White Labs Yeast Vault

[snowveil]

Got a shipment notification email today for the WLP564 Leewenhoek Saison Blend. Anyone have plans to brew with this yet? I'm thinking keeping it simple...80/20 Pils/Wheat, 1.045ish, Hallertau to 15-20 IBUs. Split 10 gallon batch between this and Logdson dregs

 

[secondbase]

My wlp564 came in the mail today. It's quite warm, but I'm getting a starter going for it right now. I was able to catch the mailman just as he arrived.

 

[secondbase]

564 went into a pils/strisselspalt SMaSH yesterday. Small, fluffy krausen and happily fermenting at 66º. I'll be ramping this up into the high 70's by the end of fermentation.

 

[Leipzig]

Festbier with an OG of 1.061 is fermenting nicely at 50 degrees with WLP835. Considering the yeast was several months old I made two separate starters and pitched them both @ 46 degrees before ramping up the temp to 50. Hoping for an FG opf 1.015-1.016. Really excited for this one.

 

[snowveil]

I'm brewing with the wlp564 tomorrow. Made a starter last night, it was already showing active krausen at less than 12 hours. The plan is 76% Avangard Pils, 14% Wheat, 10% Vienna. 1.055ish OG, noble and noblish hops to around 20 IBU (Sterling, Tettnang, Saaz, maybe some Hallertau).

The starter has a strong spicy character I typically associate with saison. Maybe slightly earthy...unless I'm getting that confused with partially-fermented wort.

 

[jerbrew]

I'm a little depressed I only found out about these vaulted yeasts today from a zymurgy ad. Just pre ordered 3 of them though and now I have to wait...

 

[gometz]

Festbier with an OG of 1.061 is fermenting nicely at 50 degrees with WLP835. Considering the yeast was several months old I made two separate starters and pitched them both @ 46 degrees before ramping up the temp to 50. Hoping for an FG opf 1.015-1.016. Really excited for this one.

I did a split batch of the 835 with some 860 I've been keeping alive (actually just made another split batch last week that should be ready in a few weeks). I found the 835 to be a bit cleaner and drier than the 860, so in my mind it was more geared to a German Pils or a Festbier than the 860 (since in a Festbier you'd be getting a portion of your body from the higher final gravity). If I ever have time again (starting business school in 2 weeks), I may try to brew a split batch of Festbier with the two.

 

[Leipzig]

I did a split batch of the 835 with some 860 I've been keeping alive (actually just made another split batch last week that should be ready in a few weeks). I found the 835 to be a bit cleaner and drier than the 860, so in my mind it was more geared to a German Pils or a Festbier than the 860 (since in a Festbier you'd be getting a portion of your body from the higher final gravity). If I ever have time again (starting business school in 2 weeks), I may try to brew a split batch of Festbier with the two.

A week and a half later, the festbier is still slowly slowly fermenting. It started our strong about 18 hours after pitching. In these last few days I've raise the chest freezer temp from 49 to 51 degrees. Saturday I plan to raise it to 56 for a D-rest. Looking forward to taking a sample at the end of the week prior to lagering.

Your summation of the yeast sounds promising. I am hoping for a cleaner (sharper) festbier. It's a helles festbier, around 5.6 SRM.

 

[gometz]

A week and a half later, the festbier is still slowly slowly fermenting. It started our strong about 18 hours after pitching. In these last few days I've raise the chest freezer temp from 49 to 51 degrees. Saturday I plan to raise it to 56 for a D-rest. Looking forward to taking a sample at the end of the week prior to lagering.

Your summation of the yeast sounds promising. I am hoping for a cleaner (sharper) festbier. It's a helles festbier, around 5.6 SRM.

I prefer the modern Festbiers to the Oktoberfest style you often get in American myself, so I think I am going to copy you sometime next year. Did you use only Pilsner malt, or did you use a little Munich in it as well?

FYI, for fermentation I have been using the quick lager method and it came out really well (48-50 for 5 days, ramp up to 65 over 3 days, hold for 5-7 days, the crash to 35 over 3 days, lager for 10-21 days).

I was just looking at my planned brew list and realized I will now need to make 2 lagers to keep both the strains going (I over build my starters and harvest from there). But a Festbier is a bit too light for the timeline it would be done in. So I think I am going to try a Schwarzbier with the 835 and a smoked Dunkel with oak with the 860. I did a Schwarzbier with the 860 last year, and it came out more like an American Black Lager, not as clean and dry as Koestritzer, so I'd like to see how 835 does. If 835 can do Schwarzbier and Pilsner, then I've got my two house lager yeasts.

