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TerryH · 01-24-2010, 11:41 PM

I want to brew some belgian style ales whose recipes call for wlp550. Since it is hard for me to schedule my brew days I usually use dry yeast. Will a dry yeast like Safbrew T-58 give me good results or do I need to find a way to use liquid yeast. Or does anyone have another recommendation? Thanks.

JesseRC · 01-24-2010, 11:54 PM

I've used it before and have had good results. I've even used it in combination with liquid yeast, when I didn't have time to make a starter.

Bob · 01-25-2010, 05:30 PM

Is it exactly like WLP550? Nope. Unfortunately, there really isn't a dry yeast that will ferment a Belgian-style beer to the same level of quality as one of the liquid strains. That said, I've brewed acceptable beers with T-58. Not excellent, but not full of suck and fail, either. They were acceptable to my palate, which is good enough for me.

Me, I'd get the freshest sample of the appropriate liquid yeast I can find and just keep it refrigerated.

Cheers,

Bob

craigd · 01-25-2010, 08:05 PM

You can pop it in the fridge for weeks so as long as you know that you will do it soon. If you won't know enough in advance to make a starter I'd suggest pitching at least 2 (though honestly I think that's less critical with Belgians since you are looking for heavy ester formation and under pitching will increase them - just don't do that on a real big beer or you may under attenuate. My saison came out fine this way.) If you are going to do a few you can get some of that money back by washing your yeast and reusing it a couple times.

Denny · 01-25-2010, 09:10 PM

T-58 is pretty good for wit and acceptable for tripel. For something like a dubbel or BDSA, I'd pass on it.

If you can guess at your brewday within a couple week timeframe, you could just keep a starter in the fridge til you're ready to use it.

**BierMuncher** · 01-25-2010, 09:19 PM

I brewed a Dubbel last February with T-58. (Couldn't get my hands on any #1214 in time).

Ramped up the fermentation temps from 64 to 75 over 10 days (using a space heater that I moved progessivley closer). Huge esters. Fruity, raisiny.

Scored 38 in a comp this winter.

shanepaynter · 02-09-2010, 06:59 PM

I just brewed a Tripel on the 6th and used T-58. Supposed to go into secondary tomorrow so I just checked it, 1.020 which is right on.

Never used it before either but seems to be ok.

bendavanza · 03-23-2010, 04:34 PM

I brewed the AHS Belgian IPA with the t-58 and first taste (still a week young) is fruity and tangy. I like it so far but I'm sure it will mellow out. It's been on the gas for a week and brewed about 5 weeks ago.