Using Ommegang Yeast

I have a starter going right now of Ommegang yeast. I am planning a BPA like brew. However, its not really a clone .
For the longest time I did not care for Belgian beer, in the last few years I have come around to really enjoy these beers, but since I didn't drink Belgians this will be my first time using Belgian yeast. I have a feeling that a beer that derives most or all of its character from the yeast that is pitched will be a different animal than what i am used to.
I currently brew a lot of lagers so I am used to tending to fermentation, however my temperature control only cools no heat. So my questions are
1. Do I need to under pitch slightly to get the yeast to make all the beautiful esters
2. What target temperature should I be looking at for this yeast.
3. I know its summer but my cellar stays 60 F ambient in summer I know that not good enough How do some of you guys heat up your fermenters. Heating Pads?
4. Any one that used this yeast before and could give me any tips or things I am forgetting I would really appreciate it.

1. Some people do, but you should be able to get plenty of flavor at the proper pitching temp. Under pitching risks the production of fusels. Until you've played with the strain a fair amount, I would pitch the recommended amount.

2. I havent used the strain, but I think you would be safe holding it at 68 for the first 24-48 and then letting it rise into the low to mid 70s.

3. I use an aquarium heater in a growler full of water. Works great with my dual stage controller. Some people use heat fans but there are a few threads about fridge fires. A safe bet would be a reptile heater as its used to humidity.

4. Haven't used the yeast but I know there are a fair amount of threads out there related to Hennepin and Witte. Check down at the bottom of this page.

I have used that strain a lot, and I think tagz hit the nail on the head.
I had some off flavors last time, and I am not sure why, maybe too high temp. I let it get into the mid 70s right after pitch. Ommegang uses high fermentation temperatures in their large batches, but I have read that yeast can't tolerate high temperatures so well in our small volumes.

But it is a very good strain!

I use a "fermwrap" reptile heater around a glass carboy, and a temperature probe taped to the glass, on a hysteresis controller.
Then wrap it up with towels or a blanket.

I like their brews, i wouldn't mind getting a hold of some of their yeast. Where did u get it from?

If your still listening, i just realized how old this tread was.

Oh, yes. I missed the date.

There is live yeast in every bottle. Just pour off the beer, and top it off with 100-200ml starter. Then build it up until you have 2litres.
Witte is the best for this because it is low alcohol.

I am just talking about the belgian beers here, not the IPA

flugelizor said:

Oh, yes. I missed the date.

There is live yeast in every bottle. Just pour off the beer, and top it off with 100-200ml starter. Then build it up until you have 2litres.
Witte is the best for this because it is low alcohol.

I am just talking about the belgian beers here, not the IPA

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Cool, I would never thought to do that. Thanks for the tip