Mangrove Jacks M76

[Cestrian]

Just about to place an order on get'er brewed and was considering getting a few packets of M76. Never tred it before. Any recommendations?

If so what's the best temperature to go with and do you need to pitch two packets at low temps?

 

[chthon]

I used it for brewing bocks. It is a nice yeast. I have always used a temperature between 10° and 12° C for fermentation. After fermentation, I put it for a couple of days at room temperature to get rid of diacetyl. I also lagered them for a couple of weeks in a cold environment to make sure that the yeast is really dropped out. I used a whole sachet for 8l, so that would probably work out to two sachets for 20 litre somethings.

 

[AlDaviz]

Hi
I’ve not used the M76 but I’ve used the m84 a couple of times and it worked well, i tend to add 2x packets as I’m normally fermenting 20-25 litres.
lately I’ve started using the M54 Californian lager, I can’t taste any difference !!
All the Mangrove jacks yeasts seem to work quite predictably.

 

[Cestrian]

I used it for brewing bocks. It is a nice yeast. I have always used a temperature between 10° and 12° C for fermentation. After fermentation, I put it for a couple of days at room temperature to get rid of diacetyl. I also lagered them for a couple of weeks in a cold environment to make sure that the yeast is really dropped out. I used a whole sachet for 8l, so that would probably work out to two sachets for 20 litre somethings.

Sounds nice. I was thinking of brewing a bock. I'll give it a try then. Cheers!

 

[Cestrian]

Hi
I’ve not used the M76 but I’ve used the m84 a couple of times and it worked well, i tend to add 2x packets as I’m normally fermenting 20-25 litres.
lately I’ve started using the M54 Californian lager, I can’t taste any difference !!
All the Mangrove jacks yeasts seem to work quite predictably.

Yeah I've been using M54 quite a lot recently too. In a steam beer first off, then warm fermented lagers and pale ales. It's just a nice clean, reliable yeast. Might give the M84 a go too.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

General thinking is that M76 is either Diamond Lager or 34/70, so it should be fairly forgiving of being fermented at closer to ale temperatures.

See this for how 34/70 responds to higher temperatures.

 

[jeg3]

I used two packs of M76 for a Munich Dunkel a couple of years ago, the first pitched at 20degC, the second at 12degC 24 hours later.

It then spent 17 days at 12degC, then 2 days at 20 degC for a diacetyl rest then 4 days at 1degC.

My one and only lager and it was superb

 

[Cestrian]

I made a Vienna lager with 50/50 Pilsner/Vienna malt. 22L at 1050. I split this batch in to two 11L brews and pitched one with a packet of M76 Bavarian Lager yeast and the other with a packet of M84 Bohemian Lager yeast. The yeasts were hydrated and then both pitched and fermented at 10C, with temperature increased to 18C after a week for a diacetyl rest. I transferred off the yeast in to kegs after two weeks and they have had another couple of weeks lagering in the kegs. Wouldn't normally do this but wanted the yeast cakes to make my next brews. The M76 tastes great! Nice malty crisp lager and crystal clear. The M84 has got a huge green apple hit. Acetaldehyde. I haven't had a problem with this for years.

Does anyone know if this is common with M84 yeast and more importantly - will this lager out?

 

[cossie.j]

I made a Vienna lager with 50/50 Pilsner/Vienna malt. 22L at 1050. I split this batch in to two 11L brews and pitched one with a packet of M76 Bavarian Lager yeast and the other with a packet of M84 Bohemian Lager yeast. The yeasts were hydrated and then both pitched and fermented at 10C, with temperature increased to 18C after a week for a diacetyl rest. I transferred off the yeast in to kegs after two weeks and they have had another couple of weeks lagering in the kegs. Wouldn't normally do this but wanted the yeast cakes to make my next brews. The M76 tastes great! Nice malty crisp lager and crystal clear. The M84 has got a huge green apple hit. Acetaldehyde. I haven't had a problem with this for years.

Does anyone know if this is common with M84 yeast and more importantly - will this lager out?

I had the same problem with the M84 a little while back. I left it in the keg for 6 weeks before sampling, and I had that same off flavor from it! The beer dropped so clear and bright but that flavor didn’t go? After 3 months in the keg i give up and poured it down the sink. Maybe i was just being impatient

 

[chthon]

I have used the M84 too for bock, and I handled it the same as the M76: ferment around 10°-12°, then after two weeks a couple of days at 16° C, then lager for a month to six weeks. No weird tastes.

