WY3787 or WLP550 in search of an easy basement yeast

[pinchegil]

Not sure why but i had the idea to find a good Belgian yeast to ferment in a basement with no temp control other than a fan. I brewed a 19 gallon batch of a piloncillo tripel, I split it into two conicals and pitched one with wy3787 and wlp550. I know one is a trappist, and one is for a golden strong, but I am looking more toward an all season Belgian yeast for those that have a basement but no temp control. I pitched @ 68 og 1.082 and let it climb to 74 before I turned on a fan the temp maxed out at 76. Here are my reaults:
1. The starters were very different, the 3787 had very little krausen, whil the 550 had a very large krausen.

starter_1

• pinchegil
• Apr 12, 2018

2. After 6 days the wy3787 had reached 1.009 , .001 from finishing. wlp550 was at 1.012
3. After 17 days the wy3787 had reached 1.008, wlp had reached 1.009
The appearance of the beers were striking, the wy3787 had flocculated completely while the wlp550 was still very cloudy. The flavor of the wy3787 was nice and funky with a thick smooth finish, while the wlp550 was a little more spicy with a very thin clean finish. I had read that the 3787 would stall at 68 and I think that is why it flocculated so well. While either of these are not very finicky, I probably will use the wy3787.

Clarity

• pinchegil
• Apr 12, 2018

 

[couchsending]

Interesting

Especially as 550/3522 is supposed to be the most flocculent Belgian yeast.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Interesting

Especially as 550/3522 is supposed to be the most flocculent Belgian yeast.

I love 3522, I brew a lot of Belgians at elevated temps and this is my house strain. For anything else I use kölsch yeast and ferment low-50s.

 

[pinchegil]

These were at 68 no cold crash. Maybe another week in the fermenter would have helped. It will be interesting to see what a week in the keezer will do for clarity

 

[JohnSand]

I have used 3787/530 from the mid sixties through the mid eighties. It produces good but different beer throughout the range.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I have used 3787/530 from the mid sixties through the mid eighties.

Wow that's a long time you've been brewing with that one strain!

 

[secondbase]

I love 3787 for this style. I like 3522 for smaller light belgian styles (blonde, paters, pale).

 

[JohnSand]

Wow that's a long time you've been brewing with that one strain!

Yep, I've been brewing since I was four. Mom was a bit worried, but I grew up to fulfil all her fears.

 

[pinchegil]

Keggles in a VW micro van. Who could ask anything more from a childhood

 

[Lefou]

Just a side comment ... I tend toward using the less flocculent yeasts for bottle carbed ales. After that, they get stashed in the refrigerator.