Conan Yeast Experiences
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Just about attenuated my East Coast IPA with Conan. Got down to 1.013 from 1.059 (78% AA). I'm sure if I cranked up the pitch rate or fermentation temperature I could get a few more points out of it. Right now it's looking very hazy -- planned on kegging this one after 2 dry hopping additions and I hope it stays that way.
Can't detect any peach or apricot (yet) but maybe I'll find some when it's done.
Can't detect any peach or apricot (yet) but maybe I'll find some when it's done.
Well I am pleased to say I took a sample on day 5 and it is down to 1.020 from 1.075. The sample tastes incredible. No belgian character whatsoever. Big fruity taste. Peach galore. Blends beautifully with the hops. There may be something to pitching low with this yeast. To clarify I pitched at 63. Then after 24 hours it was fermenting away nicely and at 66. Day two is where it briefly hit 71.5 for probably a couple hours but I was able to quickly bring it down to 69. Held there till day 4. Now on day 5 I have warmed it to 70.5 to help it finish up. Lots of pure O2 before pitching and yeast nutrient in the boil.
What about a diacetyl rest 70-72 after primary is mostly done? That shouldn't add phesters like a massive ferment @72.
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
I made a starter last week, pitched it into 8 gallons of 1.068 IPA last night, cooled wort to 75 and was planning on my ferm chamber to take care of the next 10+ degrees.
The power went out after 2 hours, for about 6 hours. I checked on it this AM, full blowoff.
Im guessing it hit a point of high 70s at some point overnight while the power was out. set the controller to 60 this morning. hoping I dont get a ester bomb. if this turns out not so great, any advice on trying to harvest the yeast? yay or nay? its challenging bringing liquid yeast down, so i like harvesting as much as possible.
this is the omega DIPA strain
hop schedule was
1 oz Apollo @ 90
1 oz Columbus @ 90
6 oz at 10 mins - even mix of mosaic, columbus, simcoe, citra
7 oz FO/ 20 min hopstand - mix of mosaic, columbus, apollo, citra
grain bill was 80% 2-row, 15% pils, 5% wheat.
The power went out after 2 hours, for about 6 hours. I checked on it this AM, full blowoff.
Im guessing it hit a point of high 70s at some point overnight while the power was out. set the controller to 60 this morning. hoping I dont get a ester bomb. if this turns out not so great, any advice on trying to harvest the yeast? yay or nay? its challenging bringing liquid yeast down, so i like harvesting as much as possible.
this is the omega DIPA strain
hop schedule was
1 oz Apollo @ 90
1 oz Columbus @ 90
6 oz at 10 mins - even mix of mosaic, columbus, simcoe, citra
7 oz FO/ 20 min hopstand - mix of mosaic, columbus, apollo, citra
grain bill was 80% 2-row, 15% pils, 5% wheat.
So power goes out and you have a batch at 75 degrees ready to volcano and you peacefully sleep the night away?
I haven't heard of such a case of negligence since watching the titanic.
Jk
Sorry for your situation....
I haven't heard of such a case of negligence since watching the titanic.
Jk
Sorry for your situation....
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
Haha I woke up Mid outage, tossed and turned in horror of all those potential wasted hops. me and my buddy brew at a small space that we rent so woulda been a mission to take off middle of the night
you'll be fine to harvest the yeast. the high temps might negatively impact the beer, but the yeast will be fine. harvest as usual.
mbbransc
Well-Known Member
I just reviewed my notes with different generations of TYB's VT Ale yeast.
1st Gen - 71.5%
2nd Gen - 73.0%
3rd Gen - 77.2%
Sample size is much smaller after that, but...
4th Gen - 78.3%
5th Gen - 82.5%
6th Gen - 82.9%
7th Gen - 88.4%
7th batch picked something up. My notes stated it appeared infected after 2wks in fermenter but kegged anyway. After 2wks in the keg, dumped.
I should include fermentation temps with these as well. I have tried (2) different fermentation schedules.
1) 65° for 3-days, 67°, 69°, then 72° for 2-days, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing
2) 65°, incr 1° each day to 72°, rest for 3-days, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing
I have moved away from VT Ale recently (giving the WY1318 a go like many others). I plan to go back to VT Ale on my next IPA with a slightly modified schedule:
66° incr'g 1° each day to 70° for 4-day rest, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing. Think I'm going to try a force fermentation test too. I'd really like to get these beers to finish around 1.012.
1st Gen - 71.5%
2nd Gen - 73.0%
3rd Gen - 77.2%
Sample size is much smaller after that, but...
4th Gen - 78.3%
5th Gen - 82.5%
6th Gen - 82.9%
7th Gen - 88.4%
7th batch picked something up. My notes stated it appeared infected after 2wks in fermenter but kegged anyway. After 2wks in the keg, dumped.
