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duelerx

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I would like to start this thread for reports and experience of people using this yeast, according to BB Oslo is an unique Kveik yeast strain that is bottom-fermenting closely related to S. pastorianus, S. uvarum & S. bayanus and ferments at 98F/37C producing a beer that tasted like a nice, cold-fermented lager:
  • Type: Bottom fermenter. Saccharomyces bayanus / pastorianus / uvarum monoculture
  • Pitching Rate: Directly pitchable into 5 gallons of 1.050 or lower wort
  • Estimated Attenuation: 76-86%; attenuation will increase with higher fermentation temps or with successive repitches
  • Estimated Final pH: 4.3-4.6
  • Flavor/Aroma Profile: Clean, lager-like flavor profile, with no expected off flavors or phenols at high temperatures
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Recommended Fermentation Temperature: 75F-98F (24C-37C); colder temperatures may result in higher final gravities
 
Where do you guys buy Bootleg cultures? Their website looks like it's out of stock for literally everything all the time. So stupid.
 
Gotta get them during the pre-order windows I am pretty sure. Last November they did one for a few weeks and the did pre-orders for spring a couple weeks back. I opted for Aurora not Oslo to try my hand at kveik.
 
Where do you guys buy Bootleg cultures? Their website looks like it's out of stock for literally everything all the time. So stupid.

Echoing what was said by Andrew, they only run homebrew orders 2-4 times (?) a year. Must dedicate most of their time to pro pitches.

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I ordered some of this. Still trying to decide what I'll do with it. Have a couple of ideas floating around. Definitely want to try a helles for summer weather.

Does anyone have any info regarding pitch rates? As in... Should it be pitched at lager rates? Or super under-pitch like kveiks that are intended to be more yeast forward?

I'll probably shoot them an email if no one has any insight.
 
I ordered some of this. Still trying to decide what I'll do with it. Have a couple of ideas floating around. Definitely want to try a helles for summer weather.

Does anyone have any info regarding pitch rates? As in... Should it be pitched at lager rates? Or super under-pitch like kveiks that are intended to be more yeast forward?

I'll probably shoot them an email if no one has any insight.

I’d follow their pitch advice. You aren’t fermenting at lager temps, so no need for a massive starter. I’d also want to avoid esters of any kind (if making a lager), so no desire to underpitch and stress the yeast there.
 
I’d follow their pitch advice. You aren’t fermenting at lager temps, so no need for a massive starter. I’d also want to avoid esters of any kind (if making a lager), so no desire to underpitch and stress the yeast there.
That's kind of what I was thinking as well. I sent them an email a little bit ago, so I'll report back here once I get a response.
 
I got a response a few hours ago. Here's what they had to say:

"As long as you're fermenting in our recommended temperature range, one homebrew pack will be enough to ferment a standard gravity beer. Of course, I'm a big proponent of making a starter for any culture that's been shipped because you never know how much viability you may have lost in transit. You could experiment with under pitching to see if you like the results. We've done both and haven't seen any significant difference in the final beer."

That sounds really promising! I'm really excited to give it a try.
 
Sweet thanks for the heads up. Just grabbed a few.

I really haven’t had much luck with Kveik yeasts. I’ve gotten this odd texture from them. Tried Voss, Hot Head, Hornindal, got some Simonaitis going now (which I know isn’t a true Kveik)
 
I’ve tried so far:

Omega Hornindal (all fermented above 80F)
Brut IPA (fantastic)
RIS (came out more thin than I anticipated despite 1.037 FG)
Blonde stout (hated this beer, highly likely the recipe was just flawed, but their was a dominant caramel note I couldn’t stand)

Omega Hothead (fermented in upper 70F range)
Kettle soured Gose and Weisse (fantastic)

I don’t think I will use a kveik yeast in a dark beer ever again, but have loved the other styles.
 
Oslo and Aurora showed up today. Might try a Kolsch with the Oslo first.
 
