S-189 Fermenting Fast

[brewNYC]

Do you guys usually get a quick fermentation with S-189? It started within a few hours, and is now at about 30 percent attenuation after 48 hrs. Way different than my experience with other lager yeasts.

Its a 3 gallon batch of 1.052 OG Vienna Lager. I hydrated 2 packs in 65 degree water, then pitched that into 57 degree wort, then cooled it down to 52 degrees for fermentation. Holding it between 51-53.

Maybe I’m just getting a great fermentation, since I oxygenated well and over-pitched, but ive had ales ferment slower! wondering if I should ignore the instructions next time and ferment in the 40’s instead of the low 50’s.

 

[passedpawn]

It's my go-to lager yeast. Been using it for a LONG time. But no, I get a steady 2-wk fermentation from it. I pitch into 50F wort, so maybe that's the diff.

 

[passedpawn]

Just kegged a bit of it tonight This is a pilsner test: pilsner with corn, pilsner with rice, pilsner with sugar added. Looking for a Peroni clone.

 

[dmtaylor]

I just used S-189 on an American light lager with wheat (sort of a Leinie's Honey Weiss clone) at 67 F. It hit FG in about 3.5 days. Most people wouldn't use it this warm, but it turned out fantastic. Fast, with no diacetyl or off-flavors. LOVE this yeast, and its ability to make clean lagers at warm temps, maybe even superior to W-34/70 and FAR superior to S-23 (which I tested along-side it).

 

[brewNYC]

Hmm, sounds like slow and steady at 50, or super-quick at 65. Good to know I have quite a range with this yeast. Sounds like I can go a little cooler next time, but it’ll still likely be pretty clean this time.

honestly, why do they put temperature recommendations on yeast, anyway?

 

[Miraculix]

Just kegged a bit of it tonight This is a pilsner test: pilsner with corn, pilsner with rice, pilsner with sugar added. Looking for a Peroni clone.

View attachment 738348

Looks good! I love split batches, let us know how it goes!


And just as a side note, a Pilsener doesn't contain either sugar, corn or rice, so these are not Pilseners. BUT probably nice tasting and very interesting beers!

 

[Dland]

S-189 is my primary lager yeast as well. I ran it for 11 batches, 10 on yeast cake, in sealed fermentor earlier this year. Temperature set at 54F. Two packs on 10 gallons dry pithced initial fermentation took about 2 weeks, which has been my normal result in past. The subsequent batches on yeast cake were ready to rack to spund after one week.

 

[brewNYC]

Good info. Sounds like you are using the same temperature, and getting similar results when you pitch on a yeast cake. It could be that mine is going so fast because I’m pitching 2 packs in 3 gallons - so triple your pitch rate.

 

[dmtaylor]

a Pilsener doesn't contain either sugar, corn or rice, so these are not Pilseners. BUT probably nice tasting and very interesting beers!

American style "pilsners" (which we affectionately refer to collectively as "BMC") often/usually have adjuncts.

But I can see your point that Pilsners from Europe likely would NOT use adjuncts.

Cheers.

 

[Miraculix]

American style "pilsners" (which we affectionately refer to collectively as "BMC") often/usually have adjuncts.

But I can see your point that Pilsners from Europe likely would NOT use adjuncts.

Cheers.

To be honest, I am much more interested in these adjunct "Pilseners" then in the European counterpart, as these adjuncts might contribute something to the beer which sets it apart from all the European Pilseners. Pilseners are fairly light coloured and they are very well suited to showcase subtile differences in taste that different adjuncts might provide. Ok, sugar probably does nothing, but rice and corn might do at least something. Flaked barley would have been interesting as well as flaked rye.

 

[Dland]

Malted rye works well too, have not tried flaked rye. Flaked corn & rice add something too, but the malted rye is my favorite adjunct. Rye malt at 10-15% w flaked corn at 5-10% also makes nice combo I brew a lot, w mostly pils malt as base. Recently used malted oats instead of corn, slightly different flavor, but good and adds smoothness.

