I lost my brewers yeast and had to use fast-acting bread yeast in a pinch. Here's my experience, maybe it'll help someone that finds themselves without good beer yeast.
I was brewing a small Saison featuring Pilsner, 2-row, table sugar, & a touch of crystal 40; Saaz hops. I brew small batches in 2 gal bucket fermenters, brewing approximately 1.66 gallon batches. I discovered I didn't have my brewers yeast while my wort was heating to a boil ... bread yeast here I come! I decided to add extra hops at 15 minutes to help mask any funky flavors from the bread yeast. Otherwise brewed/cooled normally.
Once to pitching temps I pitched a heaping tablespoon of fast acting dry bread yeast. Airlock activity began roughly 8 hours later. The fermentation went quite normally with no discernible off aromas. I fermented extra cold at 59-64 degrees hoping to suppress phenols/esters. I kept the fermenter 1 week at ferm temps, 1 week at room temp of 69-71, and 1 week in the 35 degree fridge; bottled.
Tried my first bottle last night after 7 days in the bottle, primed with carb tabs. Served very cold, appearance was quite clear with a very white thin head. Aroma was slightly grassy/grainy with bubblegum sweetness and somewhat accentuated hop character. Flavor was very bitter (I did add extra hops in a small batch making the gravity:bitterness ratio 1:1), very cleanly bittered as in the yeast really made the hop character prominent; a nice surprise. As the brew warmed the bubblegum aroma was evident in the flavor profile exceedingly similar to hefeweizen brewed at too high a temp. Otherwise the flavor had slight english fruity tones and was surprisingly clean. Mouthfeel was light, to the intended style. Overall impressions of the beer is it's something that is enjoyable and other than the bubblegum presence would be considered an excellent session beer, quaffable, lean, ballanced/shaded toward bitter.
My advice? If you're in a bind pitch more yeast than you think you'll need by a good bit, ferment cooler than you usually do for other ale yeast, and enjoy.
I was brewing a small Saison featuring Pilsner, 2-row, table sugar, & a touch of crystal 40; Saaz hops. I brew small batches in 2 gal bucket fermenters, brewing approximately 1.66 gallon batches. I discovered I didn't have my brewers yeast while my wort was heating to a boil ... bread yeast here I come! I decided to add extra hops at 15 minutes to help mask any funky flavors from the bread yeast. Otherwise brewed/cooled normally.
Once to pitching temps I pitched a heaping tablespoon of fast acting dry bread yeast. Airlock activity began roughly 8 hours later. The fermentation went quite normally with no discernible off aromas. I fermented extra cold at 59-64 degrees hoping to suppress phenols/esters. I kept the fermenter 1 week at ferm temps, 1 week at room temp of 69-71, and 1 week in the 35 degree fridge; bottled.
Tried my first bottle last night after 7 days in the bottle, primed with carb tabs. Served very cold, appearance was quite clear with a very white thin head. Aroma was slightly grassy/grainy with bubblegum sweetness and somewhat accentuated hop character. Flavor was very bitter (I did add extra hops in a small batch making the gravity:bitterness ratio 1:1), very cleanly bittered as in the yeast really made the hop character prominent; a nice surprise. As the brew warmed the bubblegum aroma was evident in the flavor profile exceedingly similar to hefeweizen brewed at too high a temp. Otherwise the flavor had slight english fruity tones and was surprisingly clean. Mouthfeel was light, to the intended style. Overall impressions of the beer is it's something that is enjoyable and other than the bubblegum presence would be considered an excellent session beer, quaffable, lean, ballanced/shaded toward bitter.
My advice? If you're in a bind pitch more yeast than you think you'll need by a good bit, ferment cooler than you usually do for other ale yeast, and enjoy.
