dry yeast choice for warmer temps

[Soulshine2]

I hate to shut down my brewing for another couple months because summer happened. I have a week outage 10-12 hr days at work coming up this weekend through the next week so I wont have time anyway but ... still would appreciate a suggestion for future reference.
I keep a variety of dry yeasts on hand to ferment in a wide range of temperatures but the basement has been in the mid to upper 70s lately after I bottled my sons Watermelon Gose. What have y'all used for fermenting in temps above say 75- mid 80*F 's?
On deck brews are an extract (NB) Kolsch , another Gose as soon as I figure out what to put in it, might be the blackberries Ive been picking. also have a hef and dunkelweizen but I can wait until it gets cooler for those because I like the yeast I use for those ( WB-06) . I prefer to brew in spring and fall.

I've been told Mangrove Jack is a good yeast but ive also heard/read where it has some "off" flavors .

 

[chezhed]

We sell quite a bit of Mangrove Jacks belgian yeasts and witbier. M21, M31, M41 M47. They seem to do well in the upper 70s but they are Belgian so there is that "extra" boost in flavor by design. We are in 102F temps pretty much June thru Sep and houses are seldom below 78 and there are no basements.

 

[IslandLizard]

Saisons yeasts are the most obvious. But pretty much all leave their Saison signature, which is not for everyone and may start to become a little long in the mouth after awhile.

You could use a swamp cooler or place the fermenters in a tub with water you dope with frozen bottles to keep temps down. It's only most important for the first few days until the majority has fermented, after that let them free rise.

But definitely look into using Kveik yeasts, they are meant for higher temp fermenting while staying flavor neutral. They're easy to work with, can be harvested, reused, even dried after use, stored, and resuscitated (with some starter wort). Or just pitch a new batch on 1/5 of the resulting yeast cake. All yeast, not just Kveik, keeps on giving. As a matter of fact, your basement may not be hot enough!

Last month our club judged a whole bunch of same recipe brews (11 in all), with yeast and process being the only variables allowed. 3 brews using (different) Kveik strains scored well, 2 in the top 5. All 3 were among my favorites, along with the Abbaye and Imperial Dry Hop variations.

 

[JimRausch]

What have y'all used for fermenting in temps above say 75- mid 80*F 's?

I know you specifically mentioned dry yeast, but do you have access to Kveik?

 

[andrewmaixner]

If you aren't limited to Dry only, WLP644 / OYL200 is quite viable in the high temperature range (I used it at 85F). It is POF-negative, and will give you fruity aromas, and has a very subdued krausen level.

 

[Miraculix]

Mangrove Jack California lager works well up to 32c (I tried by accident).

Gets a little bit fruity over 30c, but still delicious.

 

[chezhed]

Mangrove Jack California lager works well up to 32c (I tried by accident).

Gets a little bit fruity over 30c, but still delicious.

Ain't accidents wonderful....when they work
I sell the hell out of M54....I will pass along this info because I know it specifies 18-20C (64-68F) and the heavy users swear by it at those temps and would love it higher even.
I would definitely recommend trying it!!!!

 

[Smellyglove]

Other than the saisons, even though they also require som temperature control at the start I'd say US-05. If your ambient temps reaches close to 30C I'd try 05 and cool it as far as you can and let it rise. I've done several batches with the yeast going from 16C to 28C in 96 hours without any fusel or such.

 

[Soulshine2]

i might check the temp under the main portion of the house . its closed off and wont rise like the garage part. but thanks for the info. ill look into Kveik

 

[Soulshine2]

I think I may have found a yeast for a Blackberry saison...(Omega) Gulo or Saisonsteins Monster...or something else !!
Either way I'll definitely be trying Kveik.
Thanks again fellow brewers.

 

[Soulshine2]

I know you specifically mentioned dry yeast, but do you have access to Kveik?

I had a bad experience with liquid yeast. It was Dennys Favorite, but it was a one time thing and it took longer to ship than the ice pack lasted and it came warm. No yeast life after 36 hrs of pitching...so, I guess Im letting the one time ruin my open mindedness to use another. I looked at Kveik. I really like the reviews and i will be trying it...now the chore of figuring out which one. I have a use for nearly every strain they have. I saw the shipping time if I order one today I can get it by saturday ...so to be safe. I'll wait until my job outage is over and I can order on a monday or tuesday so someone can be home to receive it. How does this stuff do if it gets warm in the mailtruck or mail box. sometimes the mail comes as early as 9 am or late as 130pm and nobody is home until almost 6 or 7pm. I'm hoping since most of them can ferment at up to 98 degrees a short stint being warm may not be too bad.

