krausen not settling. My Belgian Wit was in a stainless uni-tank, so I couldn't see it. It does take a long time for the yeast to flock as a finished beer. I don't think any of the fermentis strains make good Belgian style beers by themselves. My best success there is fermenting the S-23 lager at ale temps and achieving that "Belgian" character with orange peel (bitter and sweet) and maybe coriander.

bottleopener · 10-01-2008, 09:30 PM

This thread has inspired me to sample my first batch of K-97 beer.

I remember I still had krauzen after a week or so, fermenting a little hot around 75.

I read about low floculation with this strain so i left it in the fermenter for a month before kegging.

The flavor is nice for the light German ale I was going for... It ferments pretty clean, but with a nice touch of unique flavor.

**Saccharomyces** · 10-01-2008, 10:38 PM

Wow, I would never have thought that yeast was an Alt strain but you guys make it sound like it is.

Hmmmm.

EDIT: searching folks seem to think this is actually a Kolsch strain. Nice. I'll have to give it a shot for my next batch of Helles Belles.

wolfboy · 11-12-2008, 02:41 PM

Hi
Its been a while since I polished up that batch of beer. Here is a little update.
I left that thing in primary for 11 days before moved it to secondary. I didn't cold condition my secondary. The beer has an "odd" taste. A touch of rubbery "yeast lysis" flavour to it. That strange taste went away for the bottles which had long cold conditioning in the fridge.

In the primary, the kreutzen still stay there for a long time. However, the bubbling on top will stop around 6-8 days while the yeast still floats atop. From personal experience, this is when the beer should be transfer to secondary. I just made another batch, this time transfer the batch from primary to secondary after 6 days. The green beer has little residual sugar in it. Its being cold condition in secondary this time.

**Saccharomyces** · 11-12-2008, 03:41 PM

Yeah the German ale strains take forever to clear. You could add gelatin to the secondary before cold conditioning which will help encourage them to flocculate out. Geltatin leaves enough yeast behind to still carbonate the beer, so don't worry.

From BierMuncher:

Quote:

I use a tablespoon per five gallon batch.

Mix it with hot tap water in a sauce pot, about 1 cup of water per tablespoon.

Stir it up and let it sit for 20-30 minutes to hydrate and bloom.

Put the pot on the stove and heat until it looks like it’s about to start boiling…don’t boil.

Cool slightly (I put my pot in a cold water bath).

Add it (gently) to the secondary (or keg) as you’re racking your beer.

**Coastarine** · 12-17-2009, 02:55 AM

I know there isn't a lot out there on this yeast, so I figured I'd add my experience. I pitched this on saturday into my oktoberfest (a misnomer if I ever saw one, as this is obviously a beer for year-round enjoyment) at 66*F. Over the next few days the temperature dropped to 64*F, then started back up to 67*F. The lag time at this temperature was long, almost 48 hours, and even then activity was slow at first, but it has become really vigorous now with plenty of blowoff as of wed night(5gal in a 5gal better bottle). Obviously I can't say anything about the attenuation, flocculation, or flavor yet, but I will post back later.