WLP530 Abby Ale Yeast - how active is it?

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Noob_Brewer

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I am going to be brewing my first Belgian Dubbel and will be using WLP530. Ive never used this yeast before. OG estimate is 1.062. Planning on overbuilding my starter to harvest prior to pitching. Will be doing standard pitch rate of 0.75 on 64degrees of wort and let it increase temp naturally to ~70ish. My question is how much headspace do I need with this yeast in the fermenter? I have read that these belgian yeasts can be very active on krausen and crawl out of the fermenter. I am using Fermonster FV (7.1gallon) with modified ball lock lid and do not want my poppets to get clogged. Planning on getting 5.5gallon into the fermenter which would leave about 1.6g of headspace. Will this be enough? Anyone with experiences on WLP530, I would appreciate their comments on this. Thanks.
 
I've used 530 in the past for a tripel and it was extremely active. It blew the lid off my ferm bucket and made a nice mess. I made a 1200 ml starter on that brew. I started at 66 for a day or so then slowly ramped up to around 80. Honestly one of my favorite beers that I've made to this day and I plan on doing another one this coming weekend.

I also had 5.5 gal in the 6.5 gal bucket.
 
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I've used 530 in the past for a tripel and it was extremely active. It blew the lid off my ferm bucket and made a nice mess. I made a 1200 ml starter on that brew. I started at 66 for a day or so then slowly ramped up to around 80. Honestly one of my favorite beers that I've made to this day and I plan on doing another one this coming weekend.

I also had 5.5 gal in the 6.5 gal bucket.

Thanks for the response. OK, so Im thinking that I either A) need to take a poppet out of the gas side of my modified lid ball lock connection to create an open blowoff or B) use a different fermonster lid with bung for the blowoff. I don't have a bung for the center hole lid so might try option A.
 
WLP530 is the only yeast I've used that has blown off every time I've used it. I even added some Fermcap last time and it still couldn't stop it. You can't stop it, you can only hope to contain it :)
 
WLP530 is the only yeast I've used that has blown off every time I've used it. I even added some Fermcap last time and it still couldn't stop it. You can't stop it, you can only hope to contain it :)
Hmmm, never used fermcap and don’t have any. Now beginning to wonder if even I remove the poppet on my ball lock for blowoff, if that hole will be big enough to keep pressure down. Obviously need to think this through. What was your temps at when you used WLP530?
 
Pitching at below your fermentation temperature is a good idea, but letting it free rise to 70-ish is, in my experience, not. Why? Because it will only take a few hours to get there, so what's the point? The fermentation is vigorous, particularly if you pitch large populations in a fresh starter as is typically suggested.

I see this approach recommended over and over again for Belgian yeasts in different places, as well as raising to low 70s over the initial fermentation period (ie 1 degree/day). My last two Belgians (WLP550, but I would think same would hold), pitched at 65F, shot up to 70F overnight (temperature controlled to stop at 70F), then raised a degree a day to 74F both came out way too yeast centric to the point where they taste essentially the same, despite significantly different grists. I'm still sitting on bottles of these batches waiting to improve further, one bottled 7/19, the other 12/19.

My next brew, scheduled shortly (the Candi Rochefort 8 clone), will use 530 and I don't intend on going any higher than 68F after pitching at 65F.
 
Pitching at below your fermentation temperature is a good idea, but letting it free rise to 70-ish is, in my experience, not. Why? Because it will only take a few hours to get there, so what's the point? The fermentation is vigorous, particularly if you pitch large populations in a fresh starter as is typically suggested.

I see this approach recommended over and over again for Belgian yeasts in different places, as well as raising to low 70s over the initial fermentation period (ie 1 degree/day). My last two Belgians (WLP550, but I would think same would hold), pitched at 65F, shot up to 70F overnight (temperature controlled to stop at 70F), then raised a degree a day to 74F both came out way too yeast centric to the point where they taste essentially the same, despite significantly different grists. I'm still sitting on bottles of these batches waiting to improve further, one bottled 7/19, the other 12/19.

My next brew, scheduled shortly (the Candi Rochefort 8 clone), will use 530 and I don't intend on going any higher than 68F after pitching at 65F.
By yeast "centric" do you think that you got some fusels on this or just way to estery for your taste? I have seen peeps raise to 74 or higher but given this is my first time planning to use this, I was planning on not letting it get out of the high end of the "optimum" range that WLP530 suggests which is 72. Hmmm, perhaps I will start it at 65 and let raise one degree per day getting it to 70 by day 5 rather than let it free rise nearly immediately. I definitely want to experience the esters with what this yeast has to offer but agree that I don't want it to overpower the rest of the grist/candi syrup additions etc. So going 65-70 over the first 5 days may be a "safe" middle ground for my first go round with this yeast.
 
