Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
I'll start off by saying I've had lots of trouble with certain wyeast strains. I'd pitch them, and fermentation wouldn't start for 48-36 hours. I don't like allowing my wort to go that long without fermentation simply because I've had an infected batch because of it. The wild yeast took hold before the wyeast had a chance to kick in.
So...that being said... I brewed a Belgian Dubbel last weekend and pitched a 2L starter of Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey. I pitched at 60 degrees and set my fermentation temps to 64. After 48 hours and no activity in the airlock, I decided to take a hyrdometer reading just to check. There was no krausen, no drop, nothing. I've heard this yeast is a fairly slow starter, and even Wyeast admits to it, so I wasn't overly worried. I decided though, in order to prevent contamination, to pitch a different yeast while waiting for the 1214 to kick in.
I decided on Wyeat 3522 Ardennes. I didn't make a starter, because I didn't want to overpitch. I suppose my post is because I'm curious if anyone has used this yeast before? I'd like to know what kind of flavors it lends to the beer. Is it the typical banana estery flavors, or is there more to it? It's fermenting away, so that's great. I asked the guy at the LHBS if he'd used it before, and he said he didn't know of ANYONE who had. I'm hoping for something magical to take place with the mixure of 1214 and 3522.
So...that being said... I brewed a Belgian Dubbel last weekend and pitched a 2L starter of Wyeast 1214 Belgian Abbey. I pitched at 60 degrees and set my fermentation temps to 64. After 48 hours and no activity in the airlock, I decided to take a hyrdometer reading just to check. There was no krausen, no drop, nothing. I've heard this yeast is a fairly slow starter, and even Wyeast admits to it, so I wasn't overly worried. I decided though, in order to prevent contamination, to pitch a different yeast while waiting for the 1214 to kick in.
I decided on Wyeat 3522 Ardennes. I didn't make a starter, because I didn't want to overpitch. I suppose my post is because I'm curious if anyone has used this yeast before? I'd like to know what kind of flavors it lends to the beer. Is it the typical banana estery flavors, or is there more to it? It's fermenting away, so that's great. I asked the guy at the LHBS if he'd used it before, and he said he didn't know of ANYONE who had. I'm hoping for something magical to take place with the mixure of 1214 and 3522.