HBT, Make my decision for me!

I will be brewing an IPA soon and can't decide if I want to use WLP001 or yeast I've harvested from an Ommegang bottle.

So, I come to HBT to make my decision for me. On one hand I do love a typical west coast IPA, but I've also found myself really enjoying the IPA's I've had that were brewed with belgian yeast. I've never done a belgian IPA before so I am leaning in that direction, but I will brew whichever option is ahead on the day I brew.

I'll try to remember to report back on how it turns out either way!

You've done regular IPAs before, right? May as well try something new!

Do a split batch if you have 2 buckets or carboys available and pitch both yeasts.

Use the belgian yeast. Belgian IPAs are some of my fav beers.

DrinksWellWithOthers said:

Do a split batch if you have 2 buckets or carboys available and pitch both yeasts.

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I considered this, actually, but decided against it because the logistics would be tough for me.

i just cant get into belgians... that yeast just kills me

I love it. I cast my vote and its a perfect 50/50 now. 8 to 8

Is the yeast in Ommegang the same yeast that they ferment with, or it just added at bottling time?

For the love of god, don't brew a "Belgian IPA"

*pukes in mouth*

End this disastrous fad now.

Why? I quite like them (and everything else fermented with Belgian yeasts). I see from your sig you're not anti-Belgian, so what's wrong with making a hoppier Belgian style beer?

I do agree that it's gone from 'something novel' to 'all out fad,' but hell, it's better in my eyes than the 'hop the crap out of everything' or 'oak age it' ones.

Homercidal said:

Is the yeast in Ommegang the same yeast that they ferment with, or it just added at bottling time?

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Well, I can't be certain, but based on the estery smell of the stepped up starter I made, I'm going to assume it's the same yeast. It definitely smells belgian, but that doesn't necessarly mean it's the same yeast they ferment with.

Either way, it will make beer!

I say you make a Black Belgian IPA, age it in oak, dry hop the $#!^ out of it, use nitro instead of CO2, and bottle it in old pop top dish soap bottles. That should cover all the bases...

Or, since logistics don't allow for a split bath, you could just do 2 brew days with the same grain bill and use each yeast to taste the difference.

Sigafoos said:

Why? I quite like them (and everything else fermented with Belgian yeasts). I see from your sig you're not anti-Belgian, so what's wrong with making a hoppier Belgian style beer?

I do agree that it's gone from 'something novel' to 'all out fad,' but hell, it's better in my eyes than the 'hop the crap out of everything' or 'oak age it' ones.

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I just think American hops and Belgian yeast clash like crazy. I get this burnt rubber thing in the ones I've tried, the Stone Cali-Belgique was the worst.

I love an enormously hopped IPA or a Belgian all by themselves, just not mixed together.

I agree, oaked everything and Imperial everything annoys the hell out of me too. It's not creative to add more of everything in a recipe and proclaim it a new beer. Meh.

smizak said:

I just think American hops and Belgian yeast clash like crazy. I get this burnt rubber thing in the ones I've tried, the Stone Cali-Belgique was the worst.

I love an enormously hopped IPA or a Belgian all by themselves, just not mixed together.

I agree, oaked everything and Imperial everything annoys the hell out of me too. It's not creative to add more of everything in a recipe and proclaim it a new beer. Meh.

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So why does it bother you that other people want to try different things?

Yeah, I realize brewing is one of those arts that is steeped in tradition, but if people didn't experiment, we'd still be eating naturally fermented fruit instead of drinking delicious beer.

I'm sure the first person to brew an American IPA caught a bunch of flack for it and now it is a staple. Just like any other craft, beer evolves as people try new and different things. If you want to continue brewing your traditional styles, go right ahead, no one is stopping you. That's the great thing about being a homebrewer... you can brew whatever you like!

Homercidal said:

So why does it bother you that other people want to try different things?

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Just expressing my opinion mang. You know, like on a web forum. I could care less what other people brew. He's the one who asked.

I just brewed an imperial stout and split the batch with half getting a large slurry of US-05 and half getting a large slurry of WLP 500. I just had the itch to try the Belgian yeast in a stout. I will not let the fermentation temp get as high as I would for a dubbel - I am hoping for some of the plum and raison flavors. I will see. So I say go for the Belgian yeast. It is your beer, do what you want!