I was looking for that yeast character, but in the end, was not too thrilled with the results. Too much phenolics, I think, but my beers were 8% and 9%, so the alcohol is also impacting taste. Kick you in the head these beers, they will.

I think you will get fine results keeping it between 66F and 70F, there will be no lack of "Belgian yeast character." Definitely have a blow off tube and not a hose attached to the outlet of an airlock. You need at least a 1" diameter opening. I've gotten to just keeping my lids loose (when using a bucket) and letting the overflow run down the side of the buckets and then snapping shut when it is no longer flowing. Someone suggested a brick on the lid, as a very vigorous fermentation might float the lid away. I got the bucket sitting in a large plastic tub in the fermentation chamber to collect the mess.

I've got all the ingredients for an 8 gallon batch of Rochefort 8 per the Candi recipe and plan to ferment at 66F.
 
I usually do 2 gallon batches. So it equates to around a half gallon.

By the way, I just tasted the tripel yesterday and it is fantastic. I fermented this one at 72 and it's not too phenolic for me.

What volume do you think this equate to? 1 gallon? Half gallon? Assuming you are doing 5g batches?
 
I use the 530 as primary in my Russian river Consecration clone. It does get really active, but my fermentation area is naturally in the low-60s so I don't usually get to the point of blowing the top. Even at that point it will occasionally fill the airlock. I'd think that if I fermented any higher I'd need a blowoff at minimum, if not just leave it open once things get kicking, then put the airlock in later.
 
I use the 530 as primary in my Russian river Consecration clone. It does get really active, but my fermentation area is naturally in the low-60s so I don't usually get to the point of blowing the top. Even at that point it will occasionally fill the airlock. I'd think that if I fermented any higher I'd need a blowoff at minimum, if not just leave it open once things get kicking, then put the airlock in later.
Thanks for the input! When you run 530 in the manner of what you stated how much wort do you have vs the amount of headspace? I’ve read you need 20-30% of headspace in the fermenter with these Belgian yeasts. Thanks
 
Thanks for the input! When you run 530 in the manner of what you stated how much wort do you have vs the amount of headspace? I’ve read you need 20-30% of headspace in the fermenter with these Belgian yeasts. Thanks

I usually target about 5.5 gallons into the fermenter. My ale pails that I use for primary are about 7.5 to the lid. the times that I've had issues is when ambient temps are in the 65 - 67 F range. It usually doesn't get there unless I'm brewing in the heart of the summer. Like I said, it's usually in the low 60s where I ferment. Several batches of this in, I just plan that beer in the cooler months. It's a year from brew to bottle, counting souring time, so I'm in no rush to get this into the pipeline.
 
I usually target about 5.5 gallons into the fermenter. My ale pails that I use for primary are about 7.5 to the lid. the times that I've had issues is when ambient temps are in the 65 - 67 F range. It usually doesn't get there unless I'm brewing in the heart of the summer. Like I said, it's usually in the low 60s where I ferment. Several batches of this in, I just plan that beer in the cooler months. It's a year from brew to bottle, counting souring time, so I'm in no rush to get this into the pipeline.
Very helpful. Thank you very much!
 
Wlp530 is a top cropping yeast. It needs more headspace than other yeasts because it makes a large persistent krausen. Fantastic yeast though. My go-to for Belgians.

There is a threshold I think around 68 degrees where it starts to get really aggressive.
 
Wlp530 is a top cropping yeast. It needs more headspace than other yeasts because it makes a large persistent krausen. Fantastic yeast though. My go-to for Belgians.
I’m pumped to use it for first time in my first Belgian dubbel I have planned. Glad I posed this question here though because I norm have only ~20% (1.5gallons) of headspace with my ipas/pale ales in a 7.1 fermonster with ball locks on the lid. So now I’ll plan to use a better blow off tube instead of modified lid with ball locks for the first couple of days of krausen and when I see the krausen falling but yeast still active I’ll replace the lid with my modified ball lock fittings with floating dip tube. Thanks!

