Champagne Yeast for Beer?

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brewPly

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Hi All -
I was given a lot (several hundred) packets of Red Star Champagne yeast (high Alochol tolerance, wide temp range) and was interested to see if anyone has ever used this or similar (wine) yeast for brewing beer (Pilsner)?

I've used this yeast before (but not for beer) and like it since it's a really fast starter, low clumping, etc. and has very wide temp tolerance (60 -80F).

What's the down side?
 
That's a good question why don't you post me some and i'll do some test batches and let you know. :D
 
Not sire whether it would be able to ferment the complex sugars present in beer that are not prevalent in wine. A pilsner might work though
 
I've never used it as the primary strain but I've used it as a secondary strain on beers over 12%. It's also works great for bottle conditioning high abv beers or beer that has had an unusually long secondary
 
very dry beer. :D

+1 Extremely dry beer.

Do you have experience? It is my understanding that wine yeast cannot convert complex sugars in beers, so would probably result in a sweeter beer than if you use a standard ale yeast.

I have no experience, but would like to find some information from someone who has real experience of using a wine yeast in beer.
 
+1, see thread

Think it's time to make some cider!


This is what I have heard. Champagne yeast is know for its alcohol tolerance, not its attenuation properties. I guess if you tried to mash at a high temp in order to leave some body in the beer it could work. Champagne yeast isn't known for its ester profile either, so it would be pretty neutral yeast too. Maybe as an American IPA yeast?
 
anyone try it yet? I was thinking of a 7g batch instead of a 6g for my next batch and putting the extra gallon in a seperate container to ferment with a champagne pack
 
First, I do not recommend champagne yeast in primary. It will produce a 'cidery' flavor profile. At small brew pub that I go to, they (improperly) use champagne yeast to make a Saison. I love a good Saison- theirs not so much. I never send craft brew back. That is I never have before that beer.

I use CY to make cider and skeeter pee. I also use it in secondary as it will dry out a beer and doesn't contribute off flavors to any beer when used in later anaerobic metabolism of yeast. I have used this to secondary to dry out my Sorachi Ace Saison and my Köelsch. These are both very delicate beers and there was no prominent 'cidery' flavors.

Suggestions for using CY in secondary: properly rehydrate your yeast- puring dry yeast in will likely kill most of your champagne yeast. Be careful to not mix in oxygen. When pitching yeast - this will help avoid aerobic metabolism and off-flavors. Flush the air space at top of fermenter with co2 to get out oxygen. And laatly, Do not use yeast from fermenter to repitch yeast as it is now a mix of yeast strains.
 
Champagne yeast generally lack the enzymatic ability to break down complex sugars, like maltose, into something it can ferment. If you are getting additional fermentation out of it as a secondary fermenter but not adding additional sugars for it to consume that is an indication of a problem with your primary fermentation yeast or you have exceeded the alcohol tolerance of the primary strain and there is only simple sugars left.
 
I have used Champagne yeast after primary fermentation is complete. I add high fructose sugar and Champagne yeast, I let this ferment for an add'l 7-10 days, then add priming sugar and bottle as usual. I let the bottles condition for 3-4 weeks. I do not know what the final ABV is but it is potent. I use this method on Stouts and IPA. People that sample this brew really enjoy it if they are into hardy beer's. Forget it if out enjoy light beer.
 
I'm sampling one that I bottled 2 weeks ago as we speak... which may not help the original poster two years ago (Unless Virtual Wayne finished that time travel software already) but may help other Pilgrims in future.

(Later note: Ah... I see that another poster covers this. Noted, and thanks, Cousin!)

I suggest that if you do this experiment that you keep an eyeball on the gravity because 3 days in Primary and 18 days in the secondary wasn't enough time. My FG at bottling was 1.020 (OG was 1.049).

When I used Champagne yeast for mead in 05, it went to the tertiary, several months before it cleared, and about a year in bottle before it was Most Excellent. Only a few bottles left by that time... so there ya go.

After 2 weeks in bottle, this Champale clone is ok and needs to carbonate further... and probably bottle finish before it is tolerable Lawnmower Beer.

BTW: Google Champale. Interesting historie... I recall it from the days of my mis-spent you't....

