Salanis
Well-Known Member
Brewed a holiday ale with a yeast blend. It's still fermenting, but wanted to share my experiences since I've decided I want to attempt this beer again, but with different yeasts.
The goal was a high gravity holiday red with natural spiciness coming from a blend of yeasts, chinook hops, and a helping of rye. I used WLP568 Saison/Belgian and WLP380 Hefeweizen IV.
Short Version: These yeasts did not seem to blend well. No off flavors, but the Saison definitely took over. I believe the main problem is that these two yeasts like different temps, and I need to choose two yeasts that have closer preferences.
I brewed and racked my wort onto a fresh cake (about half washed away to save) of Saison yeast. I left it on there for 5 days, until fermentation started to calm down.
When it calmed down, I racked it onto the fresh Weizen cake (again some washed away). I boiled up ~1pound table sugar and ~2/3pound light DME to give the weizen yeast something to enjoy.
My fermentation halted at 1.025 (goal was 1.016-1.020). I slapped my heat belt on and swirled the carboy to get more yeast into suspension. It has sense come down to ~1.022 and is no longer too sweet. It is clear that the Saison yeast has become dominant.
I will do this again with blended yeasts but will use different ones. I think I will go with: WLP545 Belgian Strong and WLP351 Bavarian Weizen yeast. Rather than racking onto cakes, I will do two fairly large, equal size, starters and pitch them together. Then I will ferment at a temperature that they're both happy with. Maybe I'll put a little more rye in it too.
The goal was a high gravity holiday red with natural spiciness coming from a blend of yeasts, chinook hops, and a helping of rye. I used WLP568 Saison/Belgian and WLP380 Hefeweizen IV.
Short Version: These yeasts did not seem to blend well. No off flavors, but the Saison definitely took over. I believe the main problem is that these two yeasts like different temps, and I need to choose two yeasts that have closer preferences.
I brewed and racked my wort onto a fresh cake (about half washed away to save) of Saison yeast. I left it on there for 5 days, until fermentation started to calm down.
When it calmed down, I racked it onto the fresh Weizen cake (again some washed away). I boiled up ~1pound table sugar and ~2/3pound light DME to give the weizen yeast something to enjoy.
My fermentation halted at 1.025 (goal was 1.016-1.020). I slapped my heat belt on and swirled the carboy to get more yeast into suspension. It has sense come down to ~1.022 and is no longer too sweet. It is clear that the Saison yeast has become dominant.
I will do this again with blended yeasts but will use different ones. I think I will go with: WLP545 Belgian Strong and WLP351 Bavarian Weizen yeast. Rather than racking onto cakes, I will do two fairly large, equal size, starters and pitch them together. Then I will ferment at a temperature that they're both happy with. Maybe I'll put a little more rye in it too.