Yeast for Belgian Pilsner

[HOPCousin]

Was putting together a Belgian Style Pilsner at a Friends request. He likes Steel Rail Pale Ale by BBC, and Stella A.

3 Gallon Batch AG, OG 1.047, 21.3 IBU, SRM 3
I have a malt profile of:

50% 2lb 10oz American Two-row Pale
50% 2lb 10oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger

60 minutes .5 Saaz
30 minutes .5 Saaz
Flameout .5 Liberty

Was thinking about WLP 550. Experience with this yeast or other suggestions for a yeast?

 

[GuldTuborg]

What do you want it to taste like? That's what I'd ask. There are Belgian lager yeasts available if it's an actual pilsner style beer you're after (though it won't be the same as a real one with the right yeast, of course).

White Labs makes a handy Belgian yeast chart available here. I wish Wyeast did as well, but they don't, to my knowledge. Their loss.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

you might be able to find WLP815 Belgian Lager. It's one of their seasonal strains, so you have to get it while its available. From what I've read it's very similar to the Stella yeast. My lhbs had a vial that was pretty fresh so i picked it up a couple weeks ago.

If you use the 550, it will be a good Belgian style beer, but it wont be a Pilsner...thats for sure.

 

[HOPCousin]

Unforunately I don't have lagering capability so I'm trying to use a Belgian style Ale yeast. I brewed up Belgian Wit with WLP400. I'll have him taste it this weekend and maybe use that yeast. But I was thinking to use a different yeast and try a new flavor

 

[robtotten]

You'd be better off with Nottingham or a Kolsch yeast (how low can you ferment?) than 400, which is great for Wits but like the anti-pilsner. It will probably be good either way, but wlp400 will give you a beer that's cloudy and estery.

 

[DannPM]

550 is wyeast's 3522 I believe. It's a good clean strain fermented at low temps. Personally, I love it, it is my favorite for cleaner Belgians.

 

[HOPCousin]

I think it's around 60 in the basement currently possibly one room in the corner could be 50's. How important is lagering in the 30's for several weeks after fermentation?

 

[BigEd]

Was putting together a Belgian Style Pilsner at a Friends request. He likes Steel Rail Pale Ale by BBC, and Stella A.

3 Gallon Batch AG, OG 1.047, 21.3 IBU, SRM 3
I have a malt profile of:

50% 2lb 10oz American Two-row Pale
50% 2lb 10oz Pilsner (2 Row) Ger

60 minutes .5 Saaz
30 minutes .5 Saaz
Flameout .5 Liberty

Was thinking about WLP 550. Experience with this yeast or other suggestions for a yeast?

The yeast has already been covered. I agree. Don't use the 550, try a clean ale strain like one of the German ale yeasts or California WL001/WY1056. Stella has a non-malt adjunct addition to lighten the body and color and in spite of that does seem to retain a hint of pilsner malt flavor. For a larger batch recipe I might use both some corn and rice. It you want to lighten it up go with 4 lbs of malt (I'd use all pils) along with a pound of rice syrup solids.

 

[DannPM]

550 is wyeast's 3522 I believe. It's a good clean strain fermented at low temps. Personally, I love it, it is my favorite for cleaner Belgians.

Forgot to read what you're trying to clone. 550 will still give you distinct Belgian yeast flavors, ale flavors, you want something lager like, listen to these other guys and ignore that post

 

[Bob]

I second (third? fourth?) the notion of absolutely avoiding a Belgian ale yeast. Steel Rail and Stella are very "clean", with few (in the case of Steel Rail) to no (Stella) yeast flavors at all. Both are lightly-hopped, not terribly bitter.

Go with a simple malt bill - pale malt, maybe a touch of Vienna - and bitter to no more than 20 IBU. A hint of European hops at flameout to bridge the gap between Steel Rail and Stella. Ferment with an American ale yeast (fewer esters) at the low end of the yeast's range; I'd call 60F about perfect. Package when clear.

Boom.

Me, I adore clean, mildly flavorful beers like this. They're a challenge to brew well, and they go down really, really easily on a warm Spring day.

Good luck!

Bob

 

[HOPCousin]

Thanks guys. I needed to bounce the idea around a bit. I can us the US-05 for yeast. How about using Rice? Can I just steep the rice with the grains in the mash? Never used it before.

 

[BigEd]

Thanks guys. I needed to bounce the idea around a bit. I can us the US-05 for yeast. How about using Rice? Can I just steep the rice with the grains in the mash? Never used it before.

Rice would need to be mashed, not steeped. Minute rice or flaked rice are the simplest way to go. They can just be mixed into your grist. Whole, raw rice would need to be milled and cooked prior to mashing.

 

[HOPCousin]

Thanks
I've been looking at some recipe's. General rules for Pilsner and % Rice?

 

[Mermaid]

I'm going to toss my $.02 into this, as I'm sitting here enjoying a glass of Steel Rail EPA right now. What I taste in this is biscuit, crackers, bread - just a wee bit of hops (the BBC site says the IBUs on this are 20, fairly low).

I was actually going to email them to ask what hops they used, I'm guessing something like EKG or Fuggles.

I'm not experienced enough to know where the biscuit/cracker comes from in this brew but it's really yummy.

For yeast, since the style is technically an APA, I would suggest going with one of the California strains and ferment it cool, like WLP 050 or 051. Been playing around a bit with Pacman as well, so if you can find some (or capture some), Pacman might be good to work with too.

I do not detect much sweetness or typical Belgian fruitiness in this brew, nor do the hops thwack you over the head (sometimes I like that, especially if I'm eating something spicy).

This is a nice session brew and a style that I normally don't care for. (I'm one of those wacky females who prefer funkier beers like dubbels, tripels, and sours)

I might actually try coming up with a clone for the BBC Steel Rail EPA. It would be perfect to have on hand this summer, so keep us posted on your results.

 

[HOPCousin]

All their styles have an English bent which is what they're going for. I'm pretty sure it's not a clean yeast like west coast. I think they use something more English. Everything is always more full bodied and sweeter. So they probably mash most things over 154 if I had to guess. They shared about their hops on the tour and some of their mash temps. I like their Porter a lot. It's a great standard go to for me.