 

[Leipzig]

So I think I am going to try a Schwarzbier with the 835 and a smoked Dunkel with oak with the 860. I did a Schwarzbier with the 860 last year, and it came out more like an American Black Lager, not as clean and dry as Koestritzer, so I'd like to see how 835 does. If 835 can do Schwarzbier and Pilsner, then I've got my two house lager yeasts.

I still have yet to try my festbier with 835 (maybe tonight)... but the "clean & dry" flavor you mentioned in a previous post should definitely work well with a Köstritzer clone (my favorite Schwarzbier). Too many Schwarzbier these days are heavy with roasted malts and body... I prefer the crisp east German variety.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Ordered my wlp925 high pressure lager yeast to try. Now I just need someone to order 180 more so I can get it.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Damn. Still 180 more orders needed.

 

[jmrybak]

I just recently made a simple saison using WLP 564 (2 vials into a 2L starter due to age of vials at this point) with Jarrylo hop hash, some Belgian pilsen, a touch of wheat malt, and a pound of sugar. Got from 1.071 to 1.008 (about 89% attenuation) in about 12 days. Started fermentation at 60F and let it free rise to 78F where it held naturally until the last couple days when it dropped to about 76F. Monitoring gravities, I'd say day 2 or 3 was a bit stronger but overall very steady until the end of things. After 3 days of no gravity change and yeast dropping out heavily at about 76F, chilled everything to about 34F for 2-3 days. Yeast dropped out pretty well, not clear, but one could blame the wheat.

I have things carbing up in the keggerator now, samples have a nice light spice and fruit character. Jarrylo pear note is in there and quite nice with the yeast character. Overall, a pretty nice yeast to work with.

 

[shanecb]

Just placed an order for the New Nordic Blend!

 

[Leipzig]

Just placed an order for the New Nordic Blend!

Yeah, i need to re-up on 611. Originally purchased 3 vials that went to good use. It makes an incredible weissbier. Across my beers the fermentation temps ranged from 56 - 70 degrees. Next time i get my hand on it, i'm going to try a saison or grissette fermented hot (80+)

 

[secondbase]

Anyone else get any sulfur from 564? I did a split batch pils/strisselspalt SMaSH and the Chimay portion is at 1.005 and tastes great. The 564 portion is at 1.002 and tastes spicy, earthy, and a little fruity but has sulfur in the nose. I was going to bottle today but it looks like I'm gonna let it age a little longer.

 

[Leipzig]

I brewed an (1.095 OG) IPA last Wednesday with WLP075 Hansen Ale Blend. Pitched a 2 liter starter @ 67 degrees and let it rise to 69 over the next 24 hours. This weekend I was out of town and the AC unit went out. Upon returning Sunday afternoon, the fermentation room was 90 degrees....

Here's hoping the bulk of fermentation was complete in the first 4 days prior to the substantial heat increase. I've got the room cooled down again and plan to let the beer go another week at 69 degrees.

 

[mxstar21]

I was a little worried when I received my 3 vials of WLP 564 (in one envelope) although I paid $3 shipping for each vial and the vials were pretty warm when I opened the package.

However, I made saison on 8/13 and just to test it, I did not make a starter I just pitched the the vial into the wort at around 69-70 degrees. It was fermenting very strong the next morning. I like to ferment saison's at higher temps to get the spiciness from the yeast and White Labs just replied to an email I sent them saying this yeast can go up to 90 degrees. Might have to try a higher temp saison with one of the other vials.

 

[secondbase]

Bottled my 564 Pils/Strisselspalt SMaSH. Finished at 1.002 and the sulfur I mentioned a few posts ago dissipated. I fermented at 70 and let it get up to 80º during the height of primary. Pitched the slurry into 9 gallons of Rye Saison (75% pils, 25% rye malt) with some Sonnet Goldings late in the boil and it's bubbling away nicely. I have this in two fermentors and one is in a water bath around 72º while the other is fermenting at room temp (75º for Nashville summers).

 

[kenoglass]

I was a little worried when I received my 3 vials of WLP 564 (in one envelope) although I paid $3 shipping for each vial and the vials were pretty warm when I opened the package.

