SWMBO Slayer Yeast issue

So...I brewed my SWMBO Slayer last weekend after a trip to the LHBS.

I was given replacements for the recipe based on what the guy had in stock.
Today I found a link to Mrmalty.com, and while looking through it, I realized the yeast I wanted...which was WLP400, and the one he gave me that he said was the Wyeast equiv. was 3942.

Well...looking at Mrmaltys site, and reading Wyeasts site, the one I SHOULD have been given was 3944.

This brew never had any krausen, where I was expecting a full blow out, and had my blow off tube setup. It is MUCH darker than it should be, and I must say, I'm pretty peeved at the moment.

How much differently is this going to be from the original recipe?
I want the same beer everyone raves about in the monster thread, not some half mash piece of crap. If it was just for me, it wouldn't be an issue, but the brews intention was for a major Halloween party this year.

Can you post the recipe you used vs. the original recipe? I'd like to take a look at it and see how stupid your LHBS guy is. I know my local guy never seems to know what he's talking about. At least...he's not too confident about it.

Original Recipe:

3 lb. Wheat DME
2 lb. Extra Light DME
8 oz. Caramel 10°L
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
4 oz. Caravienne Malt
1 oz. Willamette

White Labs Belgian Wit Ale WLP400

-------------------------------------

What he gave me:

3 lb. Wheat DME
2 lb. Extra Light DME
8 oz. Weyermann Carahell
8 oz. Carapils
4 oz. Weyermann Vienna
1 oz. Willamette

Wyeast Smack Pack 3942

Anyone have any idea on what this different yeast will do to the beer?

I don't know about the yeast, but don't worry about the colour right now. Beer's law (how appropriate!) (Absorbance = Epsilon x concentration x length) has a light-path-length factored into it, so if you are looking through the entire carboy, it is very different to a glass of finished product. Plus, well, you don't have the finished product yet. It will be lighter in the glass to the carboy.

Bio...that's a very good point about the color, thank you. And you're right 100% about that. I am so terribly worried because I was given the incorrect yeast, all my work will have been wasted. God I hate that.

quixand said:

Bio...that's a very good point about the color, thank you. And you're right 100% about that. I am so terribly worried because I was given the incorrect yeast, all my work will have been wasted. God I hate that.

Click to expand...

Hi Quixand. First, I don't think he gave you the wrong yeast. I think a reasonable person (and a knowledgable brewer) would see either of the Wyeast strains (Belgian Wheat and Belgian Witbier) as a substitute for the White Labs Belgian Wit Ale strain. From what I understand, the Wyeast strain you used may produce less esters and fruits than the the White Labs strain in the recipe. But there are lots of other factors (fermentation temperature being a big one).

So, I hear in your post your anxiety. Relax. Your work has not been wasted. You will have a delicious, Belgian style wheat ale, that you made with your own two hands.

quixand said:

Original Recipe:

3 lb. Wheat DME
2 lb. Extra Light DME
8 oz. Caramel 10°L
8 oz. Flaked Wheat
4 oz. Caravienne Malt
1 oz. Willamette

White Labs Belgian Wit Ale WLP400

-------------------------------------

What he gave me:

3 lb. Wheat DME
2 lb. Extra Light DME
8 oz. Weyermann Carahell
8 oz. Carapils
4 oz. Weyermann Vienna
1 oz. Willamette

Wyeast Smack Pack 3942

Click to expand...

The yeast is fine. Both of them will do the trick. The fact that you left out the wheat was good, but I don't quite understand why he replaced it with carapils. I guess it will help the head retention and body a bit, but I don't think it was neccessary.

Also, the Caravienne could have been replaced with something other than Vienna. I would have gone with Crystal 20, but I'm guessing he was trying to keep the nutty, buscuity flavors of vienna in your beer.

All in all, looks like a good recipe replacement.

+1 on "All in all, looks like a good recipe replacement".
It will not be exactly the same, but you just may have come up with "Your SWMBO Slayer".
Now take a deep breath, relax and let it do it's thing.

Generally speaking, I wouldn't have been phased in the least bit.

Like I said, unfortunately, this is a brew intended for the BMC crowd for an upcoming Halloween party. Which will include, a bunch of SWMBO's. LOL

So if it isn't good to them, and goes down like a failure, I will feel absolutely horrible. Best foot forward and all.

dont jinx yourself

my lhbs cant seem to recomend anything.
he has a chart for hop substitusions but other then that....

i think my lhbs is a little buzzed everytime i go in thier, hes alwase got a half a pot of coffee brewing and his coffee mug but he has a 4 tap keggerator in the back. i think his coffee mug is full of ice cold brew.

Mine would be.