 

[Dgallo]

@Soulshine2 What temp will it get this time of year? Imperial citrus - A20 can run to 80-85 without off flavors, just citrus esters more leaning towards orange. But like you were saying, look into kviek. I’m very partial to Imperial Yeast so I used their Kviek Voss strain Loki. It’s awesoem. I pitched one pack split between two beers at 95*f and fermented from 1.063-1.012 in 36 hours and another beer 1.052-1.012 was done a little faster than that. Just a beast with great nice ester profile

 

[brewbama]

Living in a town with no LHBS does somewhat limit us to dry strains. In the winter I’ll order liquid but I’ve also had bad experiences with ice packs and the Summer temps. Pearly’s in downtown Huntsville sells some limited brew supplies (dry yeast only) and the local breweries will supply a pitch of yeast (but I hate using them as a supply). Nevertheless, that doesn’t solve the fermentation temp issue. You might investigate the swamp cooler idea. Or maybe investigate a cheap fermenter fridge. I use an old fridge I’ve had for 25+ yrs. It ain’t sexy but it maintains a set temp.

 

[andrewmaixner]

@Soulshine2 What temp will it get this time of year? Imperial citrus - A20 can run to 80-85 without off flavors, just citrus esters more leaning towards orange. ....

Yup, that's yet another rebranding of WLP644. Great yeast for fruity ales (especially IPAs)

 

[Smellyglove]

Or get into a FB group and have a person from norway send you some kveik, not the lab-stuff. One spoon is usually enough for a 20ish liter batch.

 

[Dgallo]

Yup, that's yet another rebranding of WLP644. Great yeast for fruity ales (especially IPAs)

Would it matter if it’s a rebranding? It’s a departure from 644 due to a slight mutation

 

[andrewmaixner]

Would it matter if it’s a rebranding? It’s a departure from 644 due to a slight mutation

Interesting, how does it behave differently?

 

[Dgallo]

Interesting, how does it behave differently?

It doesn’t at all. Just not the genetically identical. Kind the same idea as all the slightly different Conan strains.

 

[LittleRiver]

Living in a town with no LHBS does somewhat limit us to dry strains. In the winter I’ll order liquid but I’ve also had bad experiences with ice packs and the Summer temps. Pearly’s in downtown Huntsville sells some limited brew supplies (dry yeast only) and the local breweries will supply a pitch of yeast (but I hate using them as a supply)...

I feel your pain, I'm in Fort Payne. Beverage World near Chattanooga has a decent supply of hops & yeast. They also have sacks of grain and various other brewing supplies (not a huge selection though).

 

[chezhed]

Liquid yeast opens up tons of possibilities. But you do need to find a reputable online store that will ship with ice packs on 2 day shipping at this time of year for sure and preferably in some insulated box. And it needs to be fresh....the older it gets, the more the heat gets to it.
I too had terrible experiences with online liquid yeast until I found a one day shipper and even then the age was often not the freshest. I'd send you some ..... only if you are not an Auburn fan I tried to homebrew when I lived in Guntersville....gave up...supply was unheard of and online didn't exist. PM me....I have a soft spot for North Alabama, southern Middle Tennessee.

 

[Soulshine2]

Living in a town with no LHBS does somewhat limit us to dry strains. In the winter I’ll order liquid but I’ve also had bad experiences with ice packs and the Summer temps. Pearly’s in downtown Huntsville sells some limited brew supplies (dry yeast only) and the local breweries will supply a pitch of yeast (but I hate using them as a supply). Nevertheless, that doesn’t solve the fermentation temp issue. You might investigate the swamp cooler idea. Or maybe investigate a cheap fermenter fridge. I use an old fridge I’ve had for 25+ yrs. It ain’t sexy but it maintains a set temp.

What and where is this Pearly's you speak of??? I've often thought about going to STA and asking them for some yeast, never done it ...I kinda think itd seem almost rude...maybe itd be an act of flattery. idk.
I really think "we" need a LHBS . The way Huntsville is booming , and the local breweries popping up, I think it could handle one. I know Id be there almost every time we go to H'ville, which is like almost every day .
To answer your question(Dgallo), my little fermentation area stays around upper 70s (thermometer 6 ft up on the back wall ,the other little thermometer is 74 right at carboy height) if I dont open the garage door too long during the day like to cut grass or take the bike out for a spin. I had to put reflective material over the garage windows because the afternoon sun would come in and heat it up like an oven. I also need to insulate my overhead door. its hot to the touch in this summer heat. If I did that I could easily knock down my temperature a good 5 degrees. I have new overhead doors planned sometime. It would surely help my a/c bill. I got busy yesterday and didnt check the temp under the house (non-livable unfinished garage/basement area) I'll do that today . I might could just ferment in there if I had to .

