Kveik

[Sadfield]

Someone needs to dig out the mash.

 

[Zephyr259]

That's my 80/- just been pitched with Saure at 27c and heating back up to 30c. Scooped out some thick slurry with a teaspoon and pitched that into about 500ml of cooled first runnings. Didn't see any activity in the mini starter by the end of the brew like with Voss previously but it should kick off soon.

 

[prog99]

The local brewery are bout to launch a Kveik fermented beer. Will be interesting to try it.

Hornindal IPA – 6.5% - Fermented at very high temperature with Hornindal Kveik yeast, known for producing masses of stone fruit and pineapply esters. Complimented by a complex malt bill and dry hopped with Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy and Vic Secret to boost the full on fruity flavours.

 

[Zephyr259]

And it's off! Was still quiet around 7 - 8pm but at 11:30 pm it was bubbling furiously, about 4 bubbles per second through the blow-off tube. Still going strong this morning, but maybe a fraction slower.

I also had another bottle of the wheatwine braggot I fermented with Opshaug kveik, smoothed out nicely and I'm starting to figure out what a braggot is meant to taste like as it is a rather odd flavour combo, hid the 10.5% abv very well and has some fruitiness which is probably partially yeast as well as the orange blossom honey. I'll probably try the hefty braggot frrom Ken Schramm's book using one of my kveik strains, but I'll remember to add nutrients to keep them happy this time.

 

[xozzx]

I have skim read most of this thread and pretty excited to try a kveik yeast. I ordered one of thehomebrewcompany kveik yeasts LINK which I plan to use at the weekend with a hoppy IPA. Have a few questions hopefully someone can clarify...

- I will overbuild a starter to keep some back for next brew. When making the starter should I keep the flask at 33-40C?
- The recipe calls for 2.9L starter (450billion cells). I plan to underpitch as has been advised on here a fair bit. How much to underpitch? I was thinking to pitch approx 100 billion cells.
- I will have a fairly big dry hop. Should I wait until fermentation has finished then drop temp to about 20C, dry hop for few days, cold crash and then keg? Any harm to dry hopping at higher temps? I could alternatively dry hop in the corny keg (never done this before).

Thanks for any advice

 

[Zephyr259]

That's an enormous pitch rate it's recommending, unless you're doing a 10 gal batch? I've pitched Voss kveik at 0.75 million cells/ml/P and down to 0.35 I think. Works fine but comes out clean which can be what's wanted. My 80/- got a teaspoon of thick slurry from the bottom of a settles starter and it took a while to start but has been going like a rocket since.

I think it's @BeerCat who has had some experience with dry hopping and prefers to drop the temp?

 

[BeerCat]

I was not very impressed with dry hopping at 37c so i now drop it to 14c and recently dry hop again in the keg. Normally drop the temp after 72 hours.

 

[David Heath]

Great to see people in the UK using Kveik. Ive lived in Norway for many years and have obtained various strains directly from the original farms. People need to realise that the commercial versions are single strain isolates where as the real stuff is at least 4 strains mixed.
Ive made various videos on this for those that are interested:-

 

[SmallSpacesBrewing]

I have skim read most of this thread and pretty excited to try a kveik yeast. I ordered one of thehomebrewcompany kveik yeasts LINK which I plan to use at the weekend with a hoppy IPA. Have a few questions hopefully someone can clarify...

- I will overbuild a starter to keep some back for next brew. When making the starter should I keep the flask at 33-40C?
- The recipe calls for 2.9L starter (450billion cells). I plan to underpitch as has been advised on here a fair bit. How much to underpitch? I was thinking to pitch approx 100 billion cells.
- I will have a fairly big dry hop. Should I wait until fermentation has finished then drop temp to about 20C, dry hop for few days, cold crash and then keg? Any harm to dry hopping at higher temps? I could alternatively dry hop in the corny keg (never done this before).

Thanks for any advice

A tablespoon of slurry is enough. As for the dryhopping, I would cool it before adding. Hops at that temp isn't a good idea. Good luck!

