Pumpkin Ale with Kveik Yeast

[zinn]

I'm planning on brewing a pumpkin beer on September 13th. I'd love to have it ready to drink by early October. It seems to me that my only option is to use a Kveik yeast.

I was thinking about maybe the Sigmund Kveik or Omega. Has anyone used Kveik for a pumpkin ale and had any luck? Or, is this a terrible idea? Thanks!

 

[JeffersonStateBrewing]

I am watching this one. I too am planning a pumpkin ale as soon as I get home.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

There are probably a few yeasts that can turn around a beer in 2 weeks, but I could see Kveik working well in a Pumpkin. I have only used Voss a few times myself. I am not sure which strains you are thinking off. I think Sigmund = Voss (which can have an orange character). Omega has a couple Kveik strains. Yeast Landing

 

[RickyBeers]

I'm planning on brewing a pumpkin beer on September 13th. I'd love to have it ready to drink by early October. It seems to me that my only option is to use a Kveik yeast.

I was thinking about maybe the Sigmund Kveik or Omega. Has anyone used Kveik for a pumpkin ale and had any luck? Or, is this a terrible idea? Thanks!

do you have a recipe you plan to use that you would share?

plan to try my first pumpkin beer in the next few weeks as well

 

[Falstaff]

Kveik will throw off orange notes, which I think will work with the spices I assume you are using. Keeping it hot will probably accentuate this, but speed things up. I keep it at 90. I'd do 100 if I could, though, but my aquarium heater only goes that high.

It will also finish quickly even in the aging phase. I am currently drinking a barley wine that is only two and a half weeks from pitching (to bottle) to glass. I'm going to age some but it tastes "done" to me.

I'd go for it. I use dry yeast. M12 and Voss from Lallemand. Kveik was a game-changer for me. It's clean and fast.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

Did this ever happen? How did it turn out if so?I had some Halloween plans sprung on me and would love to have a keg ready by then if at all possible.

 

[zinn]

Did this ever happen? How did it turn out if so?I had some Halloween plans sprung on me and would love to have a keg ready by then if at all possible.

I ended up deciding to minimize the risk and exercise a little patience by using safale 05.

I hope it works out for you though. Let us know if you go for it.

 

[RickyBeers]

I brewed one.
Kveik at 97-100f, done in two days.
Came out clean and don’t taste any particular orange, at least nothing overwhelming.
Pretty clear after 2 weeks
I would say kveik is perfect for this type of beer. I’ll be using it with my Christmas ale as well.
Side note, I’m moving to 34/70 for faux pressure lagers moving forward. I have enjoyed the kveik but it’s lacking something that lager yeasts have, I don’t have to keep my temps super high to ferment it, and I’m still getting 3 or 4 day completed batches without it.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

I brewed one.
Kveik at 97-100f, done in two days.
Came out clean and don’t taste any particular orange, at least nothing overwhelming.
Pretty clear after 2 weeks
I would say kveik is perfect for this type of beer. I’ll be using it with my Christmas ale as well.
Side note, I’m moving to 34/70 for faux pressure lagers moving forward. I have enjoyed the kveik but it’s lacking something that lager yeasts have, I don’t have to keep my temps super high to ferment it, and I’m still getting 3 or 4 day completed batches without it.

That is encouraging. Did you use Voss?

 

[RickyBeers]

That is encouraging. Did you use Voss?

https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-states/product-details/lalbrew-voss-kveik-ale-yeast/
Yup, common on my LHBS

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

https://www.lallemandbrewing.com/en/united-states/product-details/lalbrew-voss-kveik-ale-yeast/
Yup, common on my LHBS

Thank you! I will probably brew Monday. I probably could use a regular ale yeast of some kind and it be fine but I’m just not sure, this close to date. Maybe I’ll hold back on some of the orange peel and give this yeast a try.

 

[RickyBeers]

Thank you! I will probably brew Monday. I probably could use a regular ale yeast of some kind and it be fine but I’m just not sure, this close to date. Maybe I’ll hold back on some of the orange peel and give this yeast a try.

Good luck, happy brewing!

 

[seabrew8]

Anybody use lalbrew voss at ale temps?

I will be using ale temps for both escarpment's krispy and omega lutra.

But i'm thinking about making a hoppy america pale instead with the voss(only) and fermenting it as warm as i can get it.

 

[RickyBeers]

First time I ever used it I fermented at ale temps, still worked very well. Just takes a bit longer to finish

 

[seabrew8]

Hi Ricky, did you find much difference between room temp. and the higher ranges?

If i can get the same beer with 80-90 fermentation i will be going with that.

Thanks, first i read about kviek was only a week or so ago.

 

[RickyBeers]

No problem, it’s a very interesting yeast and I use it at least fifty percent of the time. In terms of ester production and what not, no notable differences that I have experienced. I ferment under pressure though, which changes how the yeast reacts. A hoppy pale ale should be clean, probably get a bit of citrus out of the voss. I bet you still finish in 4-5 days.
I tell everyone though, if you can get a corny keg with a SpundIT 2.0, game changer.

