Wyeast 1007 German Ale Yeast

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jeffg

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Brewed my first Alt this weekend and pitched the Wyeast 1007 last evening before the game. by this morning it was bubbling away. Now the dilemna: this yeast has a very wide temperature range (55-68) with the optimum apparently being 62. I basically have two options--either upstairs, which fluctuates between 67-70, and basement, which fluctuates between 55-58.

Anybody have any experience with this yeast at either end of the temperature range? According to the website for Wyeast, the high end will impart more fruity flavors, and the low end will be more lagar-like.

I suppose I could do the primary warm and secondary cool. Any thoughts?
 
jeffg said:
Brewed my first Alt this weekend and pitched the Wyeast 1007 last evening before the game. by this morning it was bubbling away. Now the dilemna: this yeast has a very wide temperature range (55-68) with the optimum apparently being 62. I basically have two options--either upstairs, which fluctuates between 67-70, and basement, which fluctuates between 55-58.

Anybody have any experience with this yeast at either end of the temperature range? According to the website for Wyeast, the high end will impart more fruity flavors, and the low end will be more lagar-like.

I suppose I could do the primary warm and secondary cool. Any thoughts?

I haven't used this yeast yet, but you want to avoid the production of esters for this style. With the heat generated from the ferment, upstairs might be to warm. Try the basement and see what the actual wort temperarure settles to down there.

For the secondary fermentation, keep it cold. For Alt and Koelsh a lagering similar to true lagers is employed where it is kept neer freezing for about a month.

Kai
 
Basement. The wort will warm up a few degrees (as much as 5, I've heard) during real active fermenttation. After that, a blanket or even a lightbulb near the carboy will provide enough warmth for it to finish.

Then I agree, secondary it cold.
 
i would definiterly go for the cooler spot...german ale yeasts should be able to tollerate cooler weather. when people say 'room temperature' this is a reletive statement, room temp in england is more like 65, america 70, germany, im guessing 65.

ale yeast are pretty forgiving too, you can make a lager with one and vice versa. (read 'the king wants a homebrew' in papazain's book where using 2 unknown yeasts (1 ale/1 lager) he made all kinds of styles of beeres, ales, pilsners, bocks, stouts, hefe'e) he later found out that both yeast strains were the same from budweiser lager yeast.
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I like the idea of going for more lager-like qualities so I guess it is off to the basement. I'll keep it closer to the furnace in the insulated jacket for my mash-tun, which may keep it closer to 60 degrees...

hmm, I probably could have reused this yeast for my up-coming Kolsch, but I already bought a WL kolsch strain. oh well.
 
jeffg said:
hmm, I probably could have reused this yeast for my up-coming Kolsch, but I already bought a WL kolsch strain. oh well.

When you make your Kolsch, be patient. I drank over half of mine (and didn't really like it) before finding out a couple of weeks ago that it had suddenly after about 2-3 months turned from the ugly duckling into my favorite homebrew yet. Apparently they take time to get good.
 
Well, after 24 hours in the warmer climate of 67-68 it had already blown off about a pint of foam into the blow-off tube receptacle and was still going like mad, so I moved down to the basement where it is resting at about 59-60. Was still fermenting steadily this morning, just a little more slowly.

I actually read in Designing Great Beers last night that some ester production is desireable in traditional Alts? In any event, the cooler temps shoul dgive it the smoother body I am looking for. Looking forward to trying this one. I have never used Spalt hops before but they smelled great....
 
I am toying with using 1007 for a brew, but will probably be fermenting in the mid-upper 60's.. maybe even 71 or so during really active ferment. If that's the case, would I be better off just using 05 instead of 1007 for fear of esters?
 
I am toying with using 1007 for a brew, but will probably be fermenting in the mid-upper 60's.. maybe even 71 or so during really active ferment. If that's the case, would I be better off just using 05 instead of 1007 for fear of esters?

I'd say yes. That yeast, IMHO, gets funky in a bad way at the warmer temps. If you can't keep it below 60, or 60 at the highest, I'd use something else.
 
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