I'm about to use BRY-97 for the first time. Going to direct-pitch 2 packets into a 4gal batch of a pseudo clone of Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine. Typically when I've used WLP001 or A07 Flagship in the past I would pitch around 65-66F (temp measured with probe taped to side of fermenter underneath piece of insulation foam) and spend the first 48-72 hours there, then bump up to about 68F for the remainder of fermentation. Will BRY-97 likely respond well to a similar temp/schedule? If anyone has any suggestions for what has worked well for them I would love to hear them. Thanks!
First time using BRY-97
- Thread starter Pehlman17
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Love that yeast! I pitch at 60* and try to hold it there (can be difficult with high grav beers) until the exothermic fermentation slows. I tell this by the beer no longer able to keep the set temp and the heater has to kick in. Take it to 64* for 2-3 days then finish at 68* and on that big of beer I would just leave it at 68* for 14 or so days and then let chill slowly to 50* or so and package on week 4
Good to know! I'm fairly familiar with the practice of pitching yeast at a slightly lower temp and getting through the growth phase on the cool end, and then bumping up to fully attenuate. But I wasn't sure if that applied the same with dry yeast as it might for liquid. Or if it matters that much on the home-brew scale anyway, haha.
I was going to say with that big of a beer you may want to re-hydrate the yeast at least, but then I realized the last few times I used that yeast was for a RIS in the 12-13% range and I used one packet and sprinkled and there were no concerns. 97 is a beast and will take it as low as you want to go. I ferment in the house and it is usually in the 68-72 range and there were not issues there either. The beers turned out great. Good luck with yours. 
Thanks! I don't worry too much about rehydrating personally. Plus with two packets I'm already overpitching by about a half a pack according to the Lallemand pitch rate calculator. I'm thinking since this is my first time using this yeast I may shoot for 65F at least through peak fermentation since its right in the middle of the temp range (59-72) given by Lallemand. I'll likely still let it creep up toward 68-70 toward the end just to make sure it finishes out nicely.I was going to say with that big of a beer you may want to re-hydrate the yeast at least, but then I realized the last few times I used that yeast was for a RIS in the 12-13% range and I used one packet and sprinkled and there were no concerns. 97 is a beast and will take it as low as you want to go. I ferment in the house and it is usually in the 68-72 range and there were not issues there either. The beers turned out great. Good luck with yours.
With those big beers,don't forget the blow off tube.
I’ve heard a few mention that before, so if it does lag I won’t let myself worry too much.
So I didn't end up following through on the recipe in my original post. I ended up instead brewing a few different beers with 34/70 since my fermentation setup was out in the garage and it was still cold outside at the time. Anyway, its summer now and I finally got a batch started with BRY-97. The packs I bought don't expire until October. Pitched one packet into a 1.055 OG Robust Porter around 6:30 last night. Almost 20 hours post pitch and still no signs of life, so now I see what all the talk about long lag-time was about. I'm hopeful that by the time I wake up tomorrow there will be some bubbling on the blowoff. We shall see! 
BRY-97 has been my got to for light ales for a while. the lag i have seen with me is cooling the beer down to 60deg sometimes lower (therminator does its job well and i dont worry about cold wort as long as it is cool to my wrist i am good) and waiting for the temp to rise. once that yeast goes it goes and is quick. and note expiration dates are not when yeast packet goes bad just viability decreases. used yeast 8 months past date making a starter first of course to ensure viability.So I didn't end up following through on the recipe in my original post. I ended up instead brewing a few different beers with 34/70 since my fermentation setup was out in the garage and it was still cold outside at the time. Anyway, its summer now and I finally got a batch started with BRY-97. The packs I bought don't expire until October. Pitched one packet into a 1.055 OG Robust Porter around 6:30 last night. Almost 20 hours post pitch and still no signs of life, so now I see what all the talk about long lag-time was about. I'm hopeful that by the time I wake up tomorrow there will be some bubbling on the blowoff. We shall see!
hydrating the yeast would give it a quicker response to propagating in the wort.
Proper hydrating the yeast can make a big difference:
Used BRY-97 last Saturday and beer started bubbling about 7 hours later. Same lag time the last time I used this yeast.
I read somewhere here at HBT that BRY-97 is one of the yeasts benefiting most from proper hydration.
I"m following Lallemands instructions: Hydrate at 30-35C for ~10 minutes then cool down to fermentation temp (I'm using a water bath instead of slowly adding wort at fermentation temp).
Wanted to say the same.
Although by using two packs, my guess is that the long lag phase is pretty much compensated.
Steveruch
Well-Known Member
If kept in the fridge dry yeast expiration dates don't mean a lot. I've used yeast over four years past the expiration date with no issue.
