Mangrove Jack's M21 temperature

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DVCNick

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I got a packet of this at the LHBS kind of on a whim.
Searching around, most threads on it seem to be about stuck fermentations (hopefully that isn't indicative of something).

The temp range listed on the packet is pretty wide, mid 60's to upper 70's.
So I'm wondering what temp gave people good experiences with this yeast. I'm planning to use it in a normal batch of my generic wheat beer which is about half each of 2row and white wheat.
I'd prefer more flavors over "clean".
Thanks to anyone who can help out with good experiences with this yeast.
 
I used it on a GF Blue Moon Clone, and it fermented fantastic in the low 70s. I hit pretty good numbers, 1.054 to 1.012 Really happy with how the beer turned out. Fermented quick too. 8 days from start to finish.
 
I haven't used this strain yet, but based on other experiences with witbiers and peppery phenolic yeasts, I would recommend pitching at the lower end in the 60s, then raise the temperature after the first couple of days, and BE PATIENT with it, as it will likely take a couple weeks to ferment out completely. I would NOT rack it to a secondary.
 
I used this in a cranberry orange wit the December 6th, went from 1.065 to 1.020 in 3 days and 1.019 after a week at 70. I dropped the temp to 60 and figured let it sit for 2 weeks and bottle. I was going to bottle Christmas Eve but when I checked I found that after 8 days at 60 and steady at 1.019 the gravity started to fall and now it is at 1.012. so far it looks good with nothing growing on top.
So do you think it is actually fermentation or the effect of yeast and proteins settling out of suspension?
Of course this is all with a tilt, I take its gravity readings as approx and use it more for tracking activity.
 
I used this in a cranberry orange wit the December 6th, went from 1.065 to 1.020 in 3 days and 1.019 after a week at 70. I dropped the temp to 60 and figured let it sit for 2 weeks and bottle. I was going to bottle Christmas Eve but when I checked I found that after 8 days at 60 and steady at 1.019 the gravity started to fall and now it is at 1.012. so far it looks good with nothing growing on top.
So do you think it is actually fermentation or the effect of yeast and proteins settling out of suspension?
Of course this is all with a tilt, I take its gravity readings as approx and use it more for tracking activity.

As I stated in the previous post right above yours, this is normal for witbier yeasts and some other Belgian yeasts, where they start fast but then take up to a month to finish fermenting the last few points. This is legitimate fermentation activity, and it would be wise to wait a few more days to ensure the gravity doesn't fall even further. When you get the same reading with 3-4 days in between, then you'll know it is finally finished and safe to package.
 
As I stated in the previous post right above yours, this is normal for witbier yeasts and some other Belgian yeasts, where they start fast but then take up to a month to finish fermenting the last few points. This is legitimate fermentation activity, and it would be wise to wait a few more days to ensure the gravity doesn't fall even further. When you get the same reading with 3-4 days in between, then you'll know it is finally finished and safe to package.
This is the first time I have used a wit beer yeast. It just amazes me how it started up again with the temp at 60f.
I am glad I decided to check gravity versus just bottling after 3 weeks.
When I use Munich Classic for hefeweisen it ferments down and is done and is what I expected to see happen.
 
Just to add my recent experience with M21:
I just kegged a 4.5-gallon 1.052 OG witbier into which I pitched a rehydrated pack of M21. After 3 days at 62, I raised it to the low 70s. A gravity check at 6 days showed that it was at 1.019. I left it until today, day 21, and it was at 1.011. So whether it was necessary or not, leaving it for 3 weeks got it down to where I wanted it.
The flavor is really nice: banana and a touch of spice.
 
Thanks. Forgot I had this and need to do a split batch with it
 
I brewed a Belgian Wit 3 weeks ago, pitching M21. Ferm temp set at mid-60s, then I let it free rise to the low 70s after a few days. Fermentation was strong, then it slowed way down by day 4. After a few more days I backed the temp down to about 66 and it remained very quiet--no airlock activity. I just came back last night from a few days out of town and noticed there is now some moderate airlock activity. This yeast has a bit of a second wind! I'm glad I read this thread before I brewed and anticipated that second spike, as I would've otherwise been tempted to bottle around this time.

I'll let it ride out another week, take a gravity reading and bottle.
 
I bottled the Wit today, almost 5 gallons. Carbed to about 3 volumes and packaged in a bunch of 16 oz. Grolsch swingtops, and a few 330ml Euro bottles for giveaways.

I noticed a moderate sulfur smell when I opened the fermenter (Brew Bucket), a smell I did not notice during fermentation. Not overpowering, but definitely some rhino farts. I didn't find any off-flavors in tasting the hydro sample, and no evidence of infection. Maybe it's just the yeast. Has anyone else encountered that with M21? Hopefully, conditioning will clean it up.
 
I bottled the Wit today, almost 5 gallons. Carbed to about 3 volumes and packaged in a bunch of 16 oz. Grolsch swingtops, and a few 330ml Euro bottles for giveaways.

I noticed a moderate sulfur smell when I opened the fermenter (Brew Bucket), a smell I did not notice during fermentation. Not overpowering, but definitely some rhino farts. I didn't find any off-flavors in tasting the hydro sample, and no evidence of infection. Maybe it's just the yeast. Has anyone else encountered that with M21? Hopefully, conditioning will clean it up.

Yes, that is normal. It should disappear in a few weeks.
 
Does it have to age for weeks to be good?
My wheat beers with WB06 are usually pretty good at 4-5 weeks total (2-3 in the keg).
 
I tried a couple bottles yesterday, after being bottled 3 weeks. I had carbed to just over 3 vols. Pours with a fizzy head which collapses quickly. Tastes great, rhino farts gone--no sign of the sulfur I noticed 3 weeks ago. Refreshing on the palate, no noticeable off-flavors, finishes clean. Overall, very nice, authentic Wit flavor. The Indian coriander and orange peel come through, though I could've added a little more peel (I had used about 2 oz. fresh zest, which is mostly water). The 0.5 oz of coriander was just right for a 5 gal batch. Both were added the last 5 minutes before flameout.

It's a bit strong--about 6%, as I beat my expected brewhouse efficiency. So not a session beer, but I'll certainly have a few after yard work anyway.

I would def brew with M21 again.
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Thanks for the feedback guys. At long last, today is finally brew day!
I'll track it with a tilt, and run a similar profile on temp and time to those above and see what happens.
 
Started with a 1.050 wheat beer wort, about 5.2 gallons in a 6.5gal fermenter. Direct pitched one packet Friday night. Temp is set at 66 so far. 24hr later it was rapidly developing a large krausen, Sunday morning it started to get into the airlock and I just switched to a blowoff tube. Tilt data is bouncing all over the place I guess due to turbulence. Definitely looks like one of the more vigorous fermentations I've seen with a beer of this gravity level.
 
So I don't trust accuracy of the actual data here; my TILT is doing something screwy this time and I think the battery needs to be changed... but, I'm seeing the pause and then resumption of gravity falling that others have mentioned here.
 

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So kegged today at three weeks since brew day and absolutely no visible activity or changes in the (bogus) Tilt info for quite some time.

1.015 final? Seems high. It's at 4.5% which is ok for a wheat but I imagine it is going to be pretty sweet. My favorite WB-06 batches finish at around 1.007 or maybe a point or two higher.

I also got the sulfer smell part way through as others mentioned, but it is gone now.
The sample actually tasted pretty good, so, just gonna let it carb up and see what happens.
 
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