Good dry yeast for biere de garde?

[hogg44]

I'm brewing a biere de garde for Thanksgiving next week. I know a liquid yeast would be better. However, I'll be using dry yeast. What would you use?

The only suggestion I could find when searching was K-97. Is there something else that would be better?

 

[JohnSand]

I haven't made a Biere de Garde, though my Belgian Strong may have done better in that category. Wyeast recommends Abbey II or High Gravity (3787) for your style. I recently made a Belgian Pale with Safbrew Abbaye dry, and found it not very different from 3787. Lallemand has a dry Abbaye too.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

According to the recipe I have, "a French or Belgian ale yeast, such as Wyeast French Saison or Safale S-33"

 

[m00ps]

Several dry options
Danstar Belle Saison
Safale Abbaye
Safale T-58 (not reccomended IMO)
Mangrove jack m41 belgian ale
Mangrove jack m29 french saison


I would take what those instructions say on the recipe with a grain of salt if I were you. S-33 isnt really a 'Belgian" yeast in any sense of the word. Or it doesnt have those esters and high attenuation youd want anyway

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Thanks, m00ps - I'll keep that in mind, because I have a feeling that I'll be doing quite a few saison recipes this summer. It's turning into quite the warm one, and that's the time of year for them.

Of the ones you mentioned, do you have a favourite, or would you classify them all as basically the same?

 

[m00ps]

Thanks, m00ps - I'll keep that in mind, because I have a feeling that I'll be doing quite a few saison recipes this summer. It's turning into quite the warm one, and that's the time of year for them.

Of the ones you mentioned, do you have a favourite, or would you classify them all as basically the same?

For a saison, I'd go with Belle saison. It is pretty similar to WY3711 but has a bit more spice. Very high attenuation for a nice dry finish, flavor is lemony to me. I havent tried the mangrove jacks french saison, but their belgian ale one was very good from what I remember. Im guessing their french saison is pretty similar to wyeasts too.

I havent tried the safale abbaye, but it seems much more balanced for trappist-style beers or other belgians. It still wouldnt require temperature regulation, but I wouldnt try taking it to 90F like I do with saison strains

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Thanks m00ps - I appreciate the advice.

 

[serum]

I'd not use a Belgian style strain or anything like French Saison, you want something cleaner.

K-97 sounds good or failing that US-05 probably won't be disastrous

 

[hogg44]

I'd not use a Belgian style strain or anything like French Saison, you want something cleaner.

K-97 sounds good or failing that US-05 probably won't be disastrous

Thanks. From what I understand, it's a clean style without much esters or the peppery saison notes.

Other advice I've gotten is to use S-04 at low temps to suppress the esters (maybe around 60F?).

 

[MannyEdwards]

I make a scrumptious Biere de Garde with Belle Saison. I've used liquid yeasts for that style too, but the Belle Saison never disappoints.