Voss Kveik yeast is a monster

[Julian Høstan Urrea]

This is mine after 4-6 hours, I was sleeping, so don't know exactly when. It's fermenting under pressure at 24 psi! At 30 degrees Celsius.

 

[Kwitty]

Ok! So I'm making an imperial stout. Any thoughts on Voss Kveik from Omega? Do you think the citrus flavor would be an issue or do you think it's mild enough it will be buried in the roasty malty flavors and hop bitterness?

 

[Miraculix]

Ok! So I'm making an imperial stout. Any thoughts on Voss Kveik from Omega? Do you think the citrus flavor would be an issue or do you think it's mild enough it will be buried in the roasty malty flavors and hop bitterness?

I heard that it doesn't show up when fermented at room temperature, making it more like a lager.

 

[NGD]

I heard that it doesn't show up when fermented at room temperature, making it more like a lager.

+1 on this. Did a session IPA with the intent to try a small batch with no temp control in the garage, thinking I would get some orange out of it. Had a strange cool trend where temps were only in 70’s for a week. Fermented very clean. Almost opposite of the imperial saison I did that smelled like Marmalade while fermenting at 98F.

 

[trevelynzx]

I just did a pale ale @75 with it. Will post results in a week or so.

 

[Kwitty]

+1 on this. Did a session IPA with the intent to try a small batch with no temp control in the garage, thinking I would get some orange out of it. Had a strange cool trend where temps were only in 70’s for a week. Fermented very clean. Almost opposite of the imperial saison I did that smelled like Marmalade while fermenting at 98F.

I heard that it doesn't show up when fermented at room temperature, making it more like a lager.

Sweet! Might do a small test batch.

 

[Bobbybob]

Brewed a barley wine on Friday. Pitched 1 omega Voss around 2:00pm on Friday into 1.107 ~95F wort turned the room heater on and let it go. Took sample today it is at 1.030 and dropping. Sample tasted great and I couldn’t even pickup any alcohol. It is still a little sweet so I imagine it will keep dropping for a bit, but not too much more. This yeast is really incredible.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Sorry guys, but am I missing something here? Is there some catch/gotcha* I haven't seen? Or is this really some sort of miracle yeast???



*apart from trying to get my paws on it!

 

[jaymosbeershack]

Miracle yeast

Sorry guys, but am I missing something here? Is there some catch/gotcha* I haven't seen? Or is this really some sort of miracle yeast???



*apart from trying to get my paws on it!

 

[NGD]

Sorry guys, but am I missing something here? Is there some catch/gotcha* I haven't seen? Or is this really some sort of miracle yeast???



*apart from trying to get my paws on it!

Its an awesome yeast, but there are a few things you have to keep in mind.

-Do you really want orange esters in the style of beer your brewing?

-I get serious chill haze with my batch. Others have reported the opposite.

-do you live in a climate where high temps can be held easily or have the means to do so?

-it tends not to do so great in smaller beers, at least without some kind of nutrient addition. Again this seems to vary from brewer to brewer.

Its been awesome to have where I live. Its my go-to yeast in summer anymore.

 

[beersk]

What I don't understand is how the idea of fermenting this at 95F came about in the first place. I mean, the warmest temperature (in Norway) ever recorded was 96F, but that's rare. The average temperature in the summer is like 64F.

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Its an awesome yeast, but there are a few things you have to keep in mind.

-Do you really want orange esters in the style of beer your brewing?

-I get serious chill haze with my batch. Others have reported the opposite.

-do you live in a climate where high temps can be held easily or have the means to do so?

-it tends not to do so great in smaller beers, at least without some kind of nutrient addition. Again this seems to vary from brewer to brewer.

Its been awesome to have where I live. Its my go-to yeast in summer anymore.

Sounds like the perfect yeast for summer brewing. Orange esters in a wheat beer sounds cracking! Chill haze doesn't bother me. I wonder would a tsp of yeast nutrition suffice for smaller beers? And how small is small? Is 5% ABV small?

I have read some people seem to have some success at room temp and end up with a cleaner taste also.

What I don't understand is how the idea of fermenting this at 95F came about in the first place. I mean, the warmest temperature (in Norway) ever recorded was 96F, but that's rare. The average temperature in the summer is like 64F.