Cheers!
CyberDave2.0
 
Resurrecting this very old thread... The book Extreme Brewing by Sam Cagalione (DFH) has a Big Mama's Barleywine recipe which uses Champagne Yeast to complete fermentation to 11% ABV. I did this in secondary per his recommendations with 1# of brown sugar (10G batch). My two primary carboys had stalled out around 40 and 60 points each so I was worried. The champagne yeast worked like a champ and the beer tastes fantastic. Still resting on some hops until I am ready to blend and bottle.

On a slightly related topic, I had used 42 grams of Yeast nutrient on my Barleywine and again on my 12% beer yesterday. I freaked out thinking I read it wrong as this appeared to be 10x the normal dosage of nutrient. Common thought is that it wouldn't harm the beer. But then I re-checked Sam's book and he recommended 5 teaspoons (25g) for a 5 gallon batch. Maybe that was a typo but again the barleywine tastes great. Waiting to see if it helps chew through my 1.112 OG big black ale....
 
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I am new to brewing and in Vietnam where I can't get brewers yeast. I have champagne yeast. Any recipe I can follow with pale ale malt and perle hops? :fro:
 
Hi All -
I was given a lot (several hundred) packets of Red Star Champagne yeast (high Alochol tolerance, wide temp range) and was interested to see if anyone has ever used this or similar (wine) yeast for brewing beer (Pilsner)?

I've used this yeast before (but not for beer) and like it since it's a really fast starter, low clumping, etc. and has very wide temp tolerance (60 -80F).

What's the down side?

Champagne yeast gives things a champagne flavor. It is a wine yeast. So it will be a very wine like flavor.
 
a coopers blonde kit with brew enhancer 2
the yeast in the kit did not take OR SO I THOUGHT turns out the air lock was leaking LITTLE I THINK around the rubber grommet ...so start a package of redstar champagne yeast pour it down the hole........holy cow its working now spitting foam out of the air lock....so we'll see in a few days :confused:
 
Would adding champagne yeast into the bottling bucket before bottling risk the chance if exploding bottles? Also, how much sugar and what types should be added when using the champagne yeast this late into the brew process?


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew
 
I have used Champagne yeast after primary fermentation is complete. I add high fructose sugar and Champagne yeast, I let this ferment for an add'l 7-10 days, then add priming sugar and bottle as usual. I let the bottles condition for 3-4 weeks. I do not know what the final ABV is but it is potent. I use this method on Stouts and IPA. People that sample this brew really enjoy it if they are into hardy beer's. Forget it if out enjoy light beer.

+1 on this. I use it the same way.
 
I have used Champagne yeast after primary fermentation is complete. I add high fructose sugar and Champagne yeast, I let this ferment for an add'l 7-10 days, then add priming sugar and bottle as usual. I let the bottles condition for 3-4 weeks. I do not know what the final ABV is but it is potent. I use this method on Stouts and IPA. People that sample this brew really enjoy it if they are into hardy beer's. Forget it if out enjoy light beer.

+1 on this. I use it the same way (except for the HF corn syrup). I use it to finish up Stouts and Belgians that are >10% ABV. I also use it for bottling.
 
just pulled a little off did a reading 2 more days it will be ready to bottle ..and it taste awesome !!!!!!!! :rockin:
 
I have a lot of problems with my champagne yeast. The yeast I have is ten years old or more ,but still in the original packs and stored at the proper temperature/humidity.
I was under the assumptions that yeast has decades old shelf life. I heard that adding a banana that has turned black will bring old yeast back to life. I tried this once but think I produced more saccharides then alcohol. Anybody else have any tricks to jump kick lazy or mostly dead yeasts ?
 
I have a lot of problems with my champagne yeast. The yeast I have is ten years old or more ,but still in the original packs and stored at the proper temperature/humidity.
I was under the assumptions that yeast has decades old shelf life. I heard that adding a banana that has turned black will bring old yeast back to life. I tried this once but think I produced more saccharides then alcohol. Anybody else have any tricks to jump kick lazy or mostly dead yeasts ?

I think dry yeast is assumed to be done when it looses 50% viability (50% of the yeast is dead). Dates on the packages are the dates when this would happen when the yeast is stored at room temp (about 2 years). When stored at fridge temps, it will take about 15 years to reach this level of viability. If it is past this age, throw it out.

No tricks, just re-hydrate as recommended and add to wort or bottling bucket.
 
I believe you can add a very small amount of
Convertase Amylo 300 to the wort before adding yeast, and that will convert all the malt sugars into what wine yeast can then ferment. Found it on Amazon.
 

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