Voss Kveik yeast is a monster

[Northern_Brewer]

See eg https://www.escarpmentlabs.com/single-post/2019/11/01/The-impact-of-pitch-rate-on-kveik-ferments

it looks like there is a trend for increased aroma intensity for some of the kveiks (Voss and Hornindal) as the pitch rate decreases. However, this is not true for Arset and Ebbegarden, where the trends are less clear. So this tells us that there is not a one-size-fits-all rule for kveik pitch rate and aroma production.

Factoring in fermentation rate, fermentation specs and aroma production, we think that 7 million cells / mL strikes a good balance between the low and high pitch rate, but that the sweet spot could be somewhere between the two. We have done collaboration brews with partner breweries at around the 3 million cell / mL rate with good results and minimal impact on fermentation kinetics.

A caveat for this study is that the yeasts were produced under ideal conditions and never left the lab. The results may be different for slurry that is shipped and stored for several weeks. But if brewers want to attempt this kind of study themselves, we're all ears!

We hope this was helpful. The coles notes? Pitch rate matters less than you might think. There are clear trends for some strains (Voss and Hornindal) but not others (Arset and Ebbegarden).

 

[Jokester]

I am already dealing with a yeast cake that is maybe 3 different yeasts - and these are just what I pitched. If any was left unflocculated in these non filtered beers I am putting in - and I'll bet there are, I'll have 4 yeasts minimum in each bottle, likely more.
How would the voss kevik work into that mix ?
Again just so you dont have to read my other threads/posts - I'm hyper fermenting with amg and starting with a beer. Basically the target is 0 carbs, so far used EC1118, turbo 24 and another that's good for 28% supposedly, and successfully got them to the low single digits per 12oz with higher than 10% abv.

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[jaymosbeershack]

If you run hot, the kveik would do most of the work quickly, but the other yeast may throw out off flavors from being too hot for their comfort. If you run cool, I don't think the kveik would make much of a difference for you as it is neutral at lower emps.

I am already dealing with a yeast cake that is maybe 3 different yeasts - and these are just what I pitched. If any was left unflocculated in these non filtered beers I am putting in - and I'll bet there are, I'll have 4 yeasts minimum in each bottle, likely more.
How would the voss kevik work into that mix ?
Again just so you dont have to read my other threads/posts - I'm hyper fermenting with amg and starting with a beer. Basically the target is 0 carbs, so far used EC1118, turbo 24 and another that's good for 28% supposedly, and successfully got them to the low single digits per 12oz with higher than 10% abv.

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[Albionwood]

I'm hyper fermenting with amg and starting with a beer.

Meaning, you are opening a finished beer, adding the enzyme and pitching new yeast, and re-fermenting the beer? If that's the process, I wonder how you avoid oxidation. I also kind of wonder why you are doing this - can you explain what your goal is and why this method? It's a new one on me, though I suppose it's somewhat like the practice of pitching a secondary culture (typically Brett) into a beer after primary but before bottling.

To get to zero residual sugars, I'd suggest a diastaticus yeast (like 3711) or a Brett, both of which can metabolize more complex sugars if the enzyme doesn't break everything down. They are also more likely to add noticeable flavor, especially the Bretts.
Jovaru might be an interesting choice.

 

[Jokester]

Meaning, you are opening a finished beer, adding the enzyme and pitching new yeast, and re-fermenting the beer? If that's the process, I wonder how you avoid oxidation. I also kind of wonder why you are doing this - can you explain what your goal is and why this method? It's a new one on me, though I suppose it's somewhat like the practice of pitching a secondary culture (typically Brett) into a beer after primary but before bottling.

To get to zero residual sugars, I'd suggest a diastaticus yeast (like 3711) or a Brett, both of which can metabolize more complex sugars if the enzyme doesn't break everything down. They are also more likely to add noticeable flavor, especially the Bretts.
Jovaru might be an interesting choice.

I'll look at those yeasts. But I want to make a near 0 carb and likely 30%+ abv beer that doesn't eliminate the hop flavors. I also am to lazy to start with a true grain and a wort and am able to get cheap beer, in fact I get some very high end beer very cheap so I'm happy to experiment for now. I've made a good many dammmm good 30%ers.

Cool.
Srinath.

 

[Obese Chess]

Ah, I was just popping in to ask a question about Voss!

I'm fermenting a pretty simple pale ale right now - 10lb Chevallier Heritge, 2oz Willamette hops. On Sunday afternoon, I pitched one packet of Imperial A43 into the wort at 80 and then let it ride. Normally I ferment in my garage, which stays around 65-70 most of the year. However, we've suddenly had an unseasonably cold couple of days and the temp dropped down into the mid-thirties outside, bringing the garage to the low fifties and the fermenter into the high fifties, low sixties. Last night the thermometer on the side of the bucket read 58 (!). I've since moved it into a bathroom, the only other room in the house with no windows, which is closer to 68 right now, bucket temp is back up to around 66. Obviously what's done is done and I won't worry too much as a result, I'm just curious what kind of results people have had, if any, with fermenting Voss at such low temperatures.

 

[Obese Chess]

Update on the above: kept it at 66-68F and hit FG in 5 days. Unstoppable.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I see White Labs at last have the "usual" kveiks - WLP519-Stranda, WLP520-Sigmund & WLP521-Hornindal are now available on https://yeastman.com/_store (under Vault strains) as well as WLP518 Opshaug (under Speciality/Belgian strains).