Fermenting in barns perhaps? Those things get really hot in summer. Plus the heat generated by such vigorous fermentation. Also, I think people were saying ferment up to 35C/96F

 

[Julian Høstan Urrea]

Had a 11.5% RIS finish in less than 3 days with no hint of alcohol. The yeast is a beast and i always ferment at 37c. I never seem to get any of the esters people talk about either or perhaps its masked by the styles i brew with it.

Probably over pitch. One tspoon is enough.

 

[twd000]

I doubt the Norwegian farmhouse brewers were waiting for 95-100F ambient weather, or adding external heat.

I think they just chilled the boiled wort less than we're accustomed to, then let the exothermic fermentation maintain high temperatures until the yeast finish in 2-3 days

 

[beersk]

Makes sense. I think the idea of trying to heat it UP to 95F to ferment is a bit ridiculous. I chill to 90F, pitch, and let fall to room temp, which is about 80F.

 

[Amadeo38]

Makes sense. I think the idea of trying to heat it UP to 95F to ferment is a bit ridiculous. I chill to 90F, pitch, and let fall to room temp, which is about 80F.

Same, but it takes off so fast (<3hrs) that mine rarely drops more than a couple degrees from pitch temp by the time the exothermic heat starts generating and it’s nearly fully fermented.

Are the people who have lingering chill haze using a chiller to get from boiling to pitch temps? Because the blonde I made is almost as clear as a lager, though I did chill rapidly from 220-90F in about 10mins and used gelatin at kegging.

As twd mentioned, the high heat tolerance is more of a “pitch it quickly and while the wort is still hot” adaptation rather than an ambient temp preference, according to the garshol blog.

I have not gotten intense orange esters, but I’ve never underpitched, either. The one beer I’ve made that may have some esters is impossible to tell because it’s an Icelandic White Ale with orange peel and coriander.

 

[NGD]

Are the people who have lingering chill haze using a chiller to get from boiling to pitch temps? Because the blonde I made is almost as clear as a lager, though I did chill rapidly from 220-90F in about 10mins and used gelatin at kegging.

Speaking for myself, I always use an IC to drop temps. First with ground water then switching over to a recirc of ice water. Still get chill haze, although in the glass its much less noticeable. I’ve read some accounts of people getting haze while others don’t with the same strain, but from different vendors. At this point its pure here-say. I just know in three batches that I’ve used it on they all had chill haze. I’ve done both both low and high OG batches (>1.085 and <1.045)

As twd mentioned, the high heat tolerance is more of a “pitch it quickly and while the wort is still hot” adaptation rather than an ambient temp preference, according to the garshol blog.

I have not gotten intense orange esters, but I’ve never underpitched, either. The one beer I’ve made that may have some esters is impossible to tell because it’s an Icelandic White Ale with orange peel and coriander.

This is another thing I keep coming across. Some people get intense orange esters while others wonder wth those ppl are talking about. In my lower grav beers I’ve done the orange was much more subdued, and after a few weeks it was barely a hint than a predominant flavor. I could easily write it off to a placebo effect. With the imperial saison I did, the orange is very noticeable even after several months of storage.

 

[NGD]

Sounds like the perfect yeast for summer brewing. Orange esters in a wheat beer sounds cracking! Chill haze doesn't bother me. I wonder would a tsp of yeast nutrition suffice for smaller beers? And how small is small? Is 5% ABV small?

Small to me is anything under 5%. Last batch I did with Voss was 4.5ABV. I just used the servomyces capsules from white labs https://www.morebeer.com/products/servomyces-yeast-nutrient.html

No idea if those capsules are anything more than brewers yeast, but I got them awhile ago and need to use them up. Beer turned out great

 

[Bobbybob]

So l got a little too excited and set up a heater in the brew room. I am certain I shot over a 100 degrees. I couldn’t taste any fusels in any of the samples. But now that it is carbed I can taste some but not much just some extra heat. However it doesn't have the caramel flavor I have come to associate with barley wines. I had too many new variables in this recipe. I was mainly brewing for the yeast cake this beer would provide.

 

[ebbelwoi]

For those who are getting hazy beers with Voss, are you starting with clear wort, or is the wort already hazy when you transfer it to the fermenter?

 

[BandonBrewingCo]

Speaking for myself, I always use an IC to drop temps. First with ground water then switching over to a recirc of ice water.

This is for me is the biggest advantage of Kveik. With a simple immersion chiller and ground water, you can get to pitching temps (35c) pretty much immediately. With the ability to pitch almost immediately and it's purported lack of lag time, other bacteria don't stand much of a chance.

Add to that the ability to make crisp clean beer or a nice fruity estery beer with the same yeast.

