Is LalBrew Windsor a no go for an Irish stout

[RyPA]

I am planning on brewing the below tonight or tomorrow and planned to use Windor yeast as the recipe I found called for. I am now reading negative feedback on Windsor and see others use Nottingham or S-04. Does anyone have experience with LalBrew Windsor? Considering postponing brew day to get my hands on an alternate yeast as I don't want to end up dumping a batch if it stalls.

I have 2 packets of Voss Kveik, would this work? Kveik would make things a lot easier for me as I only have warm side temp control at the moment. I've read that some use it, so I'm really considering it

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1242900/irish-stout

 

[Broken Crow]

Windsor is my go-to yeast for my favourite dark mainly because I like the malty taste it leaves. In my experience it is stubborn to clear but worth the waiting an extra week or two, but I haven't used it for a stout. I've got a stout waiting to go, but my own choice for it is the Notty as I personally want a slightly lower maltiness than I've had experience with using the Windsor.
Never used a Kviek yet so I can't speak to that...but if you really want to taste your grains over the hops, the Windsor will do that..for a better balance between them, go Notty.
This is of course my own opinion, and hopefully others will weigh in here.

 

[Protos]

Although Nottingham and S-04 are preferable for this style, Windsor would be fine too. Windsor works very well in any Dark Ale. Just mash lower to get more attenuation with it. It's a pretty warm-tolerant yeast, so your higher ferm temp won't be a problem.

I have 2 packets of Voss Kveik, would this work?

No, it wouldn't. Kveik yeasts stand worlds apart from anything British and Irish, Voss is a very peculiar yeast, one can't make a real Stout with it.

 

[RyPA]

Although Nottingham and S-04 are preferable for this style, Windsor would be fine too. Windsor works very well in any Dark Ale. Just mash lower to get more attenuation with it. It's a pretty warm-tolerant yeast, so your higher ferm temp won't be a problem.


No, it wouldn't. Kveik yeasts stand worlds apart from anything British and Irish, Voss is a very peculiar yeast, one can't make a real Stout with it.

Regard kveik, I thought the same, but if you search around, many have used it with success in stouts.

For Windsor, I'd prefer to use it then let it go to waste. What mash temp would you suggest? How warm can I go with the fermentation?

 

[Protos]

many have used it with success in stouts.

I think it's because of the trend to use Kveik in each and every style (I tried that too) rather than because it's really good in Stouts. In my personal opinion, Kveik is good only for traditional Norwegian Farmhouse recipes, because its peculiar kveiky twang drives any other beer out of its style.

In my experience, the max temperature which Windsor can stand without producing fusels is 24C/75F. It may get pretty fruity though. If you don't mind dark fruity esters in your Stouts (some do) you're safe to ferment your Stout warm on Windsor.
Mash temp for a higher attenuation is around 63C/145F.

 

[dmtaylor]

Windsor is a good yeast but extremely low attenuation, the lowest you can possibly buy. You can expect your FG to be about 1.020, and your ABV will turn out lower than you might expect. If you want a good reliable yeast other than Windsor, both Notty and S-04 are great choices.

Kveik is fine but overrated IMO.

 

[RyPA]

My problem is I am pitching in 45 minutes and my options are Windsor or Voss Kveik.

Maybe Voss is safer, and the rich flavor of a stout will hide any off flavors? Trying to avoid having to dump a keg. Kicking myself for not researching this yeast before going to my LHBS today.

 

[RyPA]

Pitched the Windsor and hoping for the best. I realized that in my past experience with Voss Kveik, I had relatively low attenuation so I didn't see an advantage switching to it.

 

[Protos]

Kicking myself for not researching

Nothing to be ashamed of. You did everything right. Windsor is a fine British yeast that fits any British style, most Stouts historically have been low attenuated, they don't have to be very dry and strong anyway, so your choise of yeast is completely within the style guidelines.
You'll have a real, full-bodied Stout, not a frankenstein stoutish/kveikish concoction.
In my next Stout, I plan to use exactly Windsor. It will be a Coffee Stout, I want it sweeter and fuller, so Windsor is a perfect choise.

 

[Beermeister32]

If it were me, I’d drive down to the LHBS after you transfer the wort into the carboy and buy some Nottingham.

If you’ve already pitched the Windsor, I’d still go buy some Nottingham and toss it in. I like a drier stout.

 

[Protos]

^ This.
Yes, it's never too late to add some Nottingham to dry out the beer a bit.
The dark fruit Windsory esters will stay where they are but they aren't a flaw.

 

[dmtaylor]

The combination of Nottingham & Windsor together is something people do all the time, to get the advantages of each with no disadvantages. A lot of people think the Mangrove Jack M36 Liberty Bell is a combination of these two yeasts, sold in one packet.

 

[RyPA]

Unfortunately my LHBS isn't local, it's an hour drive. Suppose I order some notty from more beer and I pitch it in 3-4 days, is that too late?

Edit: found a 2 pack on Amazon with one-day shipping for $10. Do I just throw the whole packet in like any old pitch?

 

[Protos]

No, 3-4 days isn't late.
Actually, you don't even have to pitch Nottingham at all.
It could be a nice touch but a nonessential one, and the beer will be perfectly fine even without it.

 

[RyPA]

No, 3-4 days isn't late.
Actually, you don't even have to pitch Nottingham at all.
It could be a nice touch but a nonessential one, and the beer will be perfectly fine even without it.

Im not sure I'd like a sweeter stout though

 

[RyPA]

Here are some stats.

OG came in at 1.054

My Rapt Pill shows it made it down to 1.034 or so, I am assuming the kraussen is holding the pill at a fixed/adjusted angle and making it read incorrectly..