 

[Soulshine2]

Liquid yeast opens up tons of possibilities. But you do need to find a reputable online store that will ship with ice packs on 2 day shipping at this time of year for sure and preferably in some insulated box. And it needs to be fresh....the older it gets, the more the heat gets to it.
I too had terrible experiences with online liquid yeast until I found a one day shipper and even then the age was often not the freshest. I'd send you some ..... only if you are not an Auburn fan I tried to homebrew when I lived in Guntersville....gave up...supply was unheard of and online didn't exist. PM me....I have a soft spot for North Alabama, southern Middle Tennessee.

ROLL TIDE. thats all you need to know ,right? I got a buddy that lives in middle lower TN , near some airbase. what town are you in?

 

[Soulshine2]

Or get into a FB group and have a person from norway send you some kveik, not the lab-stuff. One spoon is usually enough for a 20ish liter batch.

yeah , I read about it , now I understand the fuss over a sacred wooden mash paddle. It was how they kept the yeast strain going. Dipped in the ferment and dried , when it hit the next batch it was inoculated. That Kveik sounds like its pretty hardy yeast ...and I thought US-05 was hardy.

 

[Soulshine2]

@Soulshine2 What temp will it get this time of year? Imperial citrus - A20 can run to 80-85 without off flavors, just citrus esters more leaning towards orange. But like you were saying, look into kviek. I’m very partial to Imperial Yeast so I used their Kviek Voss strain Loki. It’s awesoem. I pitched one pack split between two beers at 95*f and fermented from 1.063-1.012 in 36 hours and another beer 1.052-1.012 was done a little faster than that. Just a beast with great nice ester profile

we've been seeing upper 90's this past couple weeks ,heat index just over 100.

 

[Dgallo]

we've been seeing upper 90's this past couple weeks ,heat index just over 100.

Pick up some dry kviek

 

[smata67]

Was not aware people were selling this stuff on the sly, I'd try it if I didn't have White Labs Kveik on the way.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KveikSupply?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_sold

 

[Soulshine2]

Was not aware people were selling this stuff on the sly, I'd try it if I didn't have White Labs Kveik on the way.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KveikSupply?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_sold

" an everchanging blend" ...(paraphrased) "buy one today and another in two weeks and you'll get a different bland"
no thanks on that , I like to know what I'm getting for $7.49

 

[deadwolfbones]

Was not aware people were selling this stuff on the sly, I'd try it if I didn't have White Labs Kveik on the way.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/KveikSupply?ref=condensed_trust_header_title_sold

Grabbed the Jovaru, blend, and #10. Will report back (probably in several months, haha).

 

[smata67]

" an everchanging blend" ...(paraphrased) "buy one today and another in two weeks and you'll get a different bland"
no thanks on that , I like to know what I'm getting for $7.49

Lars slows down his beat up Volvo pickup and comes to a sliding stop on the gravel driveway in front of the centuries old, remote farmhouse deep in the Norwegian countryside. It’s midnight and he has driven all day and most of the night to meet up with a group of old Vikings who allegedly brew their own unique beer once a year on the Super Blood Wolf Moon. He steps out of his warm truck into the chilly night and walks up to the rowdy group, interrupted only by a wild haired, naked running man who cuts across him and disappears into the dark woods and begins making dry heaving sounds. “No matter,” he thinks to himself, “I am on a mission.” He approaches the group of a dozen or so weathered men gathered around a large, roaring fire who spot him approaching and shift their attention to welcome him with loud yelps of merriment. The largest of the men speaks first: “Lars! We were told you were coming! We have this for you!” The old man swings forward the largest wooden stein Lars has ever seen, barrel shaped and at least a gallon in size, maybe two. The men roar their approval. Lars grabs ahold of the stein with both hands and brings it to his lips. The big man, with slurred speech, blurts out: “And this was brewed in just 3 days with some dried yeast Morten found on Etsy and bought on a lark!” “WHAAAATTT!!!!!” Lars exclaims, ”You mean you didn’t get this yeast from White Labs over the internet like everyone else, what were you thinking!?! NO THANKS!”

 

[Soulshine2]

I hung up a thermometer in the under the house part of the basement. Temp was 71, only 3 degrees cooler than where i ferment now. Not worth moving in there. Ill try the kveik