It's also dryable with a freezer life of up to 20 years. I think I also read somewhere that the slurry is good in the frige for up to a year.

As a KISS brewer, if this stuff does all it says it does, I don't see me ever buying another yeast again!

One last question, I've heard that it flocculates so well it can lead to issues with bottle carbonation if left too long in the fermenter. Can anyone attest to this?

 

[Kenmoron]

One last question, I've heard that it flocculates so well it can lead to issues with bottle carbonation if left too long in the fermenter. Can anyone attest to this?

I've bottle conditioned with Voss many times without issue. One thing to note though, it seems that fermenting at different temperatures produces different levels of haze even in the same recipe (with lower temps being more clear). It's possible that it floccs harder with lower temps...but that could be other material or phenols as well. I have only fermented as "low" as 80F with Voss.

I've had longer times bottle conditioning using Oslo kveik (and still working out the kinks of somewhat acidic resulting beer), but I will just agitate the bottles a bit more and they will eventually get to carbonation.

 

[NGD]

One last question, I've heard that it flocculates so well it can lead to issues with bottle carbonation if left too long in the fermenter. Can anyone attest to this?

I’ve had zero issues with bottle carbing with maybe the exception of using carb tabs. So far I’ve tried table sugar, carb tabs, honey and corn sugar. The carb tabs I have are always off if you go by their instructions..but the yeast has carbed them up.

I may have to try a lower temp ferment and see if I get the same issue with haze.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Makes sense. I think the idea of trying to heat it UP to 95F to ferment is a bit ridiculous. I chill to 90F, pitch, and let fall to room temp, which is about 80F.

Exactly what I do. This yeast also has a smokiness in the finish. Game changing yeast for anyone without temp control. I can see it in many styles.

 

[Dgallo]

Exactly what I do. This yeast also has a smokiness in the finish. Game changing yeast for anyone without temp control. I can see it in many styles.

Smokiness? Are you talking about Voss? This strain is a pure orange bomb so I’m having a hard time seeing any smokiness from it

 

[Dog House Brew]

yes it has the orange and I could detect a slight smokiness. Every time I've used it had this slightly in the finish.

 

[NGD]

yes it has the orange and I could detect a slight smokiness. Every time I've used it had this slightly in the finish.

Where did you source your Voss from?

 

[Julian Høstan Urrea]

This is for me is the biggest advantage of Kveik. With a simple immersion chiller and ground water, you can get to pitching temps (35c) pretty much immediately. With the ability to pitch almost immediately and it's purported lack of lag time, other bacteria don't stand much of a chance.

Add to that the ability to make crisp clean beer or a nice fruity estery beer with the same yeast.

It's also dryable with a freezer life of up to 20 years. I think I also read somewhere that the slurry is good in the frige for up to a year.

As a KISS brewer, if this stuff does all it says it does, I don't see me ever buying another yeast again!

One last question, I've heard that it flocculates so well it can lead to issues with bottle carbonation if left too long in the fermenter. Can anyone attest to this?

I had a jar of slurry in the fridge for over a year. Took of like a rocket in like 6 hours. No problem. Easiest yeast to use in the world. I'm probably never buying an other yeast again.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Where did you source your Voss from?

Omega 061

 

[Gonjeshk]

Going full tilt 3 hours after pitch, fully attenuated (76%) by 18 hours and completely stable FG by 21 hours post-pitch. Barely a Krausen so no blow-off tube needed by a long shot. Heat wrap set to 98F, I did not oxygenate other than splashing during transfer, and I forgot to add yeast nutrient. Just wow. View attachment 634287

I’m just popping in here to mention my experience with Imperial’s A44 Kveiking, which I understand is a blend of Voss and two other Kveik strains. I brewed it on Saturday, pitched Saturday night at 10pm - the wort was still at 34*C (93*F) when I pitched in the Kveiking, OG was 1.067 (would be 1.070 when adjusted for temperature). Just 9 hours later it was at high fermentation and the temperature had risen to 36*C. I took a gravity reading and it had already dropped to 1.040.

This afternoon at 3:30, when I came home from work, there was no activity in the airlock, the gravity had dropped to 1.012 and the temperature had dropped to 27*C (81*F). So within 42 hours, it had completely fermented the wort. The beer tastes great, the esters quite mild, I’m getting a little bit of pineapple, maybe some other citrus, a little peppery. I’ll be harvesting this yeast for future batches!