I've been brewing using Mauribrew A (Ale 514) dry yeast http://www.maurivinyeast.com/y.aspx?id=14&menu=open&parentid=286&menuid=323 made by the dry yeast manufacturer Mauri Yeast Australia. I buy it by the half kilo and to date I've been quite happy with it. I checked the website and it has the following information for this strain;
TEMPERATURE RANGE
17-30°C (62-86°F) is optimal for this strain. Beer
structure may benefit from fermentations with this
strain after acclimatising to lower temperatures for
prolonged yeast contact at 10-15°C (50-59°F).
This upper temperature range seemed too good to be true. If it was the case, that would mean I would be able to ferment in my 42 gallon conical at room temperature and suffer no negative effects from the 10-15 degree temperature increase that occurs during active fermentation. So I contacted the manufacturer and asked them to confirm this. Here was part of the reply;
"Actually, Mauribrew Ale 514 produces even better aroma profile at the higher end, 80-85 degrees F. Because it is fermenting happily, it does not get stressed and does not produce as much negative aroma like H2S. As for Lager, it may not appreciate it so much. It might be worth trying the Ale yeast for making lagers at this temperature, as Lager 497 really likes the cooler temps."
The lager part of the explanation was a bit confusing, but I interpreted the first part of the response to mean that, if anything, the yeast is even better at these higher temps. Happy with my due diligence, I set out brewing beers in my conical at the higher temp several weeks ago. So far the highest temp I have recorded is 82 degrees which is within the "optimal" temp range. To date I have yet to try a finished beer, but I have a stout, amber ale, and double IPA in the works using this yeast at the higher temp.
Here is my reason for concern. This afternoon I pulled off a sample of double IPA that I brewed a couple weeks ago and tasted it. It tasted quite "hot." Like higher alcohol, get a hangover type hot. Granted, this beer started at 1.078 and is now at 1.015, so it is 8.4% ABV. But needless to say, with 35 gallons of IPA on the line I'm a bit nervous (not to mention the stout and amber ale!).
Hopefully someone can chime in and either let me know that I've been a moron to think I could ferment at this higher temperature and be fine, or that two weeks into a double IPA the "hot" flavor is normal and will subside. I've made big beers in the past, but I usually don't taste them this young, so I'd prefer the second option to be the case. If the first scenario is the case, then I've got a bone to pick with Mauri Yeast Australia. Sorry for the long winded post, but I thought all of the details I provided were necessary. Thanks in advance for any input!
TEMPERATURE RANGE
17-30°C (62-86°F) is optimal for this strain. Beer
structure may benefit from fermentations with this
strain after acclimatising to lower temperatures for
prolonged yeast contact at 10-15°C (50-59°F).
This upper temperature range seemed too good to be true. If it was the case, that would mean I would be able to ferment in my 42 gallon conical at room temperature and suffer no negative effects from the 10-15 degree temperature increase that occurs during active fermentation. So I contacted the manufacturer and asked them to confirm this. Here was part of the reply;
"Actually, Mauribrew Ale 514 produces even better aroma profile at the higher end, 80-85 degrees F. Because it is fermenting happily, it does not get stressed and does not produce as much negative aroma like H2S. As for Lager, it may not appreciate it so much. It might be worth trying the Ale yeast for making lagers at this temperature, as Lager 497 really likes the cooler temps."
The lager part of the explanation was a bit confusing, but I interpreted the first part of the response to mean that, if anything, the yeast is even better at these higher temps. Happy with my due diligence, I set out brewing beers in my conical at the higher temp several weeks ago. So far the highest temp I have recorded is 82 degrees which is within the "optimal" temp range. To date I have yet to try a finished beer, but I have a stout, amber ale, and double IPA in the works using this yeast at the higher temp.
Here is my reason for concern. This afternoon I pulled off a sample of double IPA that I brewed a couple weeks ago and tasted it. It tasted quite "hot." Like higher alcohol, get a hangover type hot. Granted, this beer started at 1.078 and is now at 1.015, so it is 8.4% ABV. But needless to say, with 35 gallons of IPA on the line I'm a bit nervous (not to mention the stout and amber ale!).
Hopefully someone can chime in and either let me know that I've been a moron to think I could ferment at this higher temperature and be fine, or that two weeks into a double IPA the "hot" flavor is normal and will subside. I've made big beers in the past, but I usually don't taste them this young, so I'd prefer the second option to be the case. If the first scenario is the case, then I've got a bone to pick with Mauri Yeast Australia. Sorry for the long winded post, but I thought all of the details I provided were necessary. Thanks in advance for any input!