Dry Yeast Safbrew Abbaye vs. Mangrove Jack M47 Abbey Experiment Results

[William656]

Hey! So, living in an area that is balls hot in the Summer, I don't like to ship fresh yeast to my home, especially because it usually ends up in a bank of mail boxes sitting in 100 deg+ temperatures after delivery. Because of this, I have been doing a number of split batches to test various dry yeast strains with some very good results. I will typically do a 10 gallon all grain batch and pitch 2 different yeasts in 5 gallons. Everything is the same with both finished beers except the yeast.

My latest experiment involved Safbrew Abbaye and Mangrove Jack's M47 Abbey yeasts. I followed, as my standard practice, the recommendations listed in the dry yeast sticky at the top of this forum. I brewed my standard all grain Belgian Golden Strong which was developed as a great Duvel clone that I usually pictch Wyeast 1388. Here are the results so far:

Basic recipe that uses 100% Castle Pils single infusion mash with 16.5% granulated sugar with an OG OF 1.069 utilizing Syrian Goldings and Saaz hops for 30 IBUS mashing at 150 degF for 60 mins and boiling for 90.

Brew log goes as follows:

8/7/16. Everything looked good. All numbers looked good. Broke the batch into 2 five gallon fermenters and pitched one with Safale Abbaye and the other M47 Mangrove Jack Abbey Yeast. Chilled down to 69 degF and set fermenter to 64 degF.

8/8/16. Fermentation going well. Bubbling away after 12 hours of pitching. Set for 66 but having a hard time getting down to that temp. Seems to like 68-69 degF. Ambient temp outside fermentation chamber's been 100+ degF.

8/9/16. Still bubbling away well. Still cannot get temp lower. Power went ot around 4:00pm. Temp climbing. Set a block of ice in fermenter. Was reading 65-66 degF shortly after. Power came back on at about 10:02pm.

8/10/16. Checked fermenter. Temp was reading 60 degF with ice in there. Removed ice and set to warm it back up. Fermenters still bubbling, but much slower. Set temp to 68 degF.

8/11/16. Still bubbling slowly. Set temp to 72 degF.

8/15/16. Tested the Safale Abbaye and it was at 1.002. Soft, fruity, juicy pears and generic spice, light pepper, clove, very subtle. Provides the expected ester profile associated with a Golden Strong using this fermentation schedule (68 degF, ramping up and finishing around 72). Very very slight sulphur in the back ground. Nice sweet-like Pilsner graininess in the flavor. Fresh. Super light color. 96.9% attenuation. 8.8% ABV.

Tested the Mangrove Jack M47 Abbey and was at 1.012. Had more assertive fruit and spice esters more reminiscent of a tripel with A flavor profile leaning toward spicy esters rather than fruits. This one threw some sulphur. Seems to be fading. Should be gone by packaging time. Very pale as well. Nice, but not in line with style. Would categorize this more as a "Pale Trippel". Fresh sweet-like Pilsner grain flavor also present here. 81.6% attenuation. 7.5% ABV.

Note, perhaps the sulphur was due to the temp getting too cold at one point, not sure. Being volatile, I'm sure it will fade out by packaging.

Overall impressions are that these beers look exactly the same, but are remarkably different in flavor simply by the use of different yeasts. Amazing the difference in attenuation. The Safbrew Abbaye really seems to provide the expected ester profile similar to the Wyeast 1388 I'm used to using, but the MJ M47 was also quite delicious. They also produce a dry Trippel yeast and I don't know how that works yet. I have a pack that's in my freezer now, but the M47 threw the same ester profile I have come to expect from a Trippel.

So, this is where we are at now. Planning on cold crashing today. I will update with final results if I remember. This is a lot of fun.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

I have used M27 (now M29) in many Saisons and Dubbels. I typically let those ferment at 74F+. I would be hesitant to cold crash and bottle the M47 at this point. In the past, I have experienced FGs with M27 around 1.00-1.002. Since you are past the exothermic stage, you might want to warm up the M47 batch to 75F and see if it finishes off the final bits of sugar.