• Blue is the specific gravity
• Red is temperature
• Green is battery percentage which does not work on this device.

Fermentation isn't wild like nottingham, but it's happening. Those weird noises towards the end are my dog.

 

[Beermeister32]

If it were me, I’d order it and toss it in.

 

[RyPA]

It seems to be still moving along in the fermentation department. Maybe I won't need the nottingham? I did use some yeast nutrient, maybe this is helping.

Started fermentation at 1.058 and now at 1.020 (4.99 ABV, recipe expects 4.4 ABV), and still bubbling pretty good.

 

[dmtaylor]

Oh it’s a fast yeast. I bet it doesn’t get lower than 1.018.

 

[shetc]

RDWHAHB

 

[RyPA]

I'm stopped at 1.023 per the pill. Do I dump the entire packet of Nottingham in and just close it back up?

 

[RM-MN]

I'm stopped at 1.023 per the pill. Do I dump the entire packet of Nottingham in and just close it back up?

No, first you take a hydrometer reading to see that your "pill" hasn't gotten a bit of krausen stuck to it making it float a little high and giving a false reading.

 

[Beermeister32]

If there is a Kreusen layer in the way, just start the yeast with a cup of some boiled and then cooled water and dump it in.

 

[RyPA]

No, first you take a hydrometer reading to see that your "pill" hasn't gotten a bit of krausen stuck to it making it float a little high and giving a false reading.

Well yeah, of course.

If there is a Kreusen layer in the way, just start the yeast with a cup of some boiled and then cooled water and dump it in.

Copy, thank you.

 

[RyPA]

I pitched the Nottingham and no activity after 24 hours, unfortunately. Is there a chance it will still do it's thing? Would warming it up help the situation?

 

[dmtaylor]

Give it a couple more days to kick in. Temperatures in the 60s would be fine for it.

 

[RyPA]

Do you guys think there's hope or should I just throw it in my kegerator? I think the yeast landed on the pill when pitched and made it look like the yeast was making progress but after a day or so I shook the keg pretty good and cleaned it off, and gravity went back to where it was. No bubbles blowing off

 

[Beermeister32]

I’d just let it ride for a couple weeks. Move on to building your next recipe for an upcoming brew session and get your mind off this.

 

[RyPA]

True, I guess it should sit for a while regardless, I've gotten used to brewing NEIPA's with kveik and moving to the keg phase pretty quickly.

 

[Miles_1111]

Windsor is a good yeast but extremely low attenuation, the lowest you can possibly buy. You can expect your FG to be about 1.020, and your ABV will turn out lower than you might expect. If you want a good reliable yeast other than Windsor, both Notty and S-04 are great choices.

Kveik is fine but overrated IMO.

I brewed a British ale using Windsor, mashing at 66.7C /152F and got FG 3.9P/1.015. I guess that is normal in this case. But my question is that I also dry hopped my British ale by East Kent Golding for 6g/L ( I did this rate with American Pale ale which works well ), but it turned out almost no aroma at all... is it because Kent Golding is not the ideal hop for dry hopping or because of Windsor yeast?
The grain bill is 92% Maris Otter and 8% Crystal.

 

[dmtaylor]

I brewed a British ale using Windsor, mashing at 66.7C /152F and got FG 3.9P/1.015. I guess that is normal in this case. But my question is that I also dry hopped my British ale by East Kent Golding for 6g/L ( I did this rate with American Pale ale which works well ), but it turned out almost no aroma at all... is it because Kent Golding is not the ideal hop for dry hopping or because of Windsor yeast?
The grain bill is 92% Maris Otter and 8% Crystal.

Kent Golding is a relatively mild floral English hop. My guess is that your expectations are not realistic and/or your perceptions are burned out from too many citrus & tropical American hops. Kent Goldings will not give you an American style hopping.

 

[Miles_1111]

Kent Golding is a relatively mild floral English hop. My guess is that your expectations are not realistic and/or your perceptions are burned out from too many citrus & tropical American hops. Kent Goldings will not give you an American style hopping.

Actually I was expecting some obvious herb and earth kind of aroma, like a British ale I had at a local brewpub, the brewer told me he dry hopped the British hops.

 

[RyPA]

I got the stout in the keg and I am happy with it. The Nottingham didnt get me to a lower gravity but it tastes plenty dry and will definitely brew this again. My only tweak will be going straight to Nottingham instead of using the Windsor, just to see what happens.

 

[Miles_1111]

I brewed a British ale using Windsor, mashing at 66.7C /152F and got FG 3.9P/1.015. I guess that is normal in this case. But my question is that I also dry hopped my British ale by East Kent Golding for 6g/L ( I did this rate with American Pale ale which works well ), but it turned out almost no aroma at all... is it because Kent Golding is not the ideal hop for dry hopping or because of Windsor yeast?
The grain bill is 92% Maris Otter and 8% Crystal.

Correction. The British ale turns out pretty good, with the herb, pine kind of aroma just like I expected. The 6g/L drying hopping East Kent Golding did work. My previous post said it had no aroma when the beer was not carbonated, which was before bottling. I guess there is just a big difference before and after carbonation, which helps with aroma? The only problem of this beer is that it's a bit sweet, because of windsor, but the malt flavour is good.

 

[RM-MN]

My previous post said it had no aroma when the beer was not carbonated, which was before bottling. I guess there is just a big difference before and after carbonation, which helps with aroma?

The bubbles of CO2 that create the heading on your beer also serve as a carrier for the aroma. The sweetness left by the use of Windsor could be countered by adding bitterness with more hops in the boil or by using a more attenuative yeast as suggested.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Dissolved CO2, carbonic acid, may help balance some of the sweetness too.

In other words, the beer's not finished until it's finished.