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MarshmallowBlue

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I make a lot of mead and for beer I mainly use dry yeast. I do need some help selecting a liquid yeast for my next batch.

It's going to be a hybrid between an amber ale (on the sweeter side and that awesome color, some citrus hops and a belgian dubbel.

Here's what I'm shooting for in terms of yeast contribution;
• Fruitier side of things, apple, cloves plums, etc.
• Fermentation in the mid 70s
• WYeast please!

Here's what I absolutely don't want;
• Spicy, siason-like properties,
 
I would go with a belgian abbey yeast Wyeast 1762 or maybe london ale 3 1318..both have frutiy and temp ranges in in the 70s. The belgian would probably be too dry if you are looking for sweeter.

I would go for a trappist ale yeast, but I think white labs makes one
 
well I can manipulate the unfermentables with the mash, so I really am looking for the yeast to drive those characteristics. As long as it doesn't taste like a dang saison (I love saisons, but I'm very much tired of every commercial brewing making their iteration of a Belgian that's finished (or brewed entirely with) with saison yeast.)
 
+1 for the Belgian Abbey strains. I used 1214 a couple times with fan-bloody-tastic results.

Just be aware that teh abbey strains can get a little phenolic when fermentation is in the 70s. Some like it, I personally don't. If you can't get below 70ish, and you don't like the phenolic flavors, then you might have really good results from a saison strain, or even one of those saison blends like WL568. I've had great results with that one.

EDIT: Read the whole OP, JonM. Read the whole OP, JonM. He doesn't like saisons.
 
I do like saisons! (Long story short I have a bunch of saison mead already made and I went to a beer fest where I had a bunch of breweries interpreted Belgian beers that all tasted like iffy saisons) It's just the last thing I want in this batch.

I was even contemplating using a hef strain.
 
If it needs to be Wyeast, I would go with 3787. It is a great all around Belgian yeast that has a great character to it. This strain does produce some decent phenol character, and I'm not sure if the perceived spice would be too much based on what you're looking for. It is a great yeast though.

If you're looking for something new, you can also try The Yeast Bay Northeastern Abbey. It's a strain isolated from one of the American Belgian-style brewers from the Northeast. I've used it in a number of beers and the yeast character is really great. I know you said you don't want spiciness, but this strain has an ever so faint touch with really nice fruity esters. Definitely not even approaching the spiciness of a saison. Definitely less spicy phenols and more fruity esters than 3787.

Good luck with the beer. Either way you go, sounds like it's going to be delicious!
 
I'm with Fermented_minds on this one. The Yeast Bay looks awesome. I haven't tried any of it yet, but will on my next couple batches, which will be a saison and a Belgian dubble or quad. The sight is good at explaining each stran profile.
 
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