Conan Yeast Experiences

[BeardedBrews]

FG - 1.012 / 79% attenuation

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]

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.

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]

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.

 

[olotti]

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.

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]

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.

 

[olotti]

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]

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.

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]

The Conan is hazier

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?

 

[sweetcell]

the sample was also a little bubbly which is a good sign its still going too.

the sample being bubbly might not mean much other than it still has carbonation left from primary fermentation.

 

[hopbrad]

the sample being bubbly might not mean much other than it still has carbonation left from primary fermentation.

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]

Can you spot the Conan half of the batch?

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]

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.

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]

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.

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.

 

[specharka]

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.

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.

 

[g-star]

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.

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]

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.

 

[masonsjax]

Ive played a lot with Conan. Heady Topper is something special for sure, but my house yeast is Pacman. Simple, clean, easy, predictable.

 

[ianmatth]

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]

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!

 

[hopbrad]

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.

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.

 

[moreb33rplz]

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!

Ok, I mostly take it back. Another few days of aging is making a world of difference. It actually tastes like beer now, and pretty good beer at that.

 

[hopbrad]

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.

Dry hopped with an oz each of mosaic, Columbus and simcoe. FG was 1.014 when I kegged. I didn't cold crash but already pretty clear after 3 pours.
It doesn't work for all yeasts but I've found for many that if I let it go warm after all/most fermentation is complete, yeast floc better. Cold crashing obviously helps too. But it seems to work well.
Anyway, this is one of the best IPAs I've ever made and I attribute it to mainly the yeast, I also added a touch more gypsum. If the next generation can drop another few points I'll be beyond stoked with conan.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458181316.474795.jpg

 

[olotti]

I've found after two beers made with the oly52 strain that it attenuates will hit 1.010 on both IPAs and it leaves the beer or adds to the haziness I brewed these NE style with wheat malt and flaked oats and wheat and it leaves a slightly thicker mouthfeel than say 05, 001, etc but I don't really get any of that peach/apricot it's known for, could be the massive hop stand and dry hops I used just covering it up. I pour some off from my starters every batch so I'll def keep using it just to have something diff to use but overall I'm middle of the road, not disappointed but not like wow this is the best yeast in the world for IPAs. My batch fermenting with 1318 right now has been much more potent coming out of th airlock than either with the Conan yeasts so I'll look forward to seeing what's happens.

 

[moreb33rplz]

Ok, I mostly take it back. Another few days of aging is making a world of difference. It actually tastes like beer now, and pretty good beer at that.

Ok I take it all the way back. The beer now tastes like a wonderful IPA. It took a good 3 weeks or so in the bottle to get there, it just tasted like orange juice, but it got there. Maui wowie it's good!

 

[Juno_Malone]

i'm currently drinking a 9.2% abv DIPA made with conan.

not sure it's the best choice for a RIS. seems too fruity to me.

Was that bottle carbed, or kegged? I'm having issues with conan carbing a 9.2% DIPA...curious if yours was bottle carbed, and if so, did it take a while for them to carb up?

 

[sweetcell]

Was that bottle carbed, or kegged? I'm having issues with conan carbing a 9.2% DIPA...curious if yours was bottle carbed, and if so, did it take a while for them to carb up?

bottle conditioned. definitely took a while, like 3-4 weeks.

 

[Juno_Malone]

bottle conditioned. definitely took a while, like 3-4 weeks.

Ah dang, mine's been in there two months and still a little flat :/

I'm wondering if the yeast are just too stressed and I should've added some high-abv yeast like CBC1 at bottling.

 

[sweetcell]

Ah dang, mine's been in there two months and still a little flat :/

I'm wondering if the yeast are just too stressed and I should've added some high-abv yeast like CBC1 at bottling.

probably. maybe rehydrate some CBC1, open each bottle and add a few drops with an eye-dropper before resealing?

 

[ianmatth]

You can add Conan for bottle conditioning, just don't let it go above 70* for the first 4-7 days. I've successfully bottle conditioned with Conan in as little as 4 days, but it can take 3 weeks. IMO if it takes longer than 3 weeks to carb your yeast is almost dead, that's why you should always add a little fresh yeast just to make sure.

 

[TorMag]

So can you buy conan yeast anywhere? I would like to get some.