Need Dry Yeast for California Common

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I've been helping brew at a small brewery for a few months and the owner recently tried a California Common that I made a home and really liked it. He has asked me to brew it on their system, 50 gallons, but I need to switch out the yeast I used, Wyeast 2112, because they only use dry yeast at the brewery.

The head brewer and I had talked about brewing a 5 gallon batch at home to build up a yeast cake for the 50 gallon batch, but were told that we need to stick with dry yeast.

So who has successfully made a California Common with dry yeast? What did you use and at what temps? We have glycol-jacketed fermenters that can get down to 34° F, so temperature won't be a problem, and we could even use a "lager" yeast if needs be.

I've heard of a few folks using Mangrove Jack's California Lager yeast with fairly successful results, but I'm really looking for someone to say that they used X type of yeast and the beer was as good as, if not better, than when they made it with liquid yeast.

Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[FVillatoro]

I personally have not done one, although I may soon, but they can use Fermentis w34/70 "Weihenstephaner" yeast fermented warm.

The W34/70, from experience, is a very clean lager yeast in the mid to high 50s, and has been known to work well at higher temps too.

 

[MyQuL]

I think you've read the thread where I mentioned I used MJ CaliLager yeast to make a Challenger Steam Lager. I'm a mod on HBT's UK sister forum HBF. One of our members used the same yeast to make a Californian Common style using MJ CaliLager yeast and he was pleased with his results

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=66746

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=62196

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

I ended up ordering the Mangrove Jack's California Lager yeast. Im brewing this weekend and will report back with my thoughts.

 

[catdaddy66]

I ended up ordering the Mangrove Jack's California Lager yeast. Im brewing this weekend and will report back with my thoughts.

I think you have made a wise decision.

 

[Albionwood]

I've tried making Cali Common with "real" Lager yeasts, and they never came out right. That SF yeast is unique and nothing else quite tastes the same. I just racked my first try with MJ' s dry California Lager yeast, and the hydrometer sample tasted just right, so I am optimistic that this really is a dry version of that famous yeast.

 

[BeerAddikt]

I've made a pretty good one with Saflager S-23 and fermenting at ale temps.

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

Update for anyone that cares:

I pitched the rehydrated yeast into well-aerated 65° F 1.05 OG wort and within 12 hours of pitching I had bubbling in airlock every 90 seconds. Temp remained consistent at 65° F.

Roughly 48 hours after pitching fermentation really took off, and I'm suprised that it's still so active 6 days later. Usually I see things start to slow down around day 5, but this stuff is still chugging along.

One thing I noticed is that it's throwing out a TON of C02. I have it in the corner of our laundry room, covered and behind a closed door, and SWMBO says that the whole basement smells like rotting grapefruit. I definitely smell citrus, which is odd as I used 100% nugget hops (recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=594471).

The last batch I did I took a reading 10 days after pitching and it was done. With this one, unless it starts to slow down pretty soon here, I'm thinking it's going to be at least another 7 days just to make sure it's done.

 

[MyQuL]

Update for anyone that cares:

I pitched the rehydrated yeast into well-aerated 65° F 1.05 OG wort and within 12 hours of pitching I had bubbling in airlock every 90 seconds. Temp remained consistent at 65° F.

Roughly 48 hours after pitching fermentation really took off, and I'm suprised that it's still so active 6 days later. Usually I see things start to slow down around day 5, but this stuff is still chugging along.

One thing I noticed is that it's throwing out a TON of C02. I have it in the corner of our laundry room, covered and behind a closed door, and SWMBO says that the whole basement smells like rotting grapefruit. I definitely smell citrus, which is odd as I used 100% nugget hops (recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=594471).

The last batch I did I took a reading 10 days after pitching and it was done. With this one, unless it starts to slow down pretty soon here, I'm thinking it's going to be at least another 7 days just to make sure it's done.

I've never used nugget hops but this yeast definately seems to accentuate hop flavour. Perhaps thats why the grapefruit aroma?

 

[mpolybius]

I used MJ M54 on a batch that I've been drinking now for a few weeks. Overall I would say that the flavor profile is excellent however this yeast had the slowest start of any that I've tried. I rehydrated, oxygenated using pure oxygen, all the right stuff but it still took almost 72 hours before activity began. Apparently this is not uncommon for MJ yeasts but it's the first time I used one of theirs.

 

[jkweinza]

Just researched a similar question. I decided on Saflager S-23 and same as you planning on doing low ale temps (64-66 range). I've read that this will give a fruity and maybe citrusy aroma and flavor. Never used this strain before though, so take this with a grain of salt. I've got a sweet stout in line to make next then doing this steam beer.

 

[billo53]

Update for anyone that cares:

I pitched the rehydrated yeast into well-aerated 65° F 1.05 OG wort and within 12 hours of pitching I had bubbling in airlock every 90 seconds. Temp remained consistent at 65° F.

Roughly 48 hours after pitching fermentation really took off, and I'm suprised that it's still so active 6 days later. Usually I see things start to slow down around day 5, but this stuff is still chugging along.

One thing I noticed is that it's throwing out a TON of C02. I have it in the corner of our laundry room, covered and behind a closed door, and SWMBO says that the whole basement smells like rotting grapefruit. I definitely smell citrus, which is odd as I used 100% nugget hops (recipe here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=594471).

The last batch I did I took a reading 10 days after pitching and it was done. With this one, unless it starts to slow down pretty soon here, I'm thinking it's going to be at least another 7 days just to make sure it's done.

So what was the final verdict?

 

[NothingRhymesWithCurtiss]

So what was the final verdict?

Great dry yeast. Didn't stall out like some of the Mangrove Jack's strains do. We used 10 packs for a 60 gallon batch at the brewpub that I brew at, and the batch finished in about 10 days. We crashed it down to 34°F and it dropped super clear. We used the same grain bill, subbing Fuggles for Nugget, and the beer was received very well!