I should include fermentation temps with these as well. I have tried (2) different fermentation schedules.
1) 65° for 3-days, 67°, 69°, then 72° for 2-days, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing
2) 65°, incr 1° each day to 72°, rest for 3-days, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing
I have moved away from VT Ale recently (giving the WY1318 a go like many others). I plan to go back to VT Ale on my next IPA with a slightly modified schedule:
66° incr'g 1° each day to 70° for 4-day rest, lower to 65° for dry hop before cold crashing. Think I'm going to try a force fermentation test too. I'd really like to get these beers to finish around 1.012.
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
I'll just jump in with my one and only batch experience:
Pitched a pretty fresh starter from a new vial (Yeast Bay) - 200B Cells - into 3 gallons of 1.058 IPA at 64F. Fermented there through high krausen (4 days) and then bumped to 67 on day 4, 70 on day 5, and held for 4 more days for d-rest.
FG - 1.012 / 79% attenuation
Life came up so it sat at d-rest temperatures for a total of 6 days before dry-hops, but I'm not too worried about that.
Day 4 of dry hop now, cold crash soon, gelatin, then into a keg.
Pitched a pretty fresh starter from a new vial (Yeast Bay) - 200B Cells - into 3 gallons of 1.058 IPA at 64F. Fermented there through high krausen (4 days) and then bumped to 67 on day 4, 70 on day 5, and held for 4 more days for d-rest.
FG - 1.012 / 79% attenuation
Life came up so it sat at d-rest temperatures for a total of 6 days before dry-hops, but I'm not too worried about that.
Day 4 of dry hop now, cold crash soon, gelatin, then into a keg.
I'm on my second IPA with the omega strain and its dropped the first from 1.068 to 1.010 and 1.062 to 1.010 both with starters. Fermented at 68 until about day 3 when the krausen drops then I move the carboy upstairs to 72 and let it finish out and rest, then I dry hop it and do a 24hr cold crash. So far this yeast is working great, I've been mashing at 149-150 and using 1/2lb of dextrose in the boil. Still not really picking up any apricot or peach from the yeast but it may be getting covered up by the hops.
Stupid question regarding counting generations. If I make a larger than needed starter from the initial vial of yeast and save a portion for a future batchq prior to pitching (instead of harvesting/washing yeast from the fermenter), would that reused portion count as a new generation and potentially see an increase in attenuation?
My conan beers have been kinda thin and dry. I need to start mashing a little higher or maybe buy some fresh yeast and start over.
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
other than my few hour power outage mishap, my chest freezer was set to 60 for 4 days, 68 for 2 days and just set to 71 today. still a little krausen on it today.
I took off the bung to get a whiff and decide if i was going to dry hop yet and whoa! the c02 took the breathe right out from me. I couldnt really get a good smell, the c02 burned too much. maybe sulfery if anything. will check again in a few days. may dry hop this weekend or early next week.
how long typically grain to package day is the norm with this yeast?
and when are most people dry hopping their IPAs with this strain? after fermentation or during the end?
I took off the bung to get a whiff and decide if i was going to dry hop yet and whoa! the c02 took the breathe right out from me. I couldnt really get a good smell, the c02 burned too much. maybe sulfery if anything. will check again in a few days. may dry hop this weekend or early next week.
how long typically grain to package day is the norm with this yeast?
and when are most people dry hopping their IPAs with this strain? after fermentation or during the end?
beardown2489
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The popular thing to do lately is do 2 dry hops. Half at the tail end of fermentation, and another once FG has been reached.
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
For anyone that is interested, I fermented the second half of this batch with US-05 which finished at 1.009. There are perceptible differences in flavor and some in mouthfeel on the still beer, with the Conan leaning towards blended stone fruits and pineapple while the US-05 has a much more apricot flavor with more nose. The Conan is hazier, which makes me feel like it's fuller bodied, but honestly both batches are nice.
http://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/321699/kiwi-express-ipa
-B
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
12 days in and i am at 1.030.
set at 60F for 3 days, 62F for 2 days, 68F for another 2, then 72F for the past 5 days.
harsh co2/nail polish smell when i popped the bung out and took a whiff. no off flavors or smell in the gravity sample tho. nice hop flavor but way thick and sweet obviously. hoping it hasnt stalled, but the c02 punch has me thinking its still going eventho the krausen has dropped. the sample was also a little bubbly which is a good sign its still going too. set the chest freezer to 76 in hopes to get it to finish out.will check again in a week.
moreb33rplz
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I'm sipping on my first bottles using Conan. An IPA with a lot of hopstand/dry hop Mosaic and Citra. Fermented at 65 for two weeks, OG 1.056 FG 1.014, starter with about 225 billion cells.