 

[Sammy86]

I’m moving to 34/70 for faux

There is nothing faux about 34/70...it is a lager yeast.

 

[seabrew8]

I have the original fermentasaurus and a spunding value but it doesn't work that well IME.

I watched a video last night, heath guy. And he said the 35L fermentasaurus is not that great useless you make a larger batch then 21L. I never did like that thing, i honestly feel its a piece of junk for pressure fermentation. It was pricey too.

It seems to me kegland rushed to market to fast with a lot of their stuff. Unlike the grainfather, i have the original unit as well but i did buy the upgraded connect controller.

 

[RickyBeers]

There is nothing faux about 34/70...it is a lager yeast.

Sure, I guess it just depends on how you consider a lager being a lager if it’s pressurized and fermented at high temps. I don’t “lager” the beer, so I usually just call it a faux lager so that I don’t upset any purist…

 

[RickyBeers]

I have the original fermentasaurus and a spunding value but it doesn't work that well IME.

I watched a video last night, heath guy. And he said the 35L fermentasaurus is not that great useless you make a larger batch then 21L. I never did like that thing, i honestly feel its a piece of junk for pressure fermentation. It was pricey too.

It seems to me kegland rushed to market to fast with a lot of their stuff. Unlike the grainfather, i have the original unit as well but i did buy the upgraded connect controller.

Ahhhh… that’s a bummer… good to know though because I’ve considered that one for the future…
I love good ole kegs. Been consistent and easy so far.
Either way, that yeast will work well not under pressure.

 

[Sammy86]

Sure, I guess it just depends on how you consider a lager being a lager if it’s pressurized and fermented at high temps. I don’t “lager” the beer, so I usually just call it a faux lager so that I don’t upset any purist…

A lager is a lager because of the yeast, not if you cold condition it. You can lager ales but they are still ales because of the yeast.

 

[RickyBeers]

A lager is a lager because of the yeast, not if you cold condition it. You can lager ales but they are still ales because of the yeast.

Good to know. I have seen some heated discussion on the topic so I have always been cautious about it, but I certainly like you reasoning better.

thanks!

 

[seabrew8]

The newer ones do look way better with a real ball value. In regards to kegland.

 

[seabrew8]

Have a good day.

 

[seabrew8]

No problem, it’s a very interesting yeast and I use it at least fifty percent of the time. In terms of ester production and what not, no notable differences that I have experienced. I ferment under pressure though, which changes how the yeast reacts. A hoppy pale ale should be clean, probably get a bit of citrus out of the voss. I bet you still finish in 4-5 days.
I tell everyone though, if you can get a corny keg with a SpundIT 2.0, game changer.

How far do you fill the corny keg? I was going to try it before, a longtime ago. I have 5 corny kegs.

No issues with foam pushing up through the posts?

 

[RickyBeers]

How far do you fill the corny keg? I was going to try it before, a longtime ago. I have 5 corny kegs.

No issues with foam pushing up through the posts?

So I used to use anti foaming agents… I don’t now.
I hit it with 25 psi and it seems to keep krausen down. Don’t know if that’s legit or not but works for me.
Sorry for late response just got done with a company golf outing.

 

[seabrew8]

I'll probably try to stick some 1/4" tubing through the hole for a blowoff for a few days.

The spunding valve i have with not stop foam from going up inside the regulator i don't believe.

 

[grifman23]

Just bottled my Pumpkin Ale. Used Voss Kveik starting at 90 degrees. Used a creme ale recipe and added 3 pounds of 2-row and 4 cans of cooked pumpkin baked in an oven. OG 1.055, FG 1.010 after two weeks of fermentation and rest. Beer was pretty clear, will know in two weeks how well this turned out.

 

[Miraculix]

Good to know. I have seen some heated discussion on the topic so I have always been cautious about it, but I certainly like you reasoning better.

thanks!

Well, to be precise, there are several so called lager yeasts that are actually ale yeasts and some that are in between. For example wlp800, which is supposed to be the pilsner urquell strain, is actually an ale strain.

So at the end, it looks like it is only about a clean yeast and the lagering.

 

[RickyBeers]

Well, to be precise, there are several so called lager yeasts that are actually ale yeasts and some that are in between. For example wlp800, which is supposed to be the pilsner urquell strain, is actually an ale strain.

So at the end, it looks like it is only about a clean yeast and the lagering.

Interesting, thanks for the info.
personally kveik has given me an amazingly clear and crisp beer, in fact I think my FGs are too low sometimes. Looking for something for a few upcoming brews that finishes over 1.010 more consistently for my non-lagers. Or… well… you know what I mean…

 

[RickyBeers]

Just bottled my Pumpkin Ale. Used Voss Kveik starting at 90 degrees. Used a creme ale recipe and added 3 pounds of 2-row and 4 cans of cooked pumpkin baked in an oven. OG 1.055, FG 1.010 after two weeks of fermentation and rest. Beer was pretty clear, will know in two weeks how well this turned out.

