Which Temperature Range to Trust?

Hi Everyone,

I'm making Northern Brewer's Pre-Prohibition American Lager kit today. I'll be using Saflager S-23, which Fermentis recommends be fermented at 49-59 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet the kit instructions recommend 60-70F for the same yeast.

Furthermore, My Dunkel kit recommends Wyeast #3068 Weihenstephan yeast at 64-75F, while the Fermentis W-34/70 that I've chosen ferments at 48-59.

I'm mostly interested in which source I should trust.

I can understand why one might ferment a Hefeweizen warmer to increase banana flavor, but that's a big temperature increase. Extra yeast flavor isn't desirable at all for an American Lager.

So which range should I use? I have great temp control and just need a target.

Thanks.

Go by the Saflager S-23 specification sheet, which recommends 49F - 54F. Pitch cold.

Are you talking about NB's Bavarian Dunkel or Dunkelweizen? they're very different kits and use different types of yeast. Your yeast selection makes me think you're talking about the Bavarian Dunkel, but using the directions for the dunkelweizen, which is where the Wyeast 3068 would be appropriate.

The pre-prohibition lager temperature issue is most likely just a typo.

It's NB's Dunkelweizen. I know that the two yeasts are a bit different, but 34/70 should still produce tasty, albeit slightly unauthentic beer. Still, it strikes me as a big difference in range between such closely related strains.

I'm going to pitch a Bavarian Hefe onto the yeast cake once the Dunkel is done.

Thanks for the advice.

34/70 is a lager strain, 3068 is a wheat strain, so thats why the temps are different. They're both commonly called simply "Weihenstephan," which is true, but that brewery is quite big. I think you're confusing one of their lager strains with one of their wheat strains?

Go colder than you'd think on the 3068. I'd Ferment around 62-64ºF. You'll end up with a much cleaner, balanced ester profile with the banana and clove. Even at that temp, that yeast still goes crazy.

Sonet,
That's the root of the misunderstanding. Thanks for sorting out the difference for me. I'll pick up some 3068 for this batch.