Ale Yeast for Pseudo Bock Recipe

When I first started homebrewing I made the decision to brew ales only, and I am holding to this decision. However, I do have an affinity for rich, malty, German bock style ales. I have drank my share of dead guy ale, so I know this can surely be accomplished with ale yeast. I have come up with a recipe:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
11.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 69.84 %
3.00 lb Pilsner (2 Row) Ger (2.0 SRM) Grain 19.05 %
1.50 lb Caramunich Malt (56.0 SRM) Grain 9.52 %
0.25 lb Pale Chocolate Malt (200.0 SRM) Grain 1.59 %
1.00 oz Magnum [10.00 %] (60 min) Hops 26.8 IBU

Est Original Gravity: 1.067 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.017 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 6.50 %
Est Color: 18.7 SRM
Mash Temp = 155


Now comes the hard part, I am trying to decide on yeast. I have narrowed the yeast down to to options. WLP029 (german ale/kolsch) or pacman. I am leaning quite heavily towards WLP029 pitched at about 50 degrees and allowed to rise to 67 during the course of fermentation. I think this would yield an ale that could easily be passed for a lager. However, pacman does a nice job too. WHichever yeast gets the call I will be using a 4 liter starter and pitching quite cold with tons of O2 and nutrient.
I will give the beer at least 2 weeks in primary, then transfer to a keg and lager for at least two months near freezing.

Any advice on yeast or protocol would be very appreciated. Thanks

Looks like you have it figured out pretty well. What advice are you looking for?

Soperbrew said:

Looks like you have it figured out pretty well. What advice are you looking for?

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Well, I have never made a bock so I am hoping my recipe is OK, and I am also looking for input on which yeast I should use. I know pacman fermented cold can be super neutral, as can WLP029. If anybody tried something similar I would love to hear about the results.

I did a BrewHouse Dunkel kit with a blend of pacman and English ale yeasts. Tastes great.

I would definitely recommend the pacman yeast, it's a super clean yeast when done cold. I did a maibock with it that turned out great.

CreekBrewery said:

I would definitely recommend the pacman yeast, it's a super clean yeast when done cold. I did a maibock with it that turned out great.

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I am huge fan of pacman, I use it for probably %50 of my ales, I love it. I suppose I could pitch a much larger than usual starter at 50 degrees and let it rise to 60 and hold it there. I think that is the protocol I will use regardless of yeast strain. Luckily bock is quite a malty, strongly flavored beer because I do get a little mineral/earthy/vegatal type of ester from pacman...IPA's and other strongly flavored beers completely hide it though. I just brewed a 1.070 OG american stout with pacman, mashed at 154 and pitched a 1 gallon starter at 55 degrees.....it rose to 61 and was finished at 1.010 in 3 days. Heckuva yeast.

Would wy1007 German ale be a good option too?

nilo said:

Would wy1007 German ale be a good option too?

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Yes it sure would be....

I have WLP029 and Pacman in my fridge though!