Have you made Kolsch before without using a true Kolsch yeast? Always thought the yeast was key to that style.

I’m on batch 8 of a Kolsch since August of last year. Really trying to dial one in. I’ve used “Kolsch” yeast 6 times. 1056 once and Scottish Ale once. I would agree the yeast is relatively important but it turns out the wlp029 is just an English Ale yeast anyways. I haven’t used 2565 in a while cause it floccs so poorly.

I have no desire to make a true “lager” with this yeast. But a clean crisp ale of sorts sounds interesting, so I went Kolsch.
 
I’m on batch 8 of a Kolsch since August of last year. Really trying to dial one in. I’ve used “Kolsch” yeast 6 times. 1056 once and Scottish Ale once. I would agree the yeast is relatively important but it turns out the wlp029 is just an English Ale yeast anyways. I haven’t used 2565 in a while cause it floccs so poorly.

I have no desire to make a true “lager” with this yeast. But a clean crisp ale of sorts sounds interesting, so I went Kolsch.

Kind of begs the question of what a true lager is! I’ve only used WY2565 myself, but I had that same thought regarding WLP029 as well.
 
I’ll be using this yeast for the first time this coming Friday. I’m going to do a slightly hoppy Pilsner with it. I’m going to push the upper end of the recommended temperature range to see how it does. I’ll report back soon.
 
Would be awesome to have a real world side by side (identical wort) at high and low end temps to establish just how much attenuation can fluctuate.
 
Kind of begs the question of what a true lager is! I’ve only used WY2565 myself, but I had that same thought regarding WLP029 as well.

I’ve moved to Gy021 which I think is just a derivative or wlp029. Supposedly both from Fruh which is one of the bigger producers in Cologne.

I’d like to try 2575 but it’s rarely a seasonal.

On a mission to make a banger Kolsch. After having Suarez Fine Line last spring I’m hooked. Not too many people are making 10 weeks Kolschs. It was insanely good.
 
I’ve moved to Gy021 which I think is just a derivative or wlp029. Supposedly both from Fruh which is one of the bigger producers in Cologne.

I’d like to try 2575 but it’s rarely a seasonal.

On a mission to make a banger Kolsch. After having Suarez Fine Line last spring I’m hooked. Not too many people are making 10 weeks Kolschs. It was insanely good.

Are you saying the 10 weeks is quick? If not, how does that make the beer better?
 
Are you saying the 10 weeks is quick? If not, how does that make the beer better?

No most places making Kolsch in the US probably turn em and burn em in less than 2 weeks. Ferment, crash cool, filter, force carb. Out the door.

All the reading I’ve done on Kolsch by at least some of the best producers (exhibit A, Chuckanut, Suarez) is the cellaring process is key to a truly fine Kolsch. Slowly stepping down the temp and long cold conditioning. Not to mention either spunding or krausening for natural carbonation.
 
Got mine sitting on a stir plate to build up for a pivo pils clone, put some on slants and frozen stocks so I want to rebuild it a little bit before pitching. Have done alot with hordinal and Voss kviek with several styles except a lager style so this will be exciting.
 
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No most places making Kolsch in the US probably turn em and burn em in less than 2 weeks. Ferment, crash cool, filter, force carb. Out the door.

All the reading I’ve done on Kolsch by at least some of the best producers (exhibit A, Chuckanut, Suarez) is the cellaring process is key to a truly fine Kolsch. Slowly stepping down the temp and long cold conditioning. Not to mention either spunding or krausening for natural carbonation.

Very interesting, so you’re saying after fermentation completes, slowly ramp down to layering temps over the course of weeks rather than days?

I wonder how that would work with these kveik yeasts, they definitely still have some residual activity at fridge temps.
 
Very interesting, so you’re saying after fermentation completes, slowly ramp down to layering temps over the course of weeks rather than days?

I wonder how that would work with these kveik yeasts, they definitely still have some residual activity at fridge temps.

