What's comparable to Oberon yeast?

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PseudoChef

PseudoChef

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I recultured some Oberon yeast from a bottle, but was wondering what commercial yeast this style is similar to. I was largely disappointed with the Oberon (first try). However, this was also my first 'American Wheat' so I was also wondering if it was supposed to be as lager-y and clear as mine was. It had a crisp finish, but no distinct flavour that I usually encounter with a Hefe or Wit.

Would this yeast work well in a Wit recipe?
 
I was under the impression from previous posts and Oberon recipes which call for the reculture, that the bottle yeast is the same as primary fermentation.
 
I'm not sure what oberon is, but you said it was for an American Wheat... if that's true, that's your problem. Hefe and wits use special, well, hefe and wit yeast. German Hefe is a yeast that has a banana/clove flavor and nose to it and the wits have what I would call a fruity, tangy taste(in my experience) but it's very distinctive for sure. Whereas American Wheats use a yeast that doesn't usually impart a very substantial/distinctive flavor.
 
seefresh said:
I'm not sure what oberon is, but you said it was for an American Wheat... if that's true, that's your problem. Hefe and wits use special, well, hefe and wit yeast. German Hefe is a yeast that has a banana/clove flavor and nose to it and the wits have what I would call a fruity, tangy taste(in my experience) but it's very distinctive for sure. Whereas American Wheats use a yeast that doesn't usually impart a very substantial/distinctive flavor.
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Great, that's exactly the info I was looking for. I'm really looking for that tangy, fruity taste.
 
I am pretty positive that Bells uses different yeast at bottling time. I was going to make an Oberon clone at the begining of the summer and I did a little digging and talkto a friend that was from MI right near the brewery and he had sais the same thing. plus they changed the recipe from what it started out as. I would go with an american hefe (WLP320). it will be different from Oberon But it will be more of the hefe/wit flavor you are looking for.

Cheers
 
wop31 said:
I am pretty positive that Bells uses different yeast at bottling time. I was going to make an Oberon clone at the begining of the summer and I did a little digging and talkto a friend that was from MI right near the brewery and he had sais the same thing. plus they changed the recipe from what it started out as. I would go with an american hefe (WLP320). it will be different from Oberon But it will be more of the hefe/wit flavor you are looking for.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Everything I've read said they use the same yeast. Perhaps they've changed it up. Either way, I was just wondering what other styles (besides American wheat) I could use it on, since that one didn't impress me.
 
So I was given incorrect information about the yeast in an Oberon as well as all the other Bells Beers. I e-mailed them and got this response.

Dear Wop31:

Veronica forwarded your message to me & asked that I respond to your question. The yeast in a bottle of Oberon Ale is the same as the fermentation strain. It is also the same yeast used to ferment almost all of our beers; we follow what is essentially a house yeast model. Only certain specialty or seasonal beers use different strains of brewers’ yeast. The primary examples include any of our lagers (Bell’s Lage, Octoberfest, & Consecrator Doppelbock) and the Winter White Ale.

I hope this answers your question. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,
Gary S. Nicholas
Quality Assurance & Control
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
8938 Krum Avenue
Galesburg, MI 49053
Voice: 269/382-2338 x210
Fax: 269/382-3820
E-mail: [email protected]
Click to expand...

I hope that this makes up for my posting wrong info.....sorry:eek:

Cheers
 
The Snooty Know-it-Most at my LHBS told me that all of your mid to large sized breweries (As well as a good bunch of the smaller ones) use the same yeast for most of their brews. Like what was mentioned above a "House Yeast".
 
Robar said:
The Snooty Know-it-Most at my LHBS told me that all of your mid to large sized breweries (As well as a good bunch of the smaller ones) use the same yeast for most of their brews. Like what was mentioned above a "House Yeast".
Click to expand...

Yeah, I found out the Oberon yeast isn't a "wheat"-ish strain at all, just a house ale strain. Oh well, I used it for my American Wheat anyway.
 
I just spoke with some folks at Bells and they told me that they do use their house ale yeast for brewing Oberon, and they use the same yeast for bottling as they do for fermentation.

It was also suggested that Oberon would be one of the best of Bells beers from which to propagate their house yeast. Probably because of all the sediment in the bottom of the bottles.
 
PseudoChef said:
I was largely disappointed with the Oberon (first try).
Click to expand...

Oberon changed significantly in 2003/2004 when the opened their Comstock Brewery. I do not know what they are doing differently but I personally don't care for used to be an enjoyable beer.

I do still buy a 6 pack when it first ships every spring to make sure that they fudged it up again. Stick with Bells's Two-Hearted Ale, now the best beer they produce IMO.
 
I was under the impression that most wheat/heffes have the same yeast in the bottle.

I thought only stronger belgian ales used a different yeast in the bottle.
 
I am NOT enjoying my sixer of Oberon at all this year.....a few years back, I'd destroy that stuff....lately it's not been my cup of tea. Still love their 3HA and Hopslam, though!
 
Does anyone know what the highest abv I can get with this strain is? I propagated it from a 6er of Oberon and I've been dying to make a barley wine with it.
 

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