On a whim just got WLP515...now what?

[PlexVector]

On a whim I just got some WLP515 Antwerp Ale Yeast in the mail. Now I guess my next brew day will be a Belgium style beer. I've always done IPAs, so trying to break out of the box. Any recommendations on recipes?

 

[serum]

I think that might be the DeKoninck yeast so a Belgian pale would be a good one to try with that.

This recipe seems to be tried and tested: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=117569

You could also look for a DeKoninck clone

 

[PlexVector]

I think that might be the DeKoninck yeast so a Belgian pale would be a good one to try with that.

This recipe seems to be tried and tested: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=117569

You could also look for a DeKoninck clone

Just checked it out; Looks like the one, thanks!

 

[secondbase]

Belgian Pale for sure. I haven't used that yeast, but if it truly is Dekoninck's strain it'll be belgian for sure, but a little too clean for trappist styles.

 

[stpug]

It's a nice, very mellow, belgian strain that puts off a lot of sulphur during fermentation. Probably the cleanest "belgian" yeast I've used. Don't expect a lot of belgian estery/phenolic quality from it. It'll stink up your fermentation chamber - even if it's your living room

 

[PlexVector]

It's a nice, very mellow, belgian strain that puts off a lot of sulphur during fermentation. Probably the cleanest "belgian" yeast I've used. Don't expect a lot of belgian estery/phenolic quality from it. It'll stink up your fermentation chamber - even if it's your living room

Thanks! and: I would just blame the dog as usual.

 

[jekeane]

I was pretty disappointed with 515. It can be super clean without any Belgian character if you don't hit the right temp ranges. I split a 10g batch of Belgian pale between 515 and 500. Fermented at 68 then raised to 70. The 500 scored mid 40's and got a bronze best of show the 515 scored in the low mid 30's.

I would search some recommended temperature ranges before using 515.

 

[giraffe]

A dekoninck clone is an obvious option. It is a cleanish strain, with a nice smooth mouthfeel, and only a very subtle fruit/spice belgian charecter. It also makes a solid biere de garde.

My Dekoninck style beer:
1.048

35% Continental Pils
40% MFB Special Aromatic (sub vienna if unavailable)
22.5% Munich 8-10L
2.5% Special B (Sub CaraAroma if required)

Mash @ 152ish. 5.3-5.4 mash ph, use CaCl2 to hit mash ph

27 IBU

1 oz saaz (20)
1.5 oz saaz (5)

Ferment with 515 @ 62-64

 

[Stephonovich]

I'm using it in a very simple Agave Wheat, to try to add a little interesting kick to it. I'm fermenting at 66 F to start, and I'll ramp that up to 68 F after a couple of days. Based on reviews on White Labs' website, that should give me minimal esters, which I'm looking for.

 

[Brulosopher]

I absolutely love 515, best Belgian strain out there, imo.

But I'm not much of a fan of the overly phenolic and estery character us Americans tend to expect in Belgian ale.

 

[PlexVector]

I'm using it in a very simple Agave Wheat, to try to add a little interesting kick to it. I'm fermenting at 66 F to start, and I'll ramp that up to 68 F after a couple of days. Based on reviews on White Labs' website, that should give me minimal esters, which I'm looking for.

Ummm, good idea to check out the white labs website. Seems obvious now. Thanks!

 

[PlexVector]

I think that might be the DeKoninck yeast so a Belgian pale would be a good one to try with that.

This recipe seems to be tried and tested: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=117569

You could also look for a DeKoninck clone

Just put this puppy in the fermentation chamber using a recipe based on the above thread. After looking around this seemed to be what I am looking for. Low esters and clean. It's kind of chilly today so by the time a got the chamber set back up, which we where using as a frig for all the left over holiday food, (the wife now knows what a keezer is) and set up the new black box controller, fermwrap, thermowell, and blow off tube, the wort dropped from 68F to 62F. The set point is 67F, so should be good by morning. used a yeast starter for the first time also.

This brew day has a lot of firsts! Thanks all for the help!

 

[serum]

You've inspired me. I saw this strain in my usual store so I'm going for a Belgian Pale too.

