Unconventional uses of Belgian yeast?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

andreiz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
107
Reaction score
0
Location
Seattle
Has anyone used a Belgian yeast like WLP500 or WLP530 to ferment an American Pale ale or IPA? I had a beer at Dieu Du Ciel in Montreal that was labeled as IPA. It definitely had the bitterness and some of the hop aroma, but also a lot of the esters and taste associated with the Belgian beers. Wonder what the results of such a liaison may produce..
 
Stone has a cali-belgie beer that is basically their IPA fermented with a belgian yeast. pretty darn tasty if you ask me. green flash has something similar with their 'le freak'.

I've never seen an APA/Belgian hybrid though.

I say go ahead and brew one and see if you like it. I've been toying with the idea of making an IPA and using a belgian strain after tasting what stone did with it. might have to make that one next. :)
 
So would that be creating a new style? And saying "Unconventional use of belgian yeast", I get the impression all belgian beers are unconventional, especially when compared to the stodgy german limitations. Those crazy monks threw all kinds of wierd stuff in there. Orange peels??? wha?? Coriander??? Blasphemy! It's like they were doing it just to irritate the germans. Fermenting at high temperatures, why that is outlandish. But man o man, do they make some freaky good beers.

So I'd say, belgian yeasts invite unconventional applications.
Brew on, dude.
 
Nothing wrong with it at all. I've seen a couple of recipes for a Belgian IPA, and I plan on making one myself. The right hops would with a Belgian yeast would be awesome.
 
I'm contemplating an American IPA with WLP566 Belgian Saison II Yeast. I'm thinking this might be a bit much so I'm contemplating two options. One is to start the beer out with my standard yeast for the recipe, and then after 3 days, pitch the saison yeast. The second option is to split the wort and ferment one part (I'm thinking 3/4) with the normal yeast and then the remainder (1/4) with the saison yeast, and then combine in the keg. I'm leaning toward the second option.

I really like the saison yeast and am also planning a straight up Belgian IPA using it.
 
This sounds cool. I have a Belgian Strong Ale Culture in a beer bottle. It might be cool to drop it in an IPA.

Maybe a dunkelweizen or weizenbock..... (gears clunking & grinding away)
 
Not really out there too far, but I just used a trappist blend with MO and Rye. Hopped low to keep the yeast in the forefront, but could totally see using it with an IPA. 10.5% abv and 1.020. Perfect imperial material!
 
This is exactly what I am planning on doing down the road. Just brewed a Saison yesterday and I'd really like to do an IPA and then toss that yeast in there. Also, I find a stout with the Saison yeast to be quite intriguing as well.
 
I have a blonde/pale in the fermenter right now with all American hops that I pitched 530 into. I've made a couple of Belgian stouts. One even won a medal.

I wouldn't personally try the saison/stout recipe because I think the spice characteristic of the saison yeast would clash with the roast profile of a stout, but that's just my palate and yours may differ completely. I would much rather hit up the Belgian and Trappist strains if I was going to do a hybrid.

A'Chouffe makes a 'Triple IPA' which is an American hopped triple that is very nice.
 
I'VE DONE THIS!! It's my DAWN OF THE DEAD ALE!!!! I used an IPA grain bill with 1# of sugar and 1214 to give it a toasty hoppy IPA with a fuity bready belgian kick. It's my favorite beer i've brewed so far.
DSC_00032.JPG
 
I've yet to brew one, but a local brewpub makes a couple of IPA and pale ales with Belgian yeast, which are delicious. But why stop there? Belgian yeast are yummy. I'm curious to find out what other styles they might work in :)

For my next brew I'm planning on using an English Mild grain and hop bill, but with Trappist yeast.

But then what about Stout, ESB, Rauchbier, perhaps a Wee Heavy?

So many possibilities, so little time :)
 
English Ordinary Bitter with WLP550 would be nice. Or you could just hop up a Belgian Pale Ale.

I remember tasting a Saison IPA at the brew club and it was very nice. They used the WLP568 which is, I believe, a blend of Dupont and Sierra Nevada yeasts (WLP565 and WLP001). The hop flavor and aroma buried a lot of the character but there was some fruitiness and spiciness that came through.
 
So would that be creating a new style? And saying "Unconventional use of belgian yeast", I get the impression all belgian beers are unconventional, especially when compared to the stodgy german limitations.

