What's your favorite Belgian Strain & Why?

I am just getting into brewing Belgian beers and would like to use one strain to brew several recipes, then repeat with different strains to get a feel for what each yeast contributes. As I am a broke grad student & brewing funds are limited, I plan to brew Saccharomyces' lower grav Belgian Pale Ale recipe and wash the yeast to brew several other recipes. I PMed Sacch and he suggested,

If you have to pick just one strain to stick with I would go with WLP550. It's a good general purpose Belgian strain. Fermented on the low end of the temp range it will produce a good BPA or Belgian Golden Strong ale. On the warmer end it will produce lots of nice esters and produce a good Belgian dubbel/tripel ale. It's best to pitch around 68*F, and then adjust the temp down/up from there after active fermentation begins to keep the production of higher alcohols in check.

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I am looking for similar detailed feedback from your personal experiences. What have you used, in what recipes (please post them, I am collecting recipes as well; especially competition winners or tried and true favorites!), with what results? What worked for you and what didn't? What fermentation schedules did you use? I am not big on Belgian wheats or spiced beers (I want to know what comes from the yeast before spicing), mainly Dubbels, Tripels, Strong Goldens, Blondes, and Strong Darks. I have devoured Brew Like a Monk and it gave me lots of ideas and general direction, now I am coming to my favorite source of information, YOU!!!

Cheers

I like WLP500 myself. I find that it gives me the spicy characteristics I look for in a Belgian. I recently mixed it with WLP400 on a batch of Sorachi Ace Trappist Wit and I just tasted it going into the keg and I have to say the combination really rocks!

I like the Wyeast (what my lhbs carries) Saison 3724 strain. Makes a great brew. Great characteristics to the brew.

If I were to select a workhorse, it would be 1214. It can ferment high gravity brews with ease and the final product tastes excellent.

I would go with Wyeast Abbey Ale II and have fun playing around with temperatures to get the right esters for your taste. I like this yeast because it chews through sugars pretty well, although it doesn't attenuate as well as a saison strain.

Wyease 3711. Very tasty and it'll ferment solid rock. I swear it will.

TANSTAAFB said:

I am just getting into brewing Belgian beers and would like to use one strain to brew several recipes, then repeat with different strains to get a feel for what each yeast contributes.

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The best way to find out what each yeast brings to the beer is split the batch using a different yeast in each. 5gal = 5 yeast = 5 different beers = alot of hands on experience.

That way the recipe is the constant with the yeast being the only variable.

TANSTAAFB said:

(I want to know what comes from the yeast before spicing),

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This is a good start> clicky









Not really a one fits all but I have to go with the Achouffe family of yeasts, works great in many styles of beer.

But for dark Belgian beers I still find wlp530 - wyeast3787 best.


To brew saisons there really one that stands above the others - wyeast 3711 which is French , the other would be wyeast3726.

But theres alot of bottle yeasts that are really nice, Brasserie Caracole has two - Saxo & Nostradamus. Brasserie Les 3 Fourquets is another with Lupulus Blond and is part of the Achouffe family.

I used Wyeast Trappist 3787 and it came across just like a real trappist, mine just happened to be under carbed so it tasted like garbage.

I am going to try Belgian Ardennes this week in a primary that is supposed to only take 4 days. I'll let you know how that goes.

petep1980 said:

I am going to try Belgian Ardennes this week in a primary that is supposed to only take 4 days. .

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Hold up, the beer maybe @ FG but is not done >> wlp550 -wyeast 3522 takes 10-14 days to finish if using only light grains / sugars, add in dark grains and give it 21days to be safe.

Houblon said:

Hold up, the beer maybe @ FG but is not done >> wlp550 -wyeast 3522 takes 10-14 days to finish if using only light grains / sugars, add in dark grains and give it 21days to be safe.

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The grain bill is:
6.25# Belgian pale malt
2.5# 60L
.25#120L
1.75# cane (beet) sugar

At 60% mash that's an OG of 1.055 for 5 gallons.