Let me know how it finishes. I didn’t go the cooked pumpkin route and wish I had. I used spices, which was good, but not as good as the real deal I would expect

 

[odie]

How far do you fill the corny keg? I was going to try it before, a longtime ago. I have 5 corny kegs.

No issues with foam pushing up through the posts?

I'm currently fermenting in cornies...I fill them with 5gal + 1 pint total wort to finish with 5 gal of usable "product". No problems with blow out....unless you are doing a hefe…

I've done with blow off tubes first before sealing and no issues. I've also done with sealed/spunded at the beginning with no blow out...and none of those anti foaming tablets (campden I think)

A ball lock corny holds 5.5 gallons total with about 2" headspace left over to work the lid. 5 gal and 5 pints absolute (water filled to overflow)

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Well, to be precise, there are several so called lager yeasts that are actually ale yeasts and some that are in between. For example wlp800, which is supposed to be the pilsner urquell strain, is actually an ale strain.

Well, to be more precise, it's alleged to have come from Urquell. But my best guess is that it was in the Cold War multistrain, but was one of the strains that was ditched when they went down to one strain in 1993. Morebeer quote the QC manager as saying that they now just use the H-strain, "which may well date back to the original brewery" which makes me a bit suspicious as to its authenticity.....

Wyeast claim their 2001-PC is the Urquell H-strain and that it's pastorianus. Which is rather at odds with claims that WLP800 is the same yeast when we know 800 is a cerevisiae. Who knows.

As an aside, 2001-PC was a Q1 2021 release so I guess there's a chance you may find it lurking in a out-of-date bin somewhere.... And this month sees the release of 2000-PC Budvar and Ale Blend 1540-PC, which has been renamed to 1087-PC Wyeast Bohemian Ale Blend. Interesting. [and going wildly OT, they've also brought out 9097-PC: Old Ale Blend for trad English fans).

 

[grifman23]

Turned out really nice. Good orange color, spice flavor comes through with some pumpkin creaminess. Will tone down the cinnamon next year, but this and the pumpkin stout were hits at the Halloween party.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

Just want to report back that mine did not turn out haha. It’s real thin and watery. Could have been the recipe, could have been my calculations (recipe was for 5 gallons but I reduced it to 4), or maybe the LHBS messed up when weighing my grains. Too many possibilities but either way, if i try a pumpkin ale again next year, it won’t be that recipe and I’ll give myself enough time to use a different yeast.

 

[RickyBeers]

Just want to report back that mine did not turn out haha. It’s real thin and watery. Could have been the recipe, could have been my calculations (recipe was for 5 gallons but I reduced it to 4), or maybe the LHBS messed up when weighing my grains. Too many possibilities but either way, if i try a pumpkin ale again next year, it won’t be that recipe and I’ll give myself enough time to use a different yeast.

sounds like a recipe issue for sure. I always weight my own grains at my local shop, but not all allow it.
I doubt the yeast was any part of the problem, but I understand wanting to go with something low and slow.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Just want to report back that mine did not turn out haha. It’s real thin and watery.

Did you use Voss? I see some people report high attenuation with Voss, but with the 5 beers I have made with (I think 4 were Omega and one was Lallemand) I have gotten less attenuation than I would get with WLP001, and the resulting beers were a touch sweeter with a bit more body. I tweaked one recipe to swap the Crystal out for Munich just to reduce the sweetness that I get from Voss and it turned out more to my taste.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

sounds like a recipe issue for sure. I always weight my own grains at my local shop, but not all allow it.
I doubt the yeast was any part of the problem, but I understand wanting to go with something low and slow.

I think it’s the recipe, too. Or they messed up the weights. It’s just so thin and bland. Again, it could be my calculations when reducing the recipe from a 5 gallon batch to a 4 gallon batch. Oh well, it drinks. Just tastes more like a bud light.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

Did you use Voss? I see some people report high attenuation with Voss, but with the 5 beers I have made with (I think 4 were Omega and one was Lallemand) I have gotten less attenuation than I would get with WLP001, and the resulting beers were a touch sweeter with a bit more body. I tweaked one recipe to swap the Crystal out for Munich just to reduce the sweetness that I get from Voss and it turned out more to my taste.

It was Voss. 1.060 OG and finished at 1.013. I might need to take another reading to be sure. Maybe it did dry out.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

It was Voss. 1.060 OG and finished at 1.013. I might need to take another reading to be sure. Maybe it did dry out.

The factors that contribute to body in a beer are complex and something I which I understood more. There is definitely more to it than just final gravity, but I would not expect a 1.060 > 1.013 to register like a Bud Lite. Maybe with a bit more age it will improve.