You're right, of course. I guess I meant "unconventional" as applied to non-standard Belgian grain bills and hopping. :)
 
I did my NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD ALE with a porter grain bill and the same slurry of that 1214. I LOVE these belgian yeast.
 
I think using some styrian goldings and saaz in an IPAbbey would match well. I think those might work a bit better than the citrusy american hops, but then again what do i know.
 
I'VE DONE THIS!! It's my DAWN OF THE DEAD ALE!!!! I used an IPA grain bill with 1# of sugar and 1214 to give it a toasty hoppy IPA with a fuity bready belgian kick. It's my favorite beer i've brewed so far.
DSC_00032.JPG

Beautiful. I really need to brew more often so I can make everyone else's kick ass recipes.
 
Any recipe that is pitched with Belgian yeast is Belgian beer. Or at least "Belgian-Style" Kind of the definition of a Belgian beer since there are no prescribed malt or hop bills that define Belgian and the yeast is what makes a Belgian a Belgian.
 
Any recipe that is pitched with Belgian yeast is Belgian beer. Or at least "Belgian-Style" Kind of the definition of a Belgian beer since there are no prescribed malt or hop bills that define Belgian and the yeast is what makes a Belgian a Belgian.

For anyone curious where a Belgian IPA would fit into a competition. BJCP style 16F is Belgian Specialty Ale.
 
I'm contemplating an American IPA with WLP566 Belgian Saison II Yeast.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f71/grapefruit-juice-belgian-american-saison-95308/

You can read my description there, but basically I liked the citrus fruitiness of the yeast strain and thought it would go well with uber-citrusy American hops. Turned out pretty well and people tended to like it more than I expected.

As was stated elsewhere in this thread, the key to mixing hops with Belgian yeasts is complementing the flavors. Tough to do...you really gotta know your yeast and hops.
 
Well, I just screwed:mad: up and pitched the wrong starter into my simple blonde recipe about a half hour ago.:drunk: If I can remember to do a write up when it is ready in a couple of months, I'll let you know how blonde made with WLP400 (Belgian Wit Yeast) tastes.:confused:
 
Well, I just screwed:mad: up and pitched the wrong starter into my simple blonde recipe about a half hour ago.:drunk: If I can remember to do a write up when it is ready in a couple of months, I'll let you know how blonde made with WLP400 (Belgian Wit Yeast) tastes.:confused:

Soperbrew mixed up saved yeast and made a Wit with Kolsch yeast and a Kolsch with Wit yeast. I tried both from his beer library, they were great!
 
Well, I just screwed:mad: up and pitched the wrong starter into my simple blonde recipe about a half hour ago.:drunk: If I can remember to do a write up when it is ready in a couple of months, I'll let you know how blonde made with WLP400 (Belgian Wit Yeast) tastes.:confused:

I am serving this batch of "Belgian Blonde" tomorrow at a party, and the taster I just had was great! It is a bit malty with a low bitterness, and the WLP400 adds a slightly tart note to the beer. I was aiming for a good, inoffensive, mellow beer that anyone who comes to the party can enjoy (read: sorta like BMC but actually good:D), and this beer exceeded all expectations.

Not to blow my own horn, but with each new style I try my homebrew keeps getting better and better!
 
I'm making a belgian tripelish tonight

3 lbs. uk pilsner
2 lbs.vienna
.5 lbs belgian aromatic
.5 lbs. caramunich
! lbs. light candy sugar
1 oz. hallertau @60
1 oz. fuggles @ 15
2 lbs. light LME @ 15

and pitching it on My chimay blue clone's wyeast 3787 cake.
Should be interesting.
 
I decided to sacrifice my 3rd generation wlp570 golden strong ale yesterday, it's already takin a good whipping. Got a 5 gallon batch of belgian golden strong lemonade going.
 
This is the best thread EVAH!!!!!!!

Belgian yeasts fascinate me...they have amazing character. So pushing those amazingly flavorful yeasty beasties to their full potential is uber cool.
 
I just brewed a Belgian IPA yesterday:

67% Pils
14% Wheat Malt
5% Biscuit Malt
5% Honey Malt
9% Sucrose
WLP500

Simcoe @ FWH, Amarillo at 30, 20, and 10 min. Will dry hop with Simcoe, Amarillo

OG = 1061
BU:GU = 0.77

I pitched @ 62F to drive a more earthy profile vs. fruit. Can't wait to taste this one...
 
Back
Top