Houblon, THANK YOU!!! this is the kind of feedback I was looking for. I want to know WHY people like the yeast they suggest, not just that they have used it and the beer was ok.

The best way to find out what each yeast brings to the beer is split the batch using a different yeast in each. 5gal = 5 yeast = 5 different beers = alot of hands on experience.

That way the recipe is the constant with the yeast being the only variable.

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Eventually I plan to do just that...after I have the chance to refine my recipes and collect several strains. Right now this is mostly a cost issue, not true experimental design!

This is a good start> clicky

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This table is reproduced in Brew Like A Monk and I think it is a good jumping off point, but I have NO idea what spicy, fruity, light phenols TASTE like

Not really a one fits all but I have to go with the Achouffe family of yeasts, works great in many styles of beer.

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WLP550 and Wyeast 3522 right? Saccharomyces recommended the 550 too, so that is looking like a first round winner. Are the Wyeast and White Labs offerings pretty similar?

But for dark Belgian beers I still find wlp530 - wyeast3787 best.

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The Westmalle strain for darks...what do you find it contributes that, say, the Achouffe strains don't?

To brew saisons there really one that stands above the others - wyeast 3711 which is French , the other would be wyeast3726.

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I'm not quite ready to jump into Saisons yet but thanks for the advice. I am moving to Colorado for grad school and there is a micro (Trinity) in Colorado Springs that specializes in Saisons (they also get Pliny on tap :rockin and I hope to tap the brewmaster's knowledge and experience when I do start working on the style.

But theres alot of bottle yeasts that are really nice, Brasserie Caracole has two - Saxo & Nostradamus. Brasserie Les 3 Fourquets is another with Lupulus Blond and is part of the Achouffe family.

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I am always a little hesitant to harvest Belgians if I'm not POSITIVE they don't use Brett...not quite ready to introduce that into the brewery yet!!!

Are these pure strains or blended?

petep1980 said:

I used Wyeast Trappist 3787 and it came across just like a real trappist, mine just happened to be under carbed so it tasted like garbage.

I am going to try Belgian Ardennes this week in a primary that is supposed to only take 4 days. I'll let you know how that goes.

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Seems WAY too fast for ANY recipe, much less a Belgian. Let us know how it turns out!

How high are y'all willing to push the carbonation in recycled bottles? I am trying to collect enough heavy bottles, but Belgians are expensive!!! Hence the homebrew attempts.

Any particular brewery that puts out a reasonably priced beer in heavier than standard bottles so I don't risk screwing up a batch by undercarbing?

avidhomebrewer said:

I like the Wyeast (what my lhbs carries) Saison 3724 strain. Makes a great brew. Great characteristics to the brew.

If I were to select a workhorse, it would be 1214. It can ferment high gravity brews with ease and the final product tastes excellent.

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I figured the Chimay strain would be great for clean Blondes and Strong Goldens but not so much for the funkier, heavier, darker brews...Not your experience eh?

ChshreCat said:

Wyease 3711. Very tasty and it'll ferment solid rock. I swear it will.

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HMMM...Chshre, I'm thinkin maybe a Dubbel Foot in the Mouth? Eatin' Olde Crowe Seattle Saison?

TANSTAAFB said:

Any particular brewery that puts out a reasonably priced beer in heavier than standard bottles so I don't risk screwing up a batch by undercarbing?

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I undercarbed mine last year and it sucked balls.

I've been drinking Ommegang, but it's costly. I plan to drink my way to 12 bottles, and just buy a box of Belgian 750mL bottles at LHBS.

petep1980 said:

I've been drinking Ommegang, but it's costly.

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What's it cost around you? Here it's no more than $6.00 for a 750ml of the usual stuff.

Though my favorite Belgian yeast is definitely Wy3787 Trappist high gravity. It makes one hell of a dark strong/trippel.