However, I made saison on 8/13 and just to test it, I did not make a starter I just pitched the the vial into the wort at around 69-70 degrees. It was fermenting very strong the next morning. I like to ferment saison's at higher temps to get the spiciness from the yeast and White Labs just replied to an email I sent them saying this yeast can go up to 90 degrees. Might have to try a higher temp saison with one of the other vials.

I made a saison yesterday and pitched the yeast after reading this. Wort was about 70 degrees. Last night it was upto 77 and this am upto 79, so I am going hotter then I have before with any yeast and this thing is chugging away so fast!! Cant wait to taste it!!! SG was 1.070, I am making a Autumn saison!! t smells amazing as well!!!

 

[BrewSavage]

I just ordered a cider yeast: WLP603 Torulaspora delbrueckii

Wild yeast isolated from fruit trees in Denmark.
This is one of the three strains that make up the WLP611 New Nordic Yeast blend.
This wild yeast has been used for ciders and wine but also ferments well for beer.
Produces a lot of esters and contributes some phenolics as well.

They had me at "wild."

 

[jmrybak]

My higher gravity saison (out of brewing clasic styles- but subbed in jarrylo hops) turned out well with the Leeuwenhoek Blend, jarrylo fruit (pear and maybe red apple character) character but with a touch too much higher alcohols. Not a lot of yeast derived spicy saison flavors, but more smooth very dry belgian (1.071 --> 1.008).

Sooo I have repitched the yeast I harvested from my conical into the regular strength version of the recipe with hallertau mittelfrueh. To try and combat the higher alcohols, I have pitched slightly more yeast based on the Mr. Malty calculator, and changed the fermentation temp regimen. Before I did 65F with free rise to 78F where it held naturaly (broke 70F after about 24- 36 hours). This time round I pitched at 58, held at 60 for 36 hours, and have let if free rise since then (, broke 70F at 60 hours, curently at 75F at 80 hours).

While the first batch took about 10 or 12 days to finish and had a very steady progression, this batch has gone from 1.059 to 1.016 in about 72 hours. Fermentation definitely has changed since allowed to free rise, it's clearly faster in general this time. Possible due to increased yeast health, or due to shift in the proportions of the 3 isolates in the blend.

Can't wait to see the results! I will likely follow these batches up with saisons brewed with WLP 566 as ECY-14 for comparison.

 

[thespiff]

I finally brewed with my WLP611 vial purchased back in June. Brew day was about 6 weeks ago.

I made a 1.5L starter, reserved half for storage, chilled and harvested the remained which was then pitched into another 1.5L starter. This was pitched into a 5.5 gallon batch.

I made a pretty straightforward Hefeweizen, 60% wheat, 35% pils, 5% munich. I usually double crush my wheat but didn't in this brew, and lost about 6 points of OG because of it.

The yeast fermented lower than I would like, from 1.048 down to 1.006. I bottled and carbed to 3 volumes.

The beer is a nice and light summer backyard beer. 5% ABV and fairly tasty. I'm a bit disappointed in the results though. There is definitely some banana in the nose, but there is not much banana in the drink. Yeast flavor is pretty muted and doesn't really satisfy. I enjoyed the beer and the yeast did its job, but I don't see any reason to pick it over the standard weinstephaner strain besides novelty. I'm not sure that I will bother pitching my harvested batch into another brew.

 

[jmrybak]

I finally brewed with my WLP611 vial purchased back in June. Brew day was about 6 weeks ago.

I made a 1.5L starter, reserved half for storage, chilled and harvested the remained which was then pitched into another 1.5L starter. This was pitched into a 5.5 gallon batch.

I made a pretty straightforward Hefeweizen, 60% wheat, 35% pils, 5% munich. I usually double crush my wheat but didn't in this brew, and lost about 6 points of OG because of it.

The yeast fermented lower than I would like, from 1.048 down to 1.006. I bottled and carbed to 3 volumes.

The beer is a nice and light summer backyard beer. 5% ABV and fairly tasty. I'm a bit disappointed in the results though. There is definitely some banana in the nose, but there is not much banana in the drink. Yeast flavor is pretty muted and doesn't really satisfy. I enjoyed the beer and the yeast did its job, but I don't see any reason to pick it over the standard weinstephaner strain besides novelty. I'm not sure that I will bother pitching my harvested batch into another brew.