 

[AdeDunn]

Great to see people in the UK using Kveik. Ive lived in Norway for many years and have obtained various strains directly from the original farms. People need to realise that the commercial versions are single strain isolates where as the real stuff is at least 4 strains mixed.
Ive made various videos on this for those that are interested:-

I actually spoke to WHC via email (as supplied by the home brew company), and they assured me that yes they isolate, but only to remove any bacteria from the yeast cultures, as their commercial brewery customers don't like bacteria. They also however offered to supply the original cultures on request, complete with any bacteria that might be in there. I discussed these emails earlier in this thread. That's not actually true about at least 4 strains though, some have 1, some 2, some 3, some 4... http://www.garshol.priv.no/download/farmhouse/kveik.html

It won't make any difference at all with the main Stranda strain (the one from Stein Langlo), as only a single strain ever got revived from the samples gathered. So whether it's direct from Norway, or Omega Hothead Ale, it's a single strain. http://www.garshol.priv.no/download/farmhouse/kveik.html#kv3

 

[David Heath]

I actually spoke to WHC via email (as supplied by the home brew company), and they assured me that yes they isolate, but only to remove any bacteria from the yeast cultures, as their commercial brewery customers don't like bacteria. They also however offered to supply the original cultures on request, complete with any bacteria that might be in there. I discussed these emails earlier in this thread. That's not actually true about at least 4 strains though, some have 1, some 2, some 3, some 4... http://www.garshol.priv.no/download/farmhouse/kveik.html

It won't make any difference at all with the main Stranda strain (the one fr
om Stein Langlo), as only a single strain ever got revived from the samples gathered. So whether it's direct from Norway, or Omega Hothead Ale, it's a single strain. http://www.garshol.priv.no/download/farmhouse/kveik.html#kv3

Fair play, I should have said most of what I use is 4 strains mostly. The thing to realise is these isolate versions are little like the real stuff you get here that Norwegians refer to as kveik.
People here feel the yeast is misrepresented being in cleaned up single strain versions, even if the original is a single strain. I would urge you to try the real deal because the difference is pretty huge.
Sure these are a risk for breweries but no issue for a small batch home brewer. Ive been using this stuff for years without a single issues. People tend to get amazed just using the isolates but when they try the real deal they seldom go back to the isolates.

 

[xozzx]

That's an enormous pitch rate it's recommending, unless you're doing a 10 gal batch? I've pitched Voss kveik at 0.75 million cells/ml/P and down to 0.35 I think. Works fine but comes out clean which can be what's wanted. My 80/- got a teaspoon of thick slurry from the bottom of a settles starter and it took a while to start but has been going like a rocket since.

Ye, was a quick check while at work but had it set on lager, should be 300b cells.

I just started a 1L starter and will probably pour half in and keep the other half. No idea what the cell count is but will give it a go. I realised it will be a pain putting the stirrer in the fridge with heater on so just doing the starter at room temp.

The pack says to use double the nutrients. I never normally add nutrients to beer, thinking of adding a couple of t-spoons with this yeast... does that sound reasonable?

 

[entertheflagon]

Fair play, I should have said most of what I use is 4 strains mostly. The thing to realise is these isolate versions are little like the real stuff you get here that Norwegians refer to as kveik.
People here feel the yeast is misrepresented being in cleaned up single strain versions, even if the original is a single strain. I would urge you to try the real deal because the difference is pretty huge.
Sure these are a risk for breweries but no issue for a small batch home brewer. Ive been using this stuff for years without a single issues. People tend to get amazed just using the isolates but when they try the real deal they seldom go back to the isolates.

Hello David,
Do you have a favourite strain you like to use more than others? Also if you were asked niceley, would you share it?
I've had mixed luck with the Facebook group in Norway.

 

[AdeDunn]

Fair play, I should have said most of what I use is 4 strains mostly. The thing to realise is these isolate versions are little like the real stuff you get here that Norwegians refer to as kveik.
People here feel the yeast is misrepresented being in cleaned up single strain versions, even if the original is a single strain. I would urge you to try the real deal because the difference is pretty huge.
Sure these are a risk for breweries but no issue for a small batch home brewer. Ive been using this stuff for years without a single issues. People tend to get amazed just using the isolates but when they try the real deal they seldom go back to the isolates.