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
What was the wort temperature when pitching and at what temperature did you ferment?
I normally ferment around 65F and get 'slow' starts with BRY-97.
Recently did a split fermentation (Nottingham, BRY-97; both sprinkled, not re-hydrated) at around 70F and both had a noticeably faster start (vs 65F).
Pitched at 17C (should be ~62 F) and let temperature rise (took about 5 hours) to ferment at 18C (~64 F).
OG was ~1.056, pale ale wort, so no larger amounts of special malts and no adjuncts.
65F is where I have mine right now. Took about 24 hours to notice any activity in the blowoff. Now approaching 48 hours post pitch and my Tilt is reading 1.039 (down from 1.055). Seems to be happily going to work.
I don't think I've read of a "chico adjacent" yeast strain that doesn't appear to take a good 24 hours or more to look like it's doing anything, and I have used many of them with that same evident paradigm. WY1056, WLP001, US-05, A07, GY001 - I've used all of those and they all behave the same even if they have subtle character differences.
Coincidentally, today I picked up some Lallemand BRY-97 packets to continue my pursuit of a Ballantine IPA clone that conforms to its classic character from the very late 1800s/early-mid 1900s and not the modern bastardized version. I've tried 1056, 001, and 05 and they are close but my memory says not on point. I have never used any Lallemand yeast and am still figuring pitch rates 'n' stuff in anticipation of my next attempt at cloning what may have been my first sip of beer (my dad was a Ballantine IPA fan
)
Cheers!
Coincidentally, today I picked up some Lallemand BRY-97 packets to continue my pursuit of a Ballantine IPA clone that conforms to its classic character from the very late 1800s/early-mid 1900s and not the modern bastardized version. I've tried 1056, 001, and 05 and they are close but my memory says not on point. I have never used any Lallemand yeast and am still figuring pitch rates 'n' stuff in anticipation of my next attempt at cloning what may have been my first sip of beer (my dad was a Ballantine IPA fan
)Cheers!
To my knowledge, bry97 is genetically far away from the chico group and actually closely related to bread yeast. Quite a unique one.I don't think I've read of a "chico adjacent" yeast strain that doesn't appear to take a good 24 hours or more to look like it's doing anything, and I have used many of them with that same evident paradigm. WY1056, WLP001, US-05, A07, GY001 - I've used all of those and they all behave the same even if they have subtle character differences.
Coincidentally, today I picked up some Lallemand BRY-97 packets to continue my pursuit of a Ballantine IPA clone that conforms to its classic character from the very late 1800s/early-mid 1900s and not the modern bastardized version. I've tried 1056, 001, and 05 and they are close but my memory says not on point. I have never used any Lallemand yeast and am still figuring pitch rates 'n' stuff in anticipation of my next attempt at cloning what may have been my first sip of beer (my dad was a Ballantine IPA fan
Cheers!
BrewnWKopperKat
ʘ‿ʘ
Thanks!
Thanks!65F is where I have mine right now. Took about 24 hours to notice any activity in the blowoff. Now approaching 48 hours post pitch and my Tilt is reading 1.039 (down from 1.055). Seems to be happily going to work.
It looks like each of us is measuring "time to first activity" differently. That being said, I may do a split batch of BRY-97 (sprinkled vs re-hydrated) in the future.
According to http://beer.suregork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Brewing_yeast_family_tree_nov_2018_v11.pdf it groups with a wine yeast and some other more "esoteric" yeasts.
scrap iron
Well-Known Member
Care to share your clone attempts recipes? I'm an old-timer and would love an old Ballantine IPA in my lineup. I'm drinking an American style IPA that used Bry-97, it came out very good. I just sprinkled the yeast in while running the wort into the fermenter, but I used two packs in a 1.061 OG. I had a minimal lag time using two packs.I don't think I've read of a "chico adjacent" yeast strain that doesn't appear to take a good 24 hours or more to look like it's doing anything, and I have used many of them with that same evident paradigm. WY1056, WLP001, US-05, A07, GY001 - I've used all of those and they all behave the same even if they have subtle character differences.
Coincidentally, today I picked up some Lallemand BRY-97 packets to continue my pursuit of a Ballantine IPA clone that conforms to its classic character from the very late 1800s/early-mid 1900s and not the modern bastardized version. I've tried 1056, 001, and 05 and they are close but my memory says not on point. I have never used any Lallemand yeast and am still figuring pitch rates 'n' stuff in anticipation of my next attempt at cloning what may have been my first sip of beer (my dad was a Ballantine IPA fan
Cheers!
Soitenly! Here's the latest version.