 

[Albionwood]

Update on the above: kept it at 66-68F and hit FG in 5 days. Unstoppable.

That's interesting - several people (self included) have experienced varying degrees of stalling when the temperature fell. Others have not. There is still much to learn from experience with these strains.

What was your OG and FG?

 

[Paul_Aris]

Hard for me to ferment anything over 70 degrees. My basement is usally between 65-70. Does this yeast ferment quick at that temp?

 

[Andrew7447]

Voss is still faster than like a US-05 at any temp, with my random split batches I did. Even at 21(70F)

But I normally just run it at 40c under pressure and its done even before 2 days.

 

[Obese Chess]

That's interesting - several people (self included) have experienced varying degrees of stalling when the temperature fell. Others have not. There is still much to learn from experience with these strains.

What was your OG and FG?

I can't find my notes right now but if memory serves, 1.050 to 1.011. Very very mild, low ABV ale - but it held at 1.011 for a week before bottling.

 

[kegkong]

Just used hornindale for the first time. Porter went 1.056-1.012 in 3 days at 80*f

Voss is still faster than like a US-05 at any temp, with my random split batches I did. Even at 21(70F)

But I normally just run it at 40c under pressure and its done even before 2 days.

Hi guys,
Not being facetious or rude when I ask the question: "Then what?"
Just trying to understand the nature of the beast.
When used for stouts/porters and so forth is it still necessary to condition these big beers for onward of 8 months in order for them to mature?

If that's the case then we've only saved a fraction of the time required to produce a quality beer right? or is this conditioning/maturation time also substantially shortened?
Can anyone clarify this?

Cheers,

 

[bleme]

Hi guys,
Not being facetious or rude when I ask the question: "Then what?"
Just trying to understand the nature of the beast.
When used for stouts/porters and so forth is it still necessary to condition these big beers for onward of 8 months in order for them to mature?

I wouldn't call a stout or porter a big beer and mine are ready to serve in 2-3 weeks. Diacetyl, pentanedione and acetaldehyde should all be cleaned up by a normal, healthy fermentation. Since I started controlling temperatures, I haven't had to age anything under 10% and that was mostly just to get the whiskey and oak to meld. Being able to ferment at 90F without producing off-flavors is awesome.

 

[kegkong]

I wouldn't call a stout or porter a big beer and mine are ready to serve in 2-3 weeks. Diacetyl, pentanedione and acetaldehyde should all be cleaned up by a normal, healthy fermentation. Since I started controlling temperatures, I haven't had to age anything under 10% and that was mostly just to get the whiskey and oak to meld. Being able to ferment at 90F without producing off-flavors is awesome.

OK, fair enough. I understood about the insane fermentation temperatures and so forth but I've never seen a post where it was stated that a stout or porter fermented in this way was as good as those aged in the traditional time consuming way. People only seem to talk about it's use in IPA's and Lagers. 2-3 weeks beats 8-12 months, hands down!
Thanks for the clarification.

Cheers,

 

[bleme]

OK, fair enough. I understood about the insane fermentation temperatures and so forth but I've never seen a post where it was stated that a stout or porter fermented in this way was as good as those aged in the traditional time consuming way. People only seem to talk about it's use in IPA's and Lagers. 2-3 weeks beats 8-12 months, hands down!

As dark beers age, the little bit of oxygen in there reacts to create nutty, toffee, almond, leathery, tobacco, or licorice notes, but that doesn't mean the beer isn't great fresh also.

 

[kegkong]

As dark beers age, the little bit of oxygen in there reacts to create nutty, toffee, almond, leathery, tobacco, or licorice notes, but that doesn't mean the beer isn't great fresh also.

Oh, I see. I wasn't aware that some of those types of notes were the result of reactions involving oxygen. So it's still worth a bit of aging instead of quaffing it all down straight away.

In any case it's good to know that the darks will taste good after just a few weeks. I'll give it a go!

Cheers,

 

[Munster51]

Voss is no joke. I head read and read, and read about it. Brewed a Dopelbock yesterday to play with Voss. Intentionally made 4 gallons to leave plenty of spaces in the fermenter. Pitched about half a pack at 230pm. This picture was taken at 930 am this morning.

 

[kegkong]

Voss is no joke. I head read and read, and read about it. Brewed a Dopelbock yesterday to play with Voss. Intentionally made 4 gallons to leave plenty of spaces in the fermenter. Pitched about half a pack at 230pm. This picture was taken at 930 am this morning.

Wow! That is serious indeed. I had gotten my hands on a unitank and from the youtubes I seen, apparently fermenting under pressure will suppress the height of the krausen (?) I reckon this is where the Fermzillas and similar will be an advantage in this regard.

Cheers,

 

[SanJuanWorm]

I'm very happy with my Voss Kviek liquid yeast pac. About 5h after I pitched (Sunday) I had 3" of super-foamy krausen! This was all at 77º (25ºC) but I have since wrapped a heating pad on my primary just for a bit more heat.

Can't really tell how much warmer it is, but the krausen is down to 1", so I should be ready to transfer to secondary by Friday. Cannot wait to taste this WCIPA once the foam drops out. Incredible stuff !!

 

[SanJuanWorm]

Checked the bucket at lunchtime today, and my krausen was less than 1cm! I even had some 'open water'! Wow!

Reached my FG in 3 days...all at 77º (25ºC) room temp, plus the heating pad on and off every 2h or so.

Beautiful smells and the taste is very nice. Cannot wait to clear and bottle.

This stuff is amazing!!