No arguments with that David, fully intend to get the original strains once I have the money, and time to actually brew with them. Not actually done any brewing for a few weeks now, my wife has even constructed a barricade into the room where I keep my brewing kit.... lol I love to compare things for myself anyway, always have.

I haven't used the Kveik I got from WHC yet, but so far my experience has been using Voss from Yeast Bay (single strain White Labs stuff) and Stranda from Omega (aka Hothead Ale). The Voss, well it made nice beer, and clear beer (unlike what I've seen produced using some of the original stuff) but zero orange zest etc from it, so I'd say it's better as just an alternative to a normal lab yeast where you want to ferment on the warmer side, other than that it was nothing special. The Hothead Ale is much nicer, ferments a tiny bit cooler which makes it easier to get the flavours out of it, although these flavours can be a touch on the subtle side. A good one for brewing anything a bit on the fruity side, again especially where you don't want to be messing with temperature control. The citra hopped, mosaic dry hopped porter I made with it is delicious for example.

I'd say though that the majority of people brewing with Kveik right now are of the experimental brewer type, so are likely to try out the different strains from different sources.

The 2 WHC Kveiks I have waiting in the fridge by the way are Ebbegarden and Hornindal, the latter will be especially important to try the original complete with bacteria, as from my research it adds a whole different group of flavours (mushroom & milky caramel flavours) to the beer.

x0zzx, you can't use starter calculators for Kveik, it's a totally different beast. Calcs will give you a massive overpitch with it. You literally use a teaspoon or two of the slurry. If you use more, you may as well use the most characterless yeast on the market as you won't get any flavours from the yeast at all most likely. The stuff is bonkers though, it reproduces like crazy, lag time is incredibly short for a real Kveik (even from dried), and most strains prefer much warmer temperatures to most lab yeasts. It's a whole different ball game, where you have to unlearn normal yeast best practice and learn Kveik methods instead. Kveik is no ordinary yeast. Forget using half and keeping half, think more cold crashing and scooping a teaspoon or so out of the slurry from it, then keeping the rest... lol It makes for a very economical yeast.

 

[xozzx]

Forget using half and keeping half, think more cold crashing and scooping a teaspoon or so out of the slurry from it, then keeping the rest... lol It makes for a very economical yeast.

Thanks, will do exactly that. Im hoping for some orange flavours so will try 1 t-spoon and see how it goes.

Hopefully get a bre going this weekend

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

Just put a Cider on yesterday with the Voss Kveik dry yeast.pitched only 1.7g in 20 ltrs??? at 38 degrees. Been advised pitch a teaspoon of the slurry into bottling bucket or keg for priming?? Looking forward to the results.Then a Stout next week.

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

No arguments with that David, fully intend to get the original strains once I have the money, and time to actually brew with them. Not actually done any brewing for a few weeks now, my wife has even constructed a barricade into the room where I keep my brewing kit.... lol I love to compare things for myself anyway, always have.

I haven't used the Kveik I got from WHC yet, but so far my experience has been using Voss from Yeast Bay (single strain White Labs stuff) and Stranda from Omega (aka Hothead Ale). The Voss, well it made nice beer, and clear beer (unlike what I've seen produced using some of the original stuff) but zero orange zest etc from it, so I'd say it's better as just an alternative to a normal lab yeast where you want to ferment on the warmer side, other than that it was nothing special. The Hothead Ale is much nicer, ferments a tiny bit cooler which makes it easier to get the flavours out of it, although these flavours can be a touch on the subtle side. A good one for brewing anything a bit on the fruity side, again especially where you don't want to be messing with temperature control. The citra hopped, mosaic dry hopped porter I made with it is delicious for example.

I'd say though that the majority of people brewing with Kveik right now are of the experimental brewer type, so are likely to try out the different strains from different sources.