 

[William656]

Cool, thanks for the tip. I didn't "think" it needed to attenuate more and felt pretty great about the 1.012. The M47 is a lesser attenuating yeast so I was not surprised by the large differences in final gravitates. But sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry, but I had already cold crashed it and added my gelatin. I'll be kegging it this weekend. I'll try to remember to post some final tasting notes. My next comparison will be a Saison split with Danstar Belle Saison vs. your M29 French Saison yeast. Thanks again for the suggestion of warming it up a bit more.

 

[wingnutbrew]

Thanks for the comparison detail. I'm using the M47 in a very simple Belgian Blonde tomorrow. I never really care if my beers meet BJCP guidelines but I read where someone used an Abbey yeast for a blonde. I love the hard hitting Belgian yeast strains but wanting this one to be on the milder side. I plan on keeping it cool (ambient 64-66) for the duration unless I see it starts to fall off early; just a short raise in temp at the end. It is designed at 1.052 and would be more than happy with an FG of 1.010. I'll report back and see if ester profile is a bit milder at the lower temps. I'll also be doing a secondary in the cellar.

Would like to hear how your M47 is now after it aged a bit.

Also have two packs of the M31. I may do a Belgian Pale on Sunday also lower OG as normally do that first so I can harvest the yeast for the future. I have noticed that Belgian and some Saison yeasts tend to produce about a pint+ of yeast when harvested.

I did a Rye Saison with the Belle Saison and it's one of my favorites. At it's best with a slice of orange. Next time will likely add some zest somewhere in the boil.

 

[William656]

The Abbaye yeast beer is delicious, very light bodied. Subtle Belgian ester profiles that are in line with ripe fall pears and a tiny bit of white pepper. Very subtle. The M47 has a more character. I've come to call it an Extra Pale Tripel. My friends and family like it better. They are both easy drinking. Both delicious. Both different. I don't like a heavy hand with the banana esters so I tend to ferment these cooler. The Abbaye tho, I would ferment warmer next time by 3-5 degrees. What I was really after was a dry yeast substitute for Wyeast 1388. The flavor profile I ended up with was just a little too soft. It hints at it. It wants to be there. The warmer ferment will probably get it closer.

I am a big fan of the Danstar Belle Saison, but in my most recent comparison between that yeast and the new MJ French Saison, I have to say the MJ won there too. Very happy with the flavors. The ester development is very characteristic of what I would expect from a Saison. Citrus, sweet spices, light pepper.

So easy to use, I have now been pouring the yeast cake into 2qt. Mason jars and repitching them. Works great so far too.

Cheers.

 

[JohnSand]

Thanks for the reviews. I have a split batch of Belgian Pale fermenting right now, WLP530 vs M47. I've done this before with Safbrew Abbaye, which I found somewhat earthier than 530.
I'm seeking a good dry Belgian yeast also, as I have received dead yeast in the mail.

 

[William656]

Depending on what temp you're fermenting it at, I think you may really like the M47. Cheers!

 

[JohnSand]

Mid sixties, basement temp. My ferm chamber is tied up with a lager. The 530 probably warmed over 70, it put a bit of wort in the airlock. The 47 may have stayed cooler, it's only 3 gallons.

 

[Shenanigans]

Mid sixties, basement temp. My ferm chamber is tied up with a lager. The 530 probably warmed over 70, it put a bit of wort in the airlock. The 47 may have stayed cooler, it's only 3 gallons.

Any feedback on how they compared?
I as considering a patersbier with M47 if is decent enough compared to wlp530 or wy 3787

 

[JohnSand]

I have some notes, and memory. I preferred the 530. My notes say fruit and spice from the 530, clove from the M47. "Clove mellowed by the end" in my notes implies that it was a bit strong for my taste. I haven't tried it again.