I have found through some testing of my own that the Torlaspora delbrueckii appears to have poor viability over time. I have been able to plate and check - fresh vial, a 5 month or so old vial, a starter, and what I collected from my conical. At 5 months I detected zero viable Td. Where when I first received the fresh vials Td made up about 1/3 of the cells grown up. I have also brewed a batch with brand new 611 and old 611. The banana and pear/fresh red apple character is huge in the fresh and absent in the aged.

Seems like the Td is driving the ester profile of the blend, and this yeast is less viable than the Saccharomyces strains in the blend. Maybe if the straight Td strain is released from the vault one could add it to a regular hefe yeast to get that "Nordic" ester profile?

Just my findings.

 

[jmrybak]

Saison #2 (using the repitched yeast from my previous saison) appears to have finished fermentation by 96 hours. Visually activity has ceased and gravity seems to have stabilized. Overall I appear to have gotten 85% attenuation (1.059 to 1.009), which is slightly less than the higher gravity saison I tried this blend with first (90%).

While the first batch seemed to have a touch too much higher alcohol flavor in the finished product, and the second batch developed some of this flavor about 75% of the way through the fermentation, this higher alcohol flavor has seemed to disipate. I think holding the initial fermentation at about 60F for 36h may have helped. Additionally, the free rise only hit 76F or so this time 'round.

I'm going to let it clean up for another day or 2 and then cold crash prior to kegging. Looking forward to this one.

 

[secondbase]

My 2nd gen 564 finished at 1.002. Taste is a bit spicy from the rye and a little banana/pear/orange. I'm gonna give it another week in primary and bottle. Hopefully that banana goes away. Next generation will be getting some brett treatment in secondary. I've got a vial of brett anomala from ECY and Funk Weapon #2 from Bootleg Biology that I need to use up.

 

[jmrybak]

My 2nd gen 564 finished at 1.002. Taste is a bit spicy from the rye and a little banana/pear/orange. I'm gonna give it another week in primary and bottle. Hopefully that banana goes away. Next generation will be getting some brett treatment in secondary. I've got a vial of brett anomala from ECY and Funk Weapon #2 from Bootleg Biology that I need to use up.

Nice and dry! what was your grist bill and mash procedure?

Funk weapon #2 is awesome! I have a Styrian dry hopped Belgian Amber sitting on that, some B claussenii, and B bruxellensis var Drei in a three way split.

 

[Siberian]

WLP564 Leewenhoek Saison Blend. Anyone have plans to brew with this yet?

Finally getting a chance to brew with it today, I'm doing a sort of autumn saison. Looking to get something with a nice amber/red tone.

6 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner Malt (Avangard) (3.3 EBC)
2 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Dark (BestMälz) (25.0 EBC)
1 lbs Oats, Flaked (2.0 EBC)
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (3.9 EBC)
4.0 oz Special B (Dingemans) (290.6 EBC)
3.0 oz Chocolate Wheat (Weyermann) (817.5 EBC)
8.0 oz Sugar, Table (Sucrose) (2.0 EBC)

1.00 oz Styrian Golding (Savinja Golding) [5.25 AA] @ 30 Minutes
1.00 oz Styrian Golding (Savinja Golding) [5.25 AA] @ 15 Minutes
1.00 oz Styrian Golding (Savinja Golding) [5.25 AA] @ Whirlpool for 30 minutes.​

1.055 OG, 28 IBUs.

 

[jmrybak]

The Second Saison was finally carbed and ready to taste last night. 9 days from brewing to drinking in all. Turned out fantastic! I really wasn't sure about this WLP564 blend after my first batch, but the repitched harvest did wonders with the second. Definitely give the WLP564 a shot with the brewing classic styles recipe!

 

[secondbase]

Nice and dry! what was your grist bill and mash procedure?

Funk weapon #2 is awesome! I have a Styrian dry hopped Belgian Amber sitting on that, some B claussenii, and B bruxellensis var Drei in a three way split.

First gen was 100% floor malted pils. Mash at 150 for 90 minutes, 90 minute boil. Strisselspalt at 60, 15 and 0. 22 ibu. OG 1.049 FG 1.002

Second gen was 75% pils, 25% rye malt. Mash at 150 for 90 minutes, 90 minute boil. Bittered with Perle, sonnet goldings @ 15 and 5, 25 ibu. Og 1.040, FG 1.002