Wetpaperbag
Member
So I'm in the process of trying to come up with a solid IPA with Belgian yeast. I thought I would start with the yeast strain and go from there. Any yeast suggestions?
Belgian IPA yeast
- Thread starter Wetpaperbag
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
dabeers
Well-Known Member
wlp 550 worked out pretty well for me-though it was my first and only belgian ipa (likely won't be my last).
I used the wyeast 3787 on my last Belgian IIPA and I really like it a lot.
bierhaus15
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,950
- Reaction score
- 448
Ardennes makes a fantastic Belgian IPA - wlp550 or wy3522.
I've used WLP550 twice with great results for a Belgian IPA. I currently have an IPA with WLP530 fermenting right now, I'll let you know how it turns out. I have pretty low expectations; the plum flavor from 530 doesn't lend itself to bitterness, at least that is my experience with it. You never know, though. Never used it in an IPA before.
OP
OP
Wetpaperbag
Member
Thanks for the info. I want to do something that is bright and fruity and have a yeast that can lend itself to that.
Wlp550. Around 75 degrees you will get some nice pear flavors.
beerandloathinginaustin
Well-Known Member
I've used 500 & 530 for Belgian IPAs. Most were very good. 500 can get a cool banana thing going on that mixes nicely with Citra & Amarillo etc.
3711 French Saison has also made some nice hoppy beers for me. It makes the hops shine and only brings a little twang. Might want to add a little more crystal or mash a little higher for it though. It takes things nice and dry.
3711 French Saison has also made some nice hoppy beers for me. It makes the hops shine and only brings a little twang. Might want to add a little more crystal or mash a little higher for it though. It takes things nice and dry.
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
I've previously done a Belgian APA with WLP530, and I'm drinking a Belgian IPA with WLP530 right now. They're both great beers!
I fermented the APA cool... At 66 ambient, I think? The yeast made it very peppery, which was a surprise, but not unpleasant. As the pepper faded over time, it became more fruity, and I swear there was a distinct raspberry note.
The IPA I fermented at 83, and it's much more classically "Belgian" in character. Paired with an assortment of C hops, I'm in heaven!
I do want to try WLP550. I think it's more fruity character would really lend itself well to this. But I guess that project is a little way down the road.
My one word of warning is this - Belgian yeasts attenuate like a beast, and you have to be ready for it. If you want something very light in body, then you've got nothing to worry about. Otherwise, be prepared to mash higher than you normally would or use a healthy dose of flaked barley, wheat, or rye (not that you can ever go wrong with rye).
I fermented the APA cool... At 66 ambient, I think? The yeast made it very peppery, which was a surprise, but not unpleasant. As the pepper faded over time, it became more fruity, and I swear there was a distinct raspberry note.
The IPA I fermented at 83, and it's much more classically "Belgian" in character. Paired with an assortment of C hops, I'm in heaven!
I do want to try WLP550. I think it's more fruity character would really lend itself well to this. But I guess that project is a little way down the road.
My one word of warning is this - Belgian yeasts attenuate like a beast, and you have to be ready for it. If you want something very light in body, then you've got nothing to worry about. Otherwise, be prepared to mash higher than you normally would or use a healthy dose of flaked barley, wheat, or rye (not that you can ever go wrong with rye).
I used WLP-570 for my belgian IPA (Belgian Golden Strong Ale yeast). Sample tastes great but I have yet to cold-crash it and keg it.
+1^ for WY3522, Belgian Ardennes.
Start lowish curbing early rise of higher alcohols, then raise gradually to let esters shine. It flocs nicely into a rubbery sheet when cold crashing.
I've used it to "clone" Flying Dog's "Raging *****" Belgian IPA, although they claim using a Witbier yeast instead. Yes it comes out differently with WY3522.
Start lowish curbing early rise of higher alcohols, then raise gradually to let esters shine. It flocs nicely into a rubbery sheet when cold crashing.
I've used it to "clone" Flying Dog's "Raging *****" Belgian IPA, although they claim using a Witbier yeast instead. Yes it comes out differently with WY3522.
The beer I was attempting to model was the Raging B clone recipe. I subbed Belma for the Amarillo and used the 565, hoping it comes out with that nice belgian flavor with some good hop bitterness like their's.