 

[Stephonovich]

The finished beer initially had a pretty big citrus zing, more than I would have liked. In talking to other people, it was probably a combination of the yeast (others have said it tends to have citrus notes), and a large Saaz hopstand at the end. That mellowed after a week or so, and it's now pretty mild.

Definitely minimal esters! I'd say it's almost bordering on boring, to the point that I might as well have just used US-05. I plan on redoing this with higher fermentation temperatures, to see if I can eke out a little bit of flavor.

 

[PlexVector]

The finished beer initially had a pretty big citrus zing, more than I would have liked. In talking to other people, it was probably a combination of the yeast (others have said it tends to have citrus notes), and a large Saaz hopstand at the end. That mellowed after a week or so, and it's now pretty mild.

Definitely minimal esters! I'd say it's almost bordering on boring, to the point that I might as well have just used US-05. I plan on redoing this with higher fermentation temperatures, to see if I can eke out a little bit of flavor.

I was shooting for minimal esters in this one. I can smell some sulfur notes, but actually smells pretty good. This is my first non IPA, but I'm looking to do something less hoppy and more malty. I hope the wife will like this one, as well as myself of course. Compared to US-05 this was bubbling within 12 hrs and bubbled couple of days longer too, but I'm going to give it a full 2 weeks before I check FG.

 

[TWAL]

I was shooting for minimal esters in this one. I can smell some sulfur notes, but actually smells pretty good.

The Sulfur will fade w/ short term aging (2-4 weeks).
I've had it at least a few times I've used the 515.I do keep temps low though.

 

[LostBoyScout]

I'm using this yeast to make a bastardized Biere de Garde with Pilsner, Munich and Caramunich malts.

 

[giraffe]

Yeah the sulfur will fade, this yeast really looks and behaves alot more like a lager yeast. I sort of wonder if it will ferment in the 50s. I have a vial on order, maybe I will give it a shot after a couple of generations.

 

[PlexVector]

I'm using this yeast to make a bastardized Biere de Garde with Pilsner, Munich and Caramunich malts.

That looks like a good combo.

This is what I ultimately did:

8# Belgian Pils
1# Caravienne
0.5# Flaked oats
0.5# Biscuit
0.25# Aromatic
Mash 150*F for 75 minutes.
BK: 60 min
1.5 oz Saaz @60
.5 oz Saaz @15 min

WLP515 Belgian yeast (2L starter: 900 mL in fermentor, remaining cold crashing for storage)
5.5 gal fermenting at 66F (Started bubbling in less than 12 hours @ 1 burp/2 sec. After 24 hours >1 burp/sec)

 

[TWAL]

I'm using this yeast to make a bastardized Biere de Garde with Pilsner, Munich and Caramunich malts.

I've been toying whether or not to use it for a Biere De Garde...

I Emailed a French Biere De Garde brewery recently and between what they had to say and everything I've been able to research I was thinking it may be a good yeast for the style.

 

[BugHunter]

If you can't decide on a recipe I've always been a "horde and bank it" method of decision making.

 

[THVbrew]

Below is the recipe I plan on using this yeast in ...

3 Gallon Batch
BIAB 65% efficency
Est. OG: 1.051
Est. FG: 1.008
Est. ABV%: 5.6%
IBU: 28.8

4 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) 60.2%
1 lbs 12.0 oz Wheat, Flaked (1.6 SRM) 24.8%
9.0 oz Oats, Flaked (1.0 SRM) 7.9%
8.0 oz Rice Hulls (0.0 SRM) 7.1%
0.30 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 15.0 min 10.5 IBUs
0.30 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 10.0 min 7.7 IBUs
0.30 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Boil 5.0 min 4.2 IBUs
0.30 oz Nelson Sauvin [12.00 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 20.0 min 6.4 IBUs

Thinking of dropping the rice hulls since this will be BIAB and I won't have to worry about a stuck sparge.

The idea behind this beer is over-the-top fruity beer that relates to an unfiltered sparkling white wine with classic gooseberry and white wine notes.

Would love comments/recommendations on this recipe.