The 2 WHC Kveiks I have waiting in the fridge by the way are Ebbegarden and Hornindal, the latter will be especially important to try the original complete with bacteria, as from my research it adds a whole different group of flavours (mushroom & milky caramel flavours) to the beer.

x0zzx, you can't use starter calculators for Kveik, it's a totally different beast. Calcs will give you a massive overpitch with it. You literally use a teaspoon or two of the slurry. If you use more, you may as well use the most characterless yeast on the market as you won't get any flavours from the yeast at all most likely. The stuff is bonkers though, it reproduces like crazy, lag time is incredibly short for a real Kveik (even from dried), and most strains prefer much warmer temperatures to most lab yeasts. It's a whole different ball game, where you have to unlearn normal yeast best practice and learn Kveik methods instead. Kveik is no ordinary yeast. Forget using half and keeping half, think more cold crashing and scooping a teaspoon or so out of the slurry from it, then keeping the rest... lol It makes for a very economical yeast.

Are you keeping the slurry or drying in the oven on parchment?

 

[AdeDunn]

Are you keeping the slurry or drying in the oven on parchment?

So far I've been keeping the slurry. Ups the risk of infection, but I've been nervous about drying as I have kids and dogs, and just know that something will happen to it.... Was worrying enough when I had a Wyeast smack pack in the fridge.. lol

 

[David Heath]

No arguments with that David, fully intend to get the original strains once I have the money, and time to actually brew with them. Not actually done any brewing for a few weeks now, my wife has even constructed a barricade into the room where I keep my brewing kit.... lol I love to compare things for myself anyway, always have.

I haven't used the Kveik I got from WHC yet, but so far my experience has been using Voss from Yeast Bay (single strain White Labs stuff) and Stranda from Omega (aka Hothead Ale). The Voss, well it made nice beer, and clear beer (unlike what I've seen produced using some of the original stuff) but zero orange zest etc from it, so I'd say it's better as just an alternative to a normal lab yeast where you want to ferment on the warmer side, other than that it was nothing special. The Hothead Ale is much nicer, ferments a tiny bit cooler which makes it easier to get the flavours out of it, although these flavours can be a touch on the subtle side. A good one for brewing anything a bit on the fruity side, again especially where you don't want to be messing with temperature control. The citra hopped, mosaic dry hopped porter I made with it is delicious for example.

I'd say though that the majority of people brewing with Kveik right now are of the experimental brewer type, so are likely to try out the different strains from different sources.

The 2 WHC Kveiks I have waiting in the fridge by the way are Ebbegarden and Hornindal, the latter will be especially important to try the original complete with bacteria, as from my research it adds a whole different group of flavours (mushroom & milky caramel flavours) to the beer.

x0zzx, you can't use starter calculators for Kveik, it's a totally different beast. Calcs will give you a massive overpitch with it. You literally use a teaspoon or two of the slurry. If you use more, you may as well use the most characterless yeast on the market as you won't get any flavours from the yeast at all most likely. The stuff is bonkers though, it reproduces like crazy, lag time is incredibly short for a real Kveik (even from dried), and most strains prefer much warmer temperatures to most lab yeasts. It's a whole different ball game, where you have to unlearn normal yeast best practice and learn Kveik methods instead. Kveik is no ordinary yeast. Forget using half and keeping half, think more cold crashing and scooping a teaspoon or so out of the slurry from it, then keeping the rest... lol It makes for a very economical yeast.

Yes, it is not cheap stuff. I am gradually increasing my stock right now after losing a lot of it when I moved house last year. One thing that is interesting is how the yeast mutates as you use it over time. Because it is multi strain you see this much more than regular single strain yeast. This is one big reason why tasting notes are not really things to take a huge notice of if you get the farm version.
In getting my favourite strains back now (Voss Gjernes, Framgåden, Ebbegården and Midtbust) I am experiencing some interesting differences between the new stock and what I had before.

As regards starters, the Norwegian traditional method is to use "mash wort" after mash out. Cool it down to pitch temp in a mason jar. A small bucket with cold water in it with the jar in the middle works well. Throw it in with a viking war cry and then give it a careful spin as often as you can. By the time you reach your cooling stage (assuming you bothered with a boil) you will see krausen.

 

[uDicko]

Ebbegården

I have this yeast in a teeny tiny Vial from some dude on Facebook.. Think its the same that everyone uses.

But, what is it that's unique you have found with this kveik and what pitch estimate and fermentation temperature have you used to get the flavour profile?

Fancy using it next brew but may as well ask for some advice of someone who has used it!