The clone recipes out there vary widely. Even the one that comes with FD's own seasonal kit, which includes a vial of their alleged "Witbier" house yeast, seems contradictory and doesn't yield the same beer they brew. I talked to a guy who works at the brewery, and said that my "clone" with WY3522 reminded him of their early versions.
Although undocumented, I'm convinced a long hopstand/whirlpool seems to be key. It's all about process, much less about ingredients. The Columbus used in dry hopping turned my first effort into a very pungent, bitter mess, that took weeks to mellow out. They may rely on that, while it sits in distribution.
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
I think my current Belgian IPA is better than Raging *****. But it's sort of apples to oranges; Raging ***** was brewed using very different IPA techniques than I did. From the sound of things, all of these can be good.
My favorite Belgian crossover is Revolution Brewing's "A Crazy Idea." I've yet to find a good clone for it, though.
Do you have a link or can you spill your recipe and techniques used to us? I'm always looking for the next better version of beers I love. I've never seen or tasted "A Crazy Idea" but I'll look for it.
ThatVideoKid
Well-Known Member
+1 for 3711. I haven't used it in an IPA yet but plan to. Subdued but often lends bright citrusy flavors with a bit of tartness. Helps if you like bone dry beer though
jjeffers09
Well-Known Member
wlp515
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
Oh, it looks like Revolution Brewing changed the name. Or I'm an idiot. One of the two. It's "A little crazy." I had it draft last weekend in Chicago, actually. Sadly, it was served in a shaker glass... You just can't win them all.
And no secret on the technique. I used the info collected in the "Achieving a silky/pillowy/creamy mouthfeel (a la Hill Farmstead)?" thread. Braufessor has done a spin-off thread into the recipe he uses based on that info. It haven't looked at it too closely yet, but it's probably a better synthesis than the first thread. "American IPA "Northeast" style IPA."
Thanks for the update on Revolution Brewing!
I'm familiar with the first thread, extended hopstands, hop bursting, whirlpool hops, etc. Been practicing those the past few months with decent results and ending up with hoppy, cloudy beer. Braufessor's thread is indeed similar.
Now regarding your better version of RB, do you use the same ingredients, just dispersing the hops differently, or is it a whole different recipe? If the latter I would be interested in your take.
I like WY3522 (Belgian Ardennes, starting at 65F raising gradually to the mid 70s after it's about 30% done), regardless of what FD uses. The extra bit of fruitiness and esters is a welcome addition to me. WY3787 would be a good choice too, but very different, and using an Abbey yeast (e.g., WY1762, ECY13) or a Saison yeast (e.g., ECY08, but not WY3711) can give it an interesting twist too. I've used Witbier yeasts on 2 occasions (WY3944 and ECY11 @~65F) but was not blown away. Maybe they use them hotter, under pressure, and chances are theirs is a mutated house version. I've never bought their kit.
Aristotelian
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2015
- Messages
- 939
- Reaction score
- 226
I recently made a split Belgian IPA batch using cultured yeast from Ommegang Hennepin and De Ranke XX Bitter. This beer came out fantastic. Keep in mind "Belgian" incorporates a broad range of styles, from the huge dark Abbey beers to the farmhouse ales and pale ales. I think the yeast choice depends on the type of beer you are trying to brew. Personally I would stay away from the maltier Abbey styles if you are trying to feature the hop flavor as in an IPA.
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
I thought about coming back and making an edit with more details, but I didn't. There a little more to it than that. Hopstands, whirlpools, etc are important, but that's just one piece. We also settled on using:
-High chloride to sulfate ratio (Cl~125, SO4~65)
-~10% flaked barley/oats/wheat (Braufessor is using all three) (I think rye is a good choice too)
-Lower carbonation seems to help (although this isn't unanimous, I believe it to be so)
The water is really extremely important, and then all the late hops are also helping with mouthfeel.
I used a totally different recipe, and I just had RB the other day not quite in a side by side. I thought RB was good, don't get me wrong. But it's very bitter upfront, in more of a classic IPA sense, and I didn't think there was that much Belgian character. I'd drink it again, and I'd be really interested to try it on tap.
I can post my recipe later (while I'm not at work) if you're really interested.
