Has anyone successfully harvested yeast from de la Senne beers? I just started dregs from a couple bottles of Zinnebir and Jambe de Bois, and wanted to know about people's experience with the yeast. Temps, attenuation, flavors? Any guide for what to expect brewing with it would be helpful.
de la Senne Yeast
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Joeneugs
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I was able to culture the yeast out of 2 bottles of their beer. I think they were only a couple months old at the time. Usually we get 6 month old bottles at best, so I used these rare fairly fresh bottles to try to wrangle their yeast.
I stepped up a starter on a stir plate and then brewed a low gravity pale ale recipe. Mostly Belgian Pils malt with a touch of Aromatic. Hopped with Halltertau and some Wakatu and Motueka in the whirlpool.
The fermentation went pretty well. The yeast attenuated as expected in the primary and I ended up maturing it around 55 degrees F for about 6 weeks and then bottled. This is their process according to this article:
https://farmhousebeerblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/yeast-brasserie-de-la-senne/
The aroma and flavor was pretty nice going into the bottle.
Unfortunately, it must have super attenuated because I ended up with some bottle bombs. I used a calculator to estimate how much priming sugar to add, but it ended up carbonating way higher than expected. Also, it ended up with a strong sulfur smell that wasnt there before bottling. Im not sure why. It almost smells like rotten eggs on first whiff . not really all that pleasant.
I was disappointed in the finished product. Maybe I shouldve let it mature longer so the sulfur could off gas, but like I said, I didnt notice it before bottling. Other than that, the beer tasted good and the yeast seemed to perform well. I'm going to wait on the other bottles to see if the sulfur cleans up over time, but I'm not too optimistic.
I stepped up a starter on a stir plate and then brewed a low gravity pale ale recipe. Mostly Belgian Pils malt with a touch of Aromatic. Hopped with Halltertau and some Wakatu and Motueka in the whirlpool.
The fermentation went pretty well. The yeast attenuated as expected in the primary and I ended up maturing it around 55 degrees F for about 6 weeks and then bottled. This is their process according to this article:
https://farmhousebeerblog.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/yeast-brasserie-de-la-senne/
The aroma and flavor was pretty nice going into the bottle.
Unfortunately, it must have super attenuated because I ended up with some bottle bombs. I used a calculator to estimate how much priming sugar to add, but it ended up carbonating way higher than expected. Also, it ended up with a strong sulfur smell that wasnt there before bottling. Im not sure why. It almost smells like rotten eggs on first whiff . not really all that pleasant.
I was disappointed in the finished product. Maybe I shouldve let it mature longer so the sulfur could off gas, but like I said, I didnt notice it before bottling. Other than that, the beer tasted good and the yeast seemed to perform well. I'm going to wait on the other bottles to see if the sulfur cleans up over time, but I'm not too optimistic.
Sounds like exactly what happened to me when I tried to ferment a dubbel with stepped up unibroue dregs. I found out later that they filter and bottle with a champaign yeast.
Looks like La Senne may do the same
http://www.browneandbitter.com/2015/04/brew-day-saison-w-wyeast-3724.html
Looks like La Senne may do the same
http://www.browneandbitter.com/2015/04/brew-day-saison-w-wyeast-3724.html
Joeneugs
Well-Known Member
Nice blog!
I followed the link on that page to your write up on your attempt with the De La Senne dregs, but there was no tasting notes....did you end up with the same sulfur smell I did?
Joeneugs
Well-Known Member
Did you bottle condition?
Im wondering how the sulfur smell can go away while being trapped in the bottle. Are there compounds in finished beer that can reduce sulfides?
How long did it take yours to age out?
Im wondering how the sulfur smell can go away while being trapped in the bottle. Are there compounds in finished beer that can reduce sulfides?
How long did it take yours to age out?
Yes, but I noticed the sulphur before and waited till it had gone. I don't think it took too long. I guess you might be stuck with it if you've already bottled, I don't know. Maybe a vigorous pour and swirling the glass would help blow some off?
I'd bet it was partly due to the health of the yeast cells, so you might have better luck after repitching. I didn't get round to brewing another beer with the yeast.
I'd bet it was partly due to the health of the yeast cells, so you might have better luck after repitching. I didn't get round to brewing another beer with the yeast.
