Wyest 1388 finally slowing down!

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Pinck

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I'm using 1388 Belgian Strong in a Golden Strong brew based on a JZ recipe.

Fermented at 68 for 2 weeks, noticing quick and steady bubbles for the first 7 days. After the two weeks, added a heating belt to bring the temp up around 78, where the fermentation picked back up and started bubbling once per second.

So that was 17 days ago, and the bubbling has finally slowed down to 1 per 25 seconds.

Anyhow, I'll post back with results once its finally done, but this 1388 is sure weird stuff...
 
I brewed a leffe clone Sunday 3/1 and used 1388 in it. I pitched at 64, and let it warm up to 75 by day 4. It had gone from 1.07 to 1.012 in the meantime. It is still bubbling every minute or so, and I am sure its dropped another point or so. I planned on 3 - 4 weeks in primary, so I am fine with everything so far. Every yeast has its 'isms, and this one sure seems to not want to floculate, and sure seems to be gassy.
 
Did you use a starter with this?

I made a 1.5l starter on a stirplate. It hit FG in less than 5 days, so I assume its a healthy fermentation. Just added my reply as an observation.

I remember reading somewhere that some of the Belgian strains continue to produce co2 for a long while after FG has been reached. Maybe 1388 is one of them?
 
I brewed up a Duvel clone a little bit ago using the WL equivalent of 1388, WLP570 and I must say, this stuff is nuts, took off like a rocket and is still bubbling away.
 
I brewed up a Duvel clone a little bit ago using the WL equivalent of 1388, WLP570 and I must say, this stuff is nuts, took off like a rocket and is still bubbling away.

Yeah, my 1388 didn't take off like I expected it to. I did a 1.5l starter and have 3lbs of cane sugar in the recipe, so I was half expecting to need to be fetching my airlock out of a ceiling tile.
 
I do not think the krausen line around my carboy is even 2cm tall. It fermented quickly, but did not foam up like 3787. I hope the flavor profile comes through and I didnt have it too cool in the beginning.
 
I remember reading somewhere that some of the Belgian strains continue to produce co2 for a long while after FG has been reached. Maybe 1388 is one of them?

Yeah that's what I have read about this yeast, and was my experience with it too.

I also had 1" of krausen with this yeast even though I had a mad fermentation. It is a very interesting beast.
 
I have used this yeast a few times, each time with a starter. The first two with big starters had a couple inches of krausen, fermented hard and heavy for a week or so, then settled down and continued to ferment for weeks. The third was with a huge starter and it was explosive, right through the lock on my 6.5 carboy. Had to put a blow-off tube on. Other than that, had the same characteristic fast start that settled down even as I increased the heat.

This stuff seems to not want to quit. I have had a beer made with it in the secondary 3 months after brewing and you could still see tiny bubbles rising to the top of the carboy. Not enough for airlock activity, but definitely there.

My 08.08.08 Stone Vertical Epic Ale is in secondary (after 3 weeks in primary) sitting at 60 degrees and it still has bubbles rising to the top. This yeast does not like to quit! It may have also developed a means to convert amino acids or fatty acids to food which could continue to give off C02 even though it is not making more ethanol.
 
has anyone used WY1214..

Im making a dubbel with this .. it was pretty active for about 3 weeks straight.
 
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