I'd also like to try WLP515, Antwerp Ale Yeast. I've heard a few people say really good things about it. And I really want to try Chimay's yeast (WLP550). Someone in here said Westmalle (WLP530/WY3787) had a plum aroma, which actually I think is a good word for it. Plum and a little funky. I'm not going to complain about it at all - it has made me some great beer! But I really want to see how much fruit I can coax out of these other strains. I think A Little Crazy is very fruity, more so than I can get out of WLP530.
Side note on Belgian yeasts:
They ferment at much higher temperatures than traditional IPA yeasts, which makes it a great choice for summer! It's pretty hard to screw up.
Shenanigans
Well-Known Member
Just keeping this thread alive but last year when I was in Brugge in Belgium I tasted a fantastic new Belgian IPA called Viven Master IPA. With Merkur, Nelson and Citra and I would guess WLP550/Ardennes 3522.
I'm still working on the recipe but should be able to give it the first try sometime next month.
Nothing but good comments on Ratebeer.
https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/viven-master-ipa/298685/
I'm still working on the recipe but should be able to give it the first try sometime next month.
Nothing but good comments on Ratebeer.
https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/viven-master-ipa/298685/
"aredennes" is Achouffe, right?
i wasn't terribly impressed by Achouffe's version of an ipa. but that could have been due to their choise of hops...
i did enjoy Green Flash's version of a belgian'y IPA... Le freak. but i don't know what yeast they used
J.
Shenanigans
Well-Known Member
"aredennes" is Achouffe, right?
i wasn't terribly impressed by Achouffe's version of an ipa. but that could have been due to their choise of hops...
i did enjoy Green Flash's version of a belgian'y IPA... Le freak. but i don't know what yeast they used
J.
Yes Ardennes is Achouffe.
If you mean Houblon that is one of my favourite beers.
Warrior, Columbus and Amarillo are not a bad hop combination
I guess you tried an old/far travelled/badly stored bottle.
Like any IPA the taste would then be not so good.
I only live 1.5 hours from the brewery and have also got a few iffy bottles in the supermarket but when it is fresh it is great.
Apparently Le Freak is brewed with two yeasts - WLP550 for the first day then WLP001 added. There's a clone thread on here that has some recent posts but no real new information the last few years.
I never brewed with Ardennes yeast but I have a pack and will give it a go sometime next month.
troglodytes
Well-Known Member
I just made a Belgian IPA...accidentally.
I made a Westy 12 clone with WLP530 and must not have cleaned the fermentor well enough between batches as the pale ale I made has now very clearly become a Belgian, despite my main yeast for the batch was WLP002. I've started to advertise this as a Belgian pale ale to some discerning palettes who very much like it (myself included).
As this was a mixed sacch. fermentation, I cannot tell you how WLP530 would taste as the sole yeast pitched. However, I would think that the above instructions for LeFreak (with WLP550) would also be good with WLP530 based on my anecdotal experience.
I made a Westy 12 clone with WLP530 and must not have cleaned the fermentor well enough between batches as the pale ale I made has now very clearly become a Belgian, despite my main yeast for the batch was WLP002. I've started to advertise this as a Belgian pale ale to some discerning palettes who very much like it (myself included).
As this was a mixed sacch. fermentation, I cannot tell you how WLP530 would taste as the sole yeast pitched. However, I would think that the above instructions for LeFreak (with WLP550) would also be good with WLP530 based on my anecdotal experience.
Yes Ardennes is Achouffe.
If you mean Houblon that is one of my favourite beers.
Warrior, Columbus and Amarillo are not a bad hop combination
I guess you tried an old/far travelled/badly stored bottle.
Like any IPA the taste would then be not so good.
I only live 1.5 hours from the brewery and have also got a few iffy bottles in the supermarket but when it is fresh it is great.
Apparently Le Freak is brewed with two yeasts - WLP550 for the first day then WLP001 added. There's a clone thread on here that has some recent posts but no real new information the last few years.
I never brewed with Ardennes yeast but I have a pack and will give it a go sometime next month.
cool! thanks for the info.
i was born and raised in belgium, but moved to california about 15 years ago. so now i'm limited to the bottles that i can find in the stores over here. so it's unknown how they have been treated before i can get my hands on them. i no longer have the luxury of getting them from or near by the source. except when i travel back there
J.