The fermonster 7.1g came with a generic lid with center hole fit for a #10 rubber stopper so I an planning on securing a rubber stopper to use in the lid. Might buy a solid #10 stopper and bore a bigger hole in it to fit wider diameter hose for the blow off.
 
I brew mostly belgian tripel and dark strong , ferment 23 litres ( 6.076 gallon ) in a 8.5 gallon fermenter with a 1" blowoff tube . Those belgian yeasts laugh at fermcap.
 
Per above, give the Westmalle yeast lots of headspace- I usually can ferment about 4 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy with temp around 64 and avoid any or very much blowoff. Fermentation temp can get out of hand really fast once it gets started fermenting aggressively.
That yeast also likes to be warmed toward the end of fermentation to make sure it finishes. I've pushed it up to 75-80 after signs of fermentation have ended for at least several days, and you'll hear other people say much the same.
 
I think I read 33% headspace, and that sounds about right. I do 10.5 gallon batches in my 15.5 gallon fermenter, and it comes close to the top.

I generally hold temp to 64-65 for 24 and then let it free-rise as high as it wants to go.
 
You might want to check out Candi Syrup's guidance on yeast count. This is what I will be going by. I just downed a Rochefort 8, a McChouffe along with two current Belgians I brewed with 550 and prior to passing out I confirmed what I already knew: too much yeast character. And one I pitched at 65F and fermented at 70F. I'm going to pay much more attention to yeast count this time and keep on the low end of the recommended fermentation range.

http://www.candisyrup.com/uploads/6/0/3/5/6035776/pitching_rates_-_rev_1.14.pdf
Pic: Jamil's Yellow Diamond Belgian Pale Ale


20200618_180304.jpg
 
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You might want to check out Candi Syrup's guidance on yeast count. This is what I will be going by. I just downed a Rochefort 8, a McChouffe along with two current Belgians I brewed with 550 and prior to passing out I confirmed what I already knew: too much yeast character. And one I pitched at 65F and fermented at 70F. I'm going to pay much more attention to yeast count this time and keep on the low end of the recommended fermentation range.

http://www.candisyrup.com/uploads/6/0/3/5/6035776/pitching_rates_-_rev_1.14.pdf
View attachment 684503
Awesome stuff! Thanks for the link as well. Ya know it’s a tough job having to drink all those beers and evaluating your own brews comparing to the good commercial stuff. But looks like you were up to the task! Lol
 
What kind of attenuation ya'll getting with WLP530? WLP website says 75-80% but in my recipe with beer smith it suggests 86.5%. My recipe includes the candi syrup as well as mashing at 150 for 90 minutes. Does 86.5% seem high? Recipe OG is 1.062 and FG is estimated at 1.008.
 
It really depends on a number of things including pitch rate, fermentation temperature, and fermentability of wort. That said, I usually see around 85% for my Trappist Single (which is the beer I brew the most).
 
It really depends on a number of things including pitch rate, fermentation temperature, and fermentability of wort. That said, I usually see around 85% for my Trappist Single (which is the beer I brew the most).
Thanks! Im hoping at having pretty fermentable wort given the mash temp stated above and I will plan on pitching at 64 and letting temp rise 1 degree per day until 70ish. Pitch rate estimated to be a healthy 0.75 for OG of 1.062.
 
I should also mention that if you are adding sugar or candy syrup your attenuation will go up because they are almost completely fermentable. At least that is true with the lighter syrups. I'm not as confident about the darker syrups, because I don't tend to make the darker styles.
 
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I should also mention that if you are adding sugar or candy syrup your attenuation will go in because they are almost completely fermentable. At least that is true with the lighter syrups. I'm not as confident about the darker syrups, because I don't tend to make the darker styles.
yeah Im using both D-90 and D-45 candi syrups for this beer.
 
What kind of attenuation ya'll getting with WLP530? WLP website says 75-80% but in my recipe with beer smith it suggests 86.5%. My recipe includes the candi syrup as well as mashing at 150 for 90 minutes. Does 86.5% seem high? Recipe OG is 1.062 and FG is estimated at 1.008.

One thing to keep in mind is that that BeerSmith does not take into account the intrinsic fermentability of each grain in the grain bill. It does consider mash temp, mash length, and yeast strain. And it (I think) considers candi syrup to be 100% fermentable. (The dark syrups are not, really, but pretty close). But it doesn't differentiate between, say, Pilsner Malt and Special B.

If you'd like a second opinion, you could post your grain bill and syrup type/amount here.
 
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