But wait: due to the long lagering I don't take my chances, and use CBC-1 bottling yeast, then get it to condition at room temperature (both for the M76 and M84). That might be the difference.

 

[Sandimas]

All the Mangrove jacks yeasts seem to work quite predictably.

Apart from M15 Empire Ale Yeast, I've had some really high FGs / poor attentuation with that one, last beer only went from OG 1051 -> FG 1025 with M15.

But I'm a fan of all their other yeasts I've tried.

 

[jeg3]

Apart from M15 Empire Ale Yeast, I've had some really high FGs / poor attentuation with that one, last beer only went from OG 1051 -> FG 1025 with M15.

But I'm a fan of all their other yeasts I've tried.

I had two cases of massive overcarbonation using M15, once in a king keg which blew the pressure relief valve in the cap and once in bottles which all gushed on opening. In my case it appeared to continue fermenting long after it reached a rather high FG. Neither were infected, as they tasted great, but I'd never use the yeast again.

IN the case of the bottles it was a porter, and cleaning up the mess was a PITA.

 

[AlDaviz]

I’ve never had any problems, I’ve just ordered a couple of packets of the m66 Hophead to try in my next Hazy Neipa

 

[Sandimas]

I had two cases of massive overcarbonation using M15, once in a king keg which blew the pressure relief valve in the cap and once in bottles which all gushed on opening. In my case it appeared to continue fermenting long after it reached a rather high FG. Neither were infected, as they tasted great, but I'd never use the yeast again.

Yes, I think M15 has a very long slow ferment tail. My bottles that finished at 1025 are getting a little lovely now, but they're stored in the fridge so should be OK - I'd be really worried if they were in my garage stored and the weather was warming up. I have another pakcet of M15 and I'll leave the beer in the FV for a month, just to be sure.

 

[chthon]

So, I am not the only one who had trouble with the M15 yeast. I originally thought it was bad hygiene (but the beer still tasted good). I also contacted MJ themselves, and they put it down to long storage time of the yeast. But apparently it is one that needs time.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I like M15 for my brown ale. It does finish high but knowing that, use it when you want a less attenuated ale.

 

[tigertim]

I'm fermenting an India Pale Lager with M76 at the moment from David Heath's recipe; it's been going since last Friday. It spent two days at 15C getting started and then has been at 10C ever since. 19 litres of wort and I used one packet of yeast without rehydrating it (i.e. what he did!).

I dumped some yeast after two days after first flooding all the valves with Chemsan and what came out smelled yeasty but pretty tasty.

However, I gave the airlock a sniff this morning and it smelled a bit odd. I sanitised the sample valve and took a small sample and it smells and tastes a bit sour.

I guess I'm fearing the worst, but is it possible that this yeast might produce these sorts of flavours mid-fermentation? It doesn't taste ruined, but it does make me feel it could go either way.

I was pretty meticulous with sanitation - left the fermenter full of Chemsan no-rinse all night prior and made sure it ran it copiously through all the valves. I'm worried that farting around dumping the yeast may have caused an issue. I've never even had the facility to do so before, so I wish I hadn't bothered!

Gravity has been decreasing steadily from 1.055 to 1.037 over the last 4-5 days (I have a Brewbrain Float) but does appear to be slowing down a bit.

 

[dmtaylor]

Not sure why you would want to dump yeast in the middle of active fermentation, unless harvesting for a new batch. Yeast itself has a certain tartness, which will be removed once the yeast is finished and settles out. I think you're fine, just need to be much more patient.

 

[tigertim]

Not sure why you would want to dump yeast in the middle of active fermentation

Because I'm clueless about such matters I'd seen advice from various places which suggested dumping dead yeast from the bottom every couple of days during fermentation in order to make sure the take-off tube stayed above the level of the yeast to avoid clogging. Wishing I hadn't bothered now!

Thanks for the reply and the optimism! I have nothing to gain by doing anything other than leaving it for the duration, so that's what I'll do

 

[chthon]

Because I'm clueless about such matters I'd seen advice from various places which suggested dumping dead yeast from the bottom every couple of days during fermentation in order to make sure the take-off tube stayed above the level of the yeast to avoid clogging. Wishing I hadn't bothered now!

Thanks for the reply and the optimism! I have nothing to gain by doing anything other than leaving it for the duration, so that's what I'll do

It is not because it is at the bottom during an active fermentation that it is already dead! And lager is bottom fermenting, you won't have the same activity in a lager fermentation as you have in an ale fermentation.

It takes a long time for yeast to die.