I thought the it was CAP, "classic American Pilsner". BMC is the flavorless industrial version that (I hear) can be found in cans in store.

 

[brewNYC]

To be honest, I am much more interested in these adjunct "Pilseners" then in the European counterpart, as these adjuncts might contribute something to the beer which sets it apart from all the European Pilseners. Pilseners are fairly light coloured and they are very well suited to showcase subtile differences in taste that different adjuncts might provide. Ok, sugar probably does nothing, but rice and corn might do at least something. Flaked barley would have been interesting as well as flaked rye.

That sounds like a fun experiment- I’d be interested to see how it goes.
I personally like mass-produced pilsners (like carsburg or even PBR) better than most pilsners from home brewers or microbreweries. I can’t say that’s true for any other style, just pilsners. Perhaps it’s the adjuncts, perhaps it’s the industrial-strength filtration. Or maybe it’s because I only drink pilsners out of frosty glasses in the middle of summer when I should be drinking water

As you can tell, we are all curious. We may or may not like the style, but it does seem hard to replicate or transcend.

 

[brewNYC]

That sounds like a fun experiment- I’d be interested to see how it goes.
I personally like mass-produced pilsners (like carsburg or even PBR) better than most pilsners from home brewers or microbreweries. I can’t say that’s true for any other style, just pilsners. Perhaps it’s the adjuncts, perhaps it’s the industrial-strength filtration. Or maybe it’s because I only drink pilsners out of frosty glasses in the middle of summer when I should be drinking water

As you can tell, we are all curious. We may or may not like the style, but it does seem hard to replicate or transcend.

Or, I guess I should say -I like some mass produced pilsners, and very much do not like others. It would be interesting to see if adjuncts are what makes the difference, or if it’s process, or just sentiment.,.

 

[passedpawn]

I tasted each one going into the kegs. The one with flaked corn definitely had the corn taste - not strong, but it is the flavor I get in Peroni. Rice didn't add much flavor at all.

As I said, I used these adjucts, as well as sugar, to clone Peroni. I do like Peroni - it's my favorite lawn mower beer. So far, the one with corn is quite close. We'll see after carbonation.

 

[Dland]

I agree rice does not add flavor, it just kind of lightens up the the malt, less flavor in general, unless you count alcohol flavor, if above 6 ABV or so. Only used it a couple times to try and use up.

What % did you run the corn at? I like the flavor, but have not used at more than 20%, prefer at 5-10% myself. Never tasted Peroni.

 

[brewNYC]

Ok- back to the original topic. So it looks like I’ll be ready for a d-rest tomorrow, meaning I’ll probably hit FG in a week or less.
I like to leave my beers in the primary for 3 weeks to clean up, but I’m not sure about leaving a lager at 65 degrees for 2 weeks. What do you guys think- does a 2 week d-rest hurt (or help) anything?

 

[passedpawn]

I agree rice does not add flavor, it just kind of lightens up the the malt, less flavor in general, unless you count alcohol flavor, if above 6 ABV or so. Only used it a couple times to try and use up.

What % did you run the corn at? I like the flavor, but have not used at more than 20%, prefer at 5-10% myself. Never tasted Peroni.

This is an 11g batch.

 

[dmtaylor]

Ok- back to the original topic. So it looks like I’ll be ready for a d-rest tomorrow, meaning I’ll probably hit FG in a week or less.
I like to leave my beers in the primary for 3 weeks to clean up, but I’m not sure about leaving a lager at 65 degrees for 2 weeks. What do you guys think- does a 2 week d-rest hurt (or help) anything?

A longer diacetyl rest helps in my experience. The longer the better.

Unless you just ferment at 67 F from the get-go, then no d rest is needed at all.

 

[Beermeister32]

What do you guys think- does a 2 week d-rest hurt (or help) anything?

Done it many times when I didn’t have time to transfer to keg. Also once in the keg it sits at that temperature after adding the conditioning charge for a couple more weeks. No issues, but if taken to extreme I suppose elevated temps have been blamed on speeding up staling. Never encountered it though.