I like the Hennepin and it's probably $7 per 750mL.

weremichael said:

I would go with Wyeast Abbey Ale II and have fun playing around with temperatures to get the right esters for your taste. I like this yeast because it chews through sugars pretty well, although it doesn't attenuate as well as a saison strain.

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The Abbey II 1762 is the Rochefort strain. I used it in my last round of the Gatos Locos Imperial Stout pitched at 62 and then fermented at 65. It's fairly clean, and it attenuated 79% which is heroic for any yeast in this style. (For comparison, consider I got 67% attenuation from Cali Ale, WLP001, pitched into the other half of the same batch!) I think it's much too attenuative for the lighter gravity styles; it will leave you with a pretty thin and lifeless BPA or blonde. However being one of the lowest ester producers of the Belgians, it is a great choice for high gravity beers, including American Barleywines and IIPAs, and it is probably easily 16% alcohol tolerant.

bierhaus15 said:

Though my favorite Belgian yeast is definitely Wy3787 Trappist high gravity. It makes one hell of a dark strong/trippel.

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WY3787 is the house Belgian strain at Russian River, Westvleteren, Westmalle (where it originated) and countless others, it's by far the most popular Belgian strain out there. It is the best choice for a dark strong or tripel, and does very well on a dubbel as well, producing rich dark fruit esters and spicy phenolics. The phenolics are VERY strong from this yeast, though, making it a poor choice for some styles (blonde, BPA) where the yeast flavors can completely overwhelm the beer.

TANSTAAFB said:

WLP550 and Wyeast 3522 right? Saccharomyces recommended the 550 too, so that is looking like a first round winner. Are the Wyeast and White Labs offerings pretty similar?

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They are rumoured to be the same strain, but I haven't tried them side by side to see what any differences might be.

I tend to agree with a lot of the comments here: I like WY 1762 and WL 550 for lighter beers (blonds, bpa's) and I don't use anything but WY 3787 (same as WL 530) for bigger/darker beers-absolutely love that yeast. It's the most important ingredient in my dubbel and dark strong ale.
As for pressure, I've carbed to 3.25 volumes in regular bottles without problems but, generally, I try not to go over 3 just to be safe.

There's a Portland brewery that makes everything from wits to porters with Wy 3711.
Wy 3787 makes an awesome stout- it's rumored that TTT Dark Lord is fermented with this strain, and I've had great success with it. Awesome phenols and dark fruitiness.
WLP 550 is tasty in a BPA sort of beer- I tend to brew one every time I make a big belgian just to grow up yeast, and most times the BPA is gone before the big guy is done fermenting.

TANSTAAFB said:

ChshreCat said:

Wyease 3711. Very tasty and it'll ferment solid rock. I swear it will.

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HMMM...Chshre, I'm thinkin maybe a Dubbel Foot in the Mouth? Eatin' Olde Crowe Seattle Saison?

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Wut?

Wut?

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Sorry, inside joke...

Shush. What happens in the obnoxious football trash talk thread stays in the obnoxious football trash talk thread.

ChshreCat said:

Shush. What happens in the obnoxious football trash talk thread stays in the obnoxious football trash talk thread.

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You're right...fixed it

I just kegged a saison with Wyeast 3724 and found out this brew how versatile temperature-wise the yeast actually is. Usually you want 78-89 degrees for this yeast to really work. I had it down to 64 degrees and got 7.1%ABV and 77% attenuation. I was shocked really. I had expected okay-ish or even bad results that low in temperature. But it really is a work horse yeast.

statseeker said:

I just kegged a saison with Wyeast 3724 and found out this brew how versatile temperature-wise the yeast actually is. Usually you want 78-89 degrees for this yeast to really work. I had it down to 64 degrees and got 7.1%ABV and 77% attenuation. I was shocked really. I had expected okay-ish or even bad results that low in temperature. But it really is a work horse yeast.

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What did it do to the flavor profile? I assume it is cleaner, less esters and phenols? Saisons include such a diverse range of beers, what was the recipe?

dwarven_stout said:

There's a Portland brewery that makes everything from wits to porters with Wy 3711.