Super hazy. Super, super, duper peachy fruity flavor. Like, too much. Beer is still green though. After using US-05 for almost everything the obvious flavor from the yeast is crazy.
Super hazy. Super, super, duper peachy fruity flavor. Like, too much. Beer is still green though. After using US-05 for almost everything the obvious flavor from the yeast is crazy.
Where did you get your strain from? I've made three IPAs using the omega strain and the only time I got peach was when I smelled the initial starter for the first beer, I haven't been able to detect any of it in the actual beers themselves, my peak fermentation temps hit 66-68 deg.
moreb33rplz
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Mine was Omega too. It was also the first time I used this batch of hops, new year and new source for me, so perhaps it's a combination? I used a about 8 oz between hopstand/dry hop.
Hmm interesting. I also use about 3-4oz in a hopstand along with a split 4oz dry hop. I was just wondering in my case if the hops aren't just covering up the peachy notes from the yeast. I only did a 24hr cold crash before bottling so they're should still be plenty of yeast in suspension, although I've had heady topper and I never really picked up any peach in that either but thacould just be my taste buds.
moreb33rplz
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I'm not sure how much of the fruit flavor is the yeast, and how much the hops. I too detect pretty much zero peach in Heady, Hill Farmstead.
Brewday was 3.5 weeks ago so I'm hoping this beer comes around with another couple weeks of aging. I never thought I'd say it, but it is just waaay to juicy/fruity to enjoy. It's like drinking carbonated kool aid.
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
Both carboys received 6 days at 38F to cold crash, including gelatin addition for 2 days. Can you spot the Conan half of the batch?
![IMG_3004[1].jpg](https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/data/attach/291/291325-IMG-3004-1-.jpg "IMG_3004[1].jpg")
the sample being bubbly might not mean much other than it still has carbonation left from primary fermentation.
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
yep your right. most of my gravity samples are bit bubbly come to think of it. well, fingers crossed the higher temps will get it to finish.
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
First tasters from each keg.
Conan has a fuller or softer mouth feel, great foam, but almost no hop aroma. 05 has a crisper cleaner taste and better aroma.
I expect both to drop more clear with time, they have both only been in the keg 24 hours.
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
down to 1.026 as of today, 2 weeks since brew day. upped it to 78F. really would need it to drop another 10-12 points to be acceptable for an IPA.
BeardedBrews
Well-Known Member
I know that The Yeast Bay recommends running Conan warmer. I know it won't help you at this point, but if there is a next time.
I did OK in the middle 60's, but it could have been on the edge.
I've noticed something similar with my most recent IPA. Conan seems to entrap the hop aromatic compounds into the beer rather than releasing them en masse like normal clean yeast. I noticed that when I cold crashed and was subsequently greeted with nothing but apricot esters.
It will drop clear in time but the mouthfeel does not dissipate.
Classic Conan behavior, crapping out near 1.025...I hate this yeast, and the whole peach ester thing is totally overblown. Ferment too warm and get Belgian phenolics. Not worth the time and trouble IMO.
ultra_cas
Well-Known Member
Mine has done the same, stopped at 1.026. It's still active but very slowly, even with temps up at 70. Been in the primary for over 2 weeks.
Ive played a lot with Conan. Heady Topper is something special for sure, but my house yeast is Pacman. Simple, clean, easy, predictable.
I heard the Alchemist actually under-pitches Heady Topper at 0.44 million cells/ml/plato. I am doing an experiment with that now: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=7457591#post7457591
moreb33rplz
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I'm a little disillusioned with Conan so far. Only have one batch in bottles, and the second fermenting so maybe I'm jumping the gun but....
I bombed an IPA with whirlpool/dry hop Citra and Mosaic, and it just tastes like juice. Very little aroma, and an atypical hop flavor. Interesting, but not what I was looking for.
Hard to believe this is the Heady Topper yeast, tastes nothing like it!
I bombed an IPA with whirlpool/dry hop Citra and Mosaic, and it just tastes like juice. Very little aroma, and an atypical hop flavor. Interesting, but not what I was looking for.
Hard to believe this is the Heady Topper yeast, tastes nothing like it!
hopbrad
Well-Known Member
still dropping 4 days later. gravity sample was 1.016.
it originally read 1.020, I usually drink the sample right after reading it but i got distracted with my brew day and came back to it 2 hours later and it was 1.016. maybe some c02 in solution that possibly skewed the first reading?
75% attenuation at the moment.
regardless, im going to dry hop on friday and keg on sunday. tasted good, still sorta on the sweet side. will update with 1 more gravity reading when i keg and then a taste update when its carbed up.