Been struggling with hops - all signs point to the classic version using Cluster, Brewer's Gold, and EKG hops, in that order. Well, good luck finding those anywhere right now so I've been trying different substitutions. I also think I might bump the corn up by a couple more pounds and reduce the base malt by the same amount, and mash at 150°F instead of the 152°F I've been doing to dry the beer out a bit more as this batch finished at 1.014 using 1056. I want to get that closer to 1.010. If BRY-97 is more aggressive as advertised I think all that ought to do it.
Cheers!
Been struggling with hops - all signs point to the classic version using Cluster, Brewer's Gold, and EKG hops, in that order. Well, good luck finding those anywhere right now
so I've been trying different substitutions. I also think I might bump the corn up by a couple more pounds and reduce the base malt by the same amount, and mash at 150°F instead of the 152°F I've been doing to dry the beer out a bit more as this batch finished at 1.014 using 1056. I want to get that closer to 1.010. If BRY-97 is more aggressive as advertised I think all that ought to do it.
Cheers!
scrap iron
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the recipe looks like a good start. I see this is for 11 gal so just half for five gal + batch. I usually get 78-80% AA using Bry-97 so that should dry out your beer a little more. You might check out morebeer for the Cluster, their site says in stock and it's on sale. If not Galena looks to be a good substitute. You must be a Three Stooges fan, me too. Thanks again and nuk nuk, hey Moe hey Larry.Soitenly! Here's the latest version.
Been struggling with hops - all signs point to the classic version using Cluster, Brewer's Gold, and EKG hops, in that order. Well, good luck finding those anywhere right now
View attachment 826147
Cheers!
Thanks for the tip. I put the nose to the internet wheel and was actually able to find all three hops - Cluster and UK Kent Goldings from Morebeer, and GR Brewer's Gold from Annapolis Home Brew (first time ever using them). So with the increase in flaked corn/decrease in 2-row, changing the yeast to BRY-97, and using these three hop strains, this is how try #4 will look:
BeerSmith3 already dropped the FG by a point. Probably brew this in September...
Cheers!
BeerSmith3 already dropped the FG by a point. Probably brew this in September...
Cheers!
Northern_Brewer
British - apparently some US company stole my name
Nope, something got mislabelled. It happens.
BRY-97 is very much at the heart of the Chico family, even its name is a humorous reference to its ancestry being BRY-96 "plus one". It (and its repacked form MJ M44) appears to be even more closely related to 1056 than US-05. See this post and the one at the bottom of the page - it's all a bit circumstantial at this stage but it makes for a consistent story :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...f-white-labs-yeast.642831/page-2#post-8916547
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Thanks for the clarification! That makes a lot more sense, yeast character-wise. Only downside of bry97 seems to be the long lag and I've also had some pretty persistent slight haze in my beer. The latter is obviously not a bug but a feature nowadays.
There were some comments about mutations that are leading to worse fermentation results than without mutations. If I interpret it correctly, bry97, us05 and some more are all sharing one or the other mutation, whereas wlp001 is mutation free. Are there other yeasts that do not have these mutations? Preferably dry ones?
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Northern_Brewer
British - apparently some US company stole my name
Everything has "mutations", a mutation is merely a difference, sometimes good and sometimes bad, and sometimes dependent on the environment. If you were trying to be a spy in Norway, then the mutation for blond(e) hair will help you fit in, but in Spain it would make you stand out.
If you think about the average brewer's experience with 1056, WLP001 and US-05, they are in general very similar so the cumulative effects of any genetic differences between them are really not great. The BAT1 mutation that they all once had but which has been fixed in the WLP001 group, affects the metabolism of certain amino acids, it might be connected with the slight peachiness you sometimes get from US-05 but it's not a huge effect and I'm not sure I'd worry about it too much. If a working BAT1 gene is that important to you then pay double and buy dried WLP001.
Even with the 24 hour lag I can say I’m very impressed with how BRY-97 worked and I’ll definitely be using it again. Fermentation was basically done about 5 days after pitching. I let it sit around 70F for another 5 days to make sure it cleaned up nicely, and boy did it. I almost find the yeast character too neutral, haha. Definitely works as advertised and will be a go-to for me when I need a super clean workhorse.
Has anyone used second or third (or more) generations of BRY-97? I'm been a liquid yeast guy for years and I've heard some dry yeast users say that the results improve in gen 2 and beyond. Any experience with this? Thanks.
Yes, the lag time gose from sometimes 36 hours to a mere 4 hours. You must oxygenate as if using liquid yeast (oh yeah it is liquid now)
Any thoughts or experience using BRY-97 for a Wheatwine or other high gravity wort?
Yeah, use a blow off tube!
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