 

[TWAL]

The idea behind this beer is over-the-top fruity beer that relates to an unfiltered sparkling white wine with classic gooseberry and white wine notes.

Would love comments/recommendations on this recipe.

I'm not sure this is the yeast you want for an over the top fruity beer,It's about as clean as you'll get for an ale yeast.
I have got some plum out of higher temps..

I've gotten very fruity from WLP550 Belgian Ale Yeast ,I actually used Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes but same strain.

Sounds like you're brewing a wine cooler.

 

[PlexVector]

After 2 weeks in the fermentor at a constant 66F I checked the gravity this weekend and SG=1.009
Tastes & smells like a Belgian style ale thankfully. Not a lot of esters, which is what I was looking for. I was hoping the wife would like this one, but alas...I think she couldn't get pass the "flatness" since it is not carbed yet, so we shall see (edit: I'm thinking that after it's carbed, I'll fill a corona lite bottle, stick a lime in it and give it to the wife and see what she thinks ).

Now that I have a point of reference I need to research what temp I want for lagering and how long. So far so good!

 

[LostBoyScout]

Since we're posting recipes, here's my "Biere de Garde style ale" I'm brewing this coming weekend with my WLP515:

66% Weyermann Munich I
23% Weyermann Floor-malted Pilsner
5.5% Weyermann Caramunich II
5.5% Dextrose / Corn Sugar

18 IBU of Styrian Goldings @ 60 min
6 IBU of Tettnang @ 15 min

OG: 1.068
Mash: 149F
120 min boil

 

[PlexVector]

Since we're posting recipes, here's my "Biere de Garde style ale" I'm brewing this coming weekend with my WLP515:

66% Weyermann Munich I
23% Weyermann Floor-malted Pilsner
5.5% Weyermann Caramunich II
5.5% Dextrose / Corn Sugar

18 IBU of Styrian Goldings @ 60 min
6 IBU of Tettnang @ 15 min

OG: 1.068
Mash: 149F
120 min boil

Looks like a keeper

Have you decided on a fermentation and lagering schedule yet?

 

[LostBoyScout]

Looks like a keeper

Have you decided on a fermentation and lagering schedule yet?

Based on my limited options, I am planning to ferment at 65F for two weeks and then I'll slide it into the fridge for four weeks (around 35F?) and try not to stock up on food during that time

One gallon of it will be further aged on port-soaked oak for a few months just to see what happens

 

[PlexVector]

Based on my limited options, I am planning to ferment at 65F for two weeks and then I'll slide it into the fridge for four weeks (around 35F?) and try not to stock up on food during that time

One gallon of it will be further aged on port-soaked oak for a few months just to see what happens

Started cold crash tonight. I've decided to keg this weekend since we are not going out of town due to threat of snow and ice. I'm going to go ahead and start force carbing and see how it tastes after a week and go from there.

That port-soaked oak sounds good! Like to know how that comes out.

 

[LostBoyScout]

That port-soaked oak sounds good! Like to know how that comes out.

Will do! I forgot to add, I'll pull it out of the cellar in the second week and let it warm to 70 - 72F before I put it in the fridge. Hoping it will come out pretty dry, ideally 1.008 or so

 

[serum]

Since we're posting recipes, here's my "Biere de Garde style ale" I'm brewing this coming weekend with my WLP515:

66% Weyermann Munich I
23% Weyermann Floor-malted Pilsner
5.5% Weyermann Caramunich II
5.5% Dextrose / Corn Sugar

18 IBU of Styrian Goldings @ 60 min
6 IBU of Tettnang @ 15 min

OG: 1.068
Mash: 149F
120 min boil

Looks good, interested to hear how that one pans out.

 

[PlexVector]

Was finally able to swap out a kicked keg to get the Belgian pale ale on permanent carbing. I was hitting it after work for a couple of days while I bottle the remainder of my fav IPA (now a 12 pack rather than keg) After 5 days carbing I can see the potential. clean light Belgian taste with a slight malty finish, lager like. Actually what I was hoping for! I'll get some pics after a little more CO2. I did have one hic-up during cold crashing, which I'll describe at a later date along with some pics.