wlp833 - Marzen/Oktoberfest - OG 1.072

[migrau]

Hi guys. Planning the next brew, a Marzen one. The recipe is:

The plan is using 2 vials of bock lager wlp833, pitching at 10C/50F, and fermenting for ~4 weeks. Do you think better doing a starter? Is 1.020 a safe FG? Same recipe with W-34/70 ends at 1.012, but I already bought the liquid yeast... Cheers

 

[IslandLizard]

I'm in the camp of always making a starter since it a) proves viability, b) revitalizes the yeast, and c) grows more cells for a healthy pitch. You need quite a few cells:
BrewUnited's Yeast Calculator

Starting out with 2 sleeves (tubes?) of yeast will help you getting there faster, especially if the yeast is more than 3-4 months old. You'll need a large starter vessel (4-5 liters), or 2 smaller ones, or run it twice with a 2 liter one. Count on it taking a week to propagate and a few days to a week to crash. Stir plate?

 

[Mer-man]

You should have at least 1.5million cells per ml per degree Plato, so if you have 20L into the fermenter that's about 540billion cells.
140billion cells would be fine for a 1.060 ale at 20C with a conventional yeast like a Chico strain.

 

[BrewMan13]

I've used that strain 3 times and never hit better than 70% attenuation despite all the usual efforts: huge starter, oxygenation, yeast nutrient, giving it plenty of time to finish up, etc. I thought the beers tasted fine, though. But i would suggest a different strain if you want it to have less residual sweetness.

 

[Jag75]

Never tried that yeast . I've used 820 I believe with great results.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've used that strain 3 times and never hit better than 70% attenuation despite all the usual efforts: huge starter, oxygenation, yeast nutrient, giving it plenty of time to finish up, etc. I thought the beers tasted fine, though. But i would suggest a different strain if you want it to have less residual sweetness.

Or maybe mashing long and low?

With the recipe as is, the diastatic power may be a little low, not sure if the 20°L U.S. Dark Munich is self convertible, the Vienna may not have a lot spare.

Why using the extracts?

 

[IslandLizard]

Never tried that yeast . I've used 820 I believe with great results.

I second WLP820, I love the flavor and residuals.

I'm unfamiliar with WLP833 German Bock, but looks like a suitable candidate.
Attenuation for WLP820 is listed as 65% - 73% vs. WLP833's 70% - 76%, so very possibly even a tad more attenuative under the right circumstances.
Not sure what the recipe formulator is, but it's dead wrong on the yeast pitch amount, it's even skimpy for an ale of that gravity.

 

[Mer-man]

If you selectively repitch your 833, you can improve the attenuation. I had a culture going for several months and it was both malty and dry.

 

[migrau]

Yep, I already bought the yeast so no choice now. It looks like 2 vials, 3L starter for a high gravity lager is enough for 18L so I will reduce the batch size.

The DME/LME is because I brew in a small kettle.

First time doing a starter for a lager strain. Pitch temp in the starter is 18C or fermentation temp? (10C)

The dark munich actually is from NZ, Aussie brewer here, but I expect similarly. Cheers

 

[migrau]

Btw, it's ok mixing yeast strains? maybe buying one WLP820, so using three vials and I can go to 23L
The repitch sounds good, maybe in the future