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NFW can you make a decent porfter with 3711, no, even at 66F its too strong(flavor-aroma-attenuation) for 99% of beers. I'll post my results when NB forum goes back online.
Wiping spit off the screen....

TANSTAAFB said:

I figured the Chimay strain would be great for clean Blondes and Strong Goldens but not so much for the funkier, heavier, darker brews...Not your experience eh?

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This is why I say do the testing yourself, Chimay yeast is very,very,----very fruity. I found this while doing what I said you should do-> spilt the wort between different yeast.>

TANSTAAFB said:

What did it do to the flavor profile? I assume it is cleaner, less esters and phenols? Saisons include such a diverse range of beers, what was the recipe?

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It is a little bit drier and less fruity but it's pretty enjoyable. Very present in the mouth feel category and hazy, but not in a bad way, in a wheat beer kind of way. Keep in mind I started the yeast at about 76 degrees, already low for this strain, and ended it at 64 degrees 4 weeks later. No secondary.

I used a recipe that was given to me by the owner of Lockdown Brewery here in Sacramento.

Lockdown Belgian Saison (5 gal)

9lbs Pilsner Malt
1lb Bisquit Malt
1lb Oats

1.5oz Styrian Goldings Hops (60 mins, ~30IBU)

1 pkg. Wyeast 3724

2 tsp Gypsum to harden water.

Preboil Gravity: 1.053
Post boil gravity: 1.068
FG: 1.014
Apparent Attenuation: 77.02%

Houblon said:

NFW can you make a decent porfter with 3711, no, even at 66F its too strong(flavor-aroma-attenuation) for 99% of beers. I'll post my results when NB forum goes back online.
Wiping spit off the screen....

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Checked my notes from my last visit. I was wrong. They make a brown and a dark amber ale, not a porter, and a gose, not a wit. They also make an IPA with 3711.

Your move.

dwarven_stout said:

They make a brown and a dark amber ale, not a porter, and a gose, not a wit. They also make an IPA with 3711.
.

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I'm still laughing thinking how the hell can they make a Amber taste good with 3711, its very aromatic and eats everything. The Gose,Wit are no problem but the IPA doesn't work too good.


This was a test batch from last yr>
Starts off really good for the first couple weeks before getting too saisony everybody said the flavor-aroma didn't go together.



http://forum.northernbrewer.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=90782#p835951
Take heed of the gravity numbers, even with high mash temp/lots of crystal/carapils it still dropped to 1.004 in 1 wk @66F

SG1.060
FG1.004

Attenuation
%ADF - - - %RDF
93.03 - - - 76.79

ABV 7.38%

Saccharification Rest Temp : 154 Time: 75

Update on this pseudo experiment...

I decided to go with Sacch's original advice after several folks chimed in supporting the Achoufe strains and went with WLP 550. It's in the fermentation chamber right now, but it was also my first brew with my new Barley Crusher so I overshot the numbers a little. The recipe calls for around 1055 and I hit 1061!!!

Like my Grandfather used to say, those are the kind of problems you wanna have!!!

I plan to wash this yeast and brew a few different recipes, though it seems I will do well having at least 3 different strains around to run the gamut...1 for Belgian Pales and Golden Strongs, 1 for higher grav trippels and dubbels, and for Saisons. I plan to leave this in the primary for at least 3 weeks @ 68*F then at least 3 more in the bottle, but I will update this thread as I progress.

In the meantime, please keep posting recipes and your experiences w/ various Belgian strains

Back to the original question, I'm going to say it's a toss up between Wyeast 3787 and 1762. Both have turned out great beers for me, and both are very different. I don't think one could replace the other. They are both definitely worth trying.

GuldTuborg said:

Back to the original question, I'm going to say it's a toss up between Wyeast 3787 and 1762. Both have turned out great beers for me, and both are very different. I don't think one could replace the other. They are both definitely worth trying.

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What did you do differently and what did you perceive to be the differences in the taste profiles? Recipes?