1554 (new belgium)

im still new at this and had another question. im ordering the 1554 clone kit from AHB (has anyone tried this btw?) and had a question about the yeast options it gives for the kit 1white labs southern german lager 2. wyeast danish lager 3.saflager. question #1 if 1554 is a blcak ale then why are kit options w lager yeast? would any dry yeast work? and is there a big difference in the resulting product between the yeasts mentioned above? the reason i ask is bc attenuation for the lager yeast is much lower and i dont keep my house quite that cold..suggestions/recommendations?

Not to be rude, but if you dont have any way of getting temps down, my suggestion would be to not brew a lager.

From their website

Other than being dark in color, 1554 has little in common with Porters or Stouts. The beer is fermented at relatively high temperatures using a European lager yeast that imparts a refreshing, zesty acidity. Chocolate and coffee tones in the nose give way to a surprisingly clean finish. With 1554 our staff hoped to create a beer similar to what folks enjoyed nearly five-hundred years ago without ignoring five-hundred years of technological innovation.We hope you’ll agree that 1554 is the delicious result of a lot of well-spent library time.

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might try and give them an email and see if they would let you know what temp. they ferment at. Not sure how homebrew friendly they are.

Off topic: Picked up a sixer of those tonight. I realize for the price, they are a good beer. I was looking at other real belgian ales, and the price was more than twice for the amount.

cubbies said:

Not to be rude, but if you dont have any way of getting temps down, my suggestion would be to not brew a lager.

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1554 says its a black ale NOT a lager..my question was primarily about the yeast.

Yeah, strange that they would include lager yeast with 1554 black ALE. I would think Safale 5 would be just fine. I don't remember much yeast character or sweetness in that stuff.

lager yeast is a little cleaner fermenting....it must fit the profile for this clone in their opinion.

malkore said:

lager yeast is a little cleaner fermenting....it must fit the profile for this clone in their opinion.

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If you read that quote from the website from Ryanh1801, they mention they use lager yeast @ higher temps. Interesting that it is something akin to a steam beer.

Haven't had this one (or Abbey, which I would also like to sample) since NB products don't make it into PA or the surrounding area. Maybe I need to get a trade going....

brewt00l said:

If you read that quote from the website from Ryanh1801, they mention they use lager yeast @ higher temps. Interesting that it is something akin to a steam beer.

Haven't had this one (or Abbey, which I would also like to sample) since NB products don't make it into PA or the surrounding area. Maybe I need to get a trade going....

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I was wondering if anyone read that.

Ryanh1801 said:

I was wondering if anyone read that.

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Me too

In addition to what Ryanh1801 said, you might ask AHS what temp their customers (or they) have had the best luck with.

If I had to guess I would go low/mid 60s.

Also, the Saflager option should work fine if you prefer dry yeast.

Ryanh1801 said:

I was wondering if anyone read that.

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yes i read the original text at NBs website and called and spoke to someone. he concurred that they did use EU lager yeast and ferment at higher temps, but wasnt sure what exact temp. he told me if i sent an email he would make sure that it would be forwarded to the appropriate person. they dont ship anywhere around me, and i wanted to make sure i got the 1554 down before my buds from CO come visit this winter. when NB responds to my email regarding the temp ill be sure to post for those interested.

Beerrific said:

Me too

In addition to what Ryanh1801 said, you might ask AHS what temp their customers (or they) have had the best luck with.

If I had to guess I would go low/mid 60s.

Also, the Saflager option should work fine if you prefer dry yeast.

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dont have a preference as of yet..like isaid im new at this and dont have much experience. $ isnt an issue..i dont mind paying more for the other yeast. i was curious what other brewers think would give best results.

ρ®ïMσ said:

yes i read the original text at NBs website and called and spoke to someone. he concurred that they did use EU lager yeast and ferment at higher temps, but wasnt sure what exact temp. he told me if i sent an email he would make sure that it would be forwarded to the appropriate person. they dont ship anywhere around me, and i wanted to make sure i got the 1554 down before my buds from CO come visit this winter. when NB responds to my email regarding the temp ill be sure to post for those interested.

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good to hear, keep us updated on what they say. I would like to know.

ρ®ïMσ said:

dont have a preference as of yet..like isaid im new at this and dont have much experience. $ isnt an issue..i dont mind paying more for the other yeast. i was curious what other brewers think would give best results.

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I will buy liquid if I am going for a very specific style (hefeweizen, etc.) that require specific yeast. I also harvest, wash, and save yeast cakes that come from liquid yeasts. I would not do that here unless you are doing another beer at high temps, I would not use it for a lager. You are in uncharted waters here do what you feel comfortable with

I have brewed a 1554 clone. This is one of those beers that really doesn't fit neatly into an existing classification.

I used WLP830 German Lager yeast. The primary was fermented at 66-68 F for 2 weeks. I did a 4 week cold secondary at 40 F. There was an article in Zymurgy earlier this year on using yeasts outside their normally recommended temp range, with minimal off tastes. The only issue I had was minimal bottle conditioned carbonation. I used my normal 3/4 cup of corn sugar for priming. There may not have been sufficient yeast left in suspension. If I do this recipe again, I might add some ale yeast at bottling. Otherwise, it came out great. One of my best brews yet.

They say on the New Belgium homepage it's a style called "Zwartbier" Which sounds an awful lot like Schwartzbier, which is a german dark ale brewed with lager yeast. It is quite good as well. I can actually taste the similarities in 1554 and Kostriker Schwartzbier. A little more chocolaty flavor in the 1554 though.

ρ®ïMσ said:

1554 says its a black ale NOT a lager..my question was primarily about the yeast.

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Ah, well, then ignore me. I thought you were trying to brew a lager. Maybe I should read a little more carefully next time

Let us know how it goes.

the following is my email response from NB. hope this cam be helpful to others

Normal lager fermentation can be anywhere from 6-12C (43-53F). We ferment 1554 at 15C (59F). The lager yeast we use is something of a sulfur producer at lower temperatures, so the warmer temperature allows more of a sweet fruity ester character.



Good luck and happy brewing!