Yes. There’s a great article on CB&B about Kolsch. Brewer from Exhibit A who makes a damn fine one specifically mentions the cellaring process. Slowly stepping down and leaving it at a specific temp for a little while then continuing to step down and lager. I know Fine Line was a 10 week beer and lagered for 8. Brewer at Chuckanut specifically talks about slowly stepping down their Kolsch yeast.
 
I made an 500ml starter with Oslo and pitched it into 100% Pilsner 1.053 wort at 78F on 4/5/19. I ramped it up to 90 over the following days and today it's at 1.009. 82% AA. Very clean, lager like, just like the description says. 36IBUs of Hallertau M'fruh and Spalt coming through nicely. Lovely no fuss yeast. Can't wait to repitch this into something bigger, thinking barleywine or baltic porter.
 
I made an 500ml starter with Oslo and pitched it into 100% Pilsner 1.053 wort at 78F on 4/5/19. I ramped it up to 90 over the following days and today it's at 1.009. 82% AA. Very clean, lager like, just like the description says. 36IBUs of Hallertau M'fruh and Spalt coming through nicely. Lovely no fuss yeast. Can't wait to repitch this into something bigger, thinking barleywine or baltic porter.
That's great news, can you see any similarities on flavor profile with other lager strains, as W-34/90?
 
That's great news, can you see any similarities on flavor profile with other lager strains, as W-34/90?

34/70? TBD. I just drank the beer sample from the hydrometer tube, not the best for tasting notes. Once I get it bottle conditioned, chilled and poured into a proper glass i'll be able to give some more thoughts about the yeast profile. Initially though, I'm impressed with the performance.
 
34/70? TBD. I just drank the beer sample from the hydrometer tube, not the best for tasting notes. Once I get it bottle conditioned, chilled and poured into a proper glass i'll be able to give some more thoughts about the yeast profile. Initially though, I'm impressed with the performance.

Did the Oslo drop as aggressively clear as other kveiks?
 
Did the Oslo drop as aggressively clear as other kveiks?

It's not crystal clear, but it did a decent job. Here is 6 days from brewday w/o crashing (sorry for the gigantic pic)


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Brewed a pivo pils inspired beer today. Noticed something interesting taking the yeast off the stir plate. Stuck together like wlp037 does.
 

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It'll be a little while before I get around to it (grad school is crazy right now), but I plan to test if this is dry-able like other kveiks. Anyone else planning to give that a shot?
 
Update - at 1.010 from 1.049 after 3.5 days. Stayed about 80 degrees with the jacket. Took a sample, incredibly clear, no off flavors and very clean. Tastes like saaz with a bit of breadiness. No sulfur.
 
I made an 500ml starter with Oslo and pitched it into 100% Pilsner 1.053 wort at 78F on 4/5/19. I ramped it up to 90 over the following days and today it's at 1.009. 82% AA. Very clean, lager like, just like the description says. 36IBUs of Hallertau M'fruh and Spalt coming through nicely. Lovely no fuss yeast. Can't wait to repitch this into something bigger, thinking barleywine or baltic porter.

I put a 1.087 baltic porter on this ^ yeast cake. Mashed at 155. Fermented at 78. Reached FG in 5 days - 1.022. 8.5%, 73%AA.
 
I made a NZ Pils with Oslo. 50% pils, 50% 2-row. 150 mash for an hour. 1.052 SG and finished at 1.013 (75%). I kept it at 76 degrees as I didn't want to dry this out too much and was hoping for under 80% attenuation. So as Bootleg said, lower temp (75-ish) did equal lower attenuation.

Very clean with little sulfur. Lagering it now to get it to drop clear as it was still a bit hazy after 7 days.
 
Any of you guys that are using Oslo, are you harvesting the yeast to reuse? If so, are you top cropping or just keeping some slurry after its done?
 
I just repitched slurry. Took off in two hours and krausen had come and gone in 36 hours.
 
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