WLP400 - Belgian Wit - Long ferment

[MickDundee]

Does anyone know if this yeast has a long ferment time or a K-97esque reputation for a stubborn krausen.

Ive brewed 4 wits before, and they’ve been some of the best beers I’ve brewed but I’ve always just used MJ M21. This is being entered to the MM/Elusive competition so I thought I’d use a liquid yeast this time

I brewed it 12 days ago, the yeast shot off like a rocket and was showing signs of activity within 5 hours of pitching. I started at 20C, bumped up to 22C after 3 days and to 23C after a week.

I’d been hoping to bottle/keg it tonight but it doesn’t look like that’s happening - and judging by the krausen this weekend is probably out of the question completely.

What’s everyone else’s experience of this yeast, is it prone to this?

 

[Broken Toe]

Snap. I'm putting mine on with the same yeast this weekend, I've used the 400 before and I bottled up after 14 days on the nose. However my notes tell me that I should have left it longer as I had some over carb problems after about a month in the bottle.

My plan this time is to leave it for about 14 days after the ramp up and then bottle from there... Not a huge amount of help I know. Sorry.

 

[MickDundee]

Snap. I'm putting mine on with the same yeast this weekend, I've used the 400 before and I bottled up after 14 days on the nose. However my notes tell me that I should have left it longer as I had some over carb problems after about a month in the bottle.

My plan this time is to leave it for about 14 days after the ramp up and then bottle from there... Not a huge amount of help I know. Sorry.

I’ll leave it until the middle of next week then.

I’m not exactly desperate (although I’d planned to get either my NEIPA or Deuchars clone on this weekend) but I’m aware I only have until 9 July for the bottles it reach Malt Miller for judging. It’ll have had 2 weeks carbing 2 weeks conditioning before postage even if I have to give it an extra week so should be ok.

 

[Broken Toe]

Yeah. Good time frame for that. I've been stuck for time and so I'm going to have to hope that "fresh" with minimal conditioning time will pay off...?! Less coriander I think...

 

[MickDundee]

Yeah. Good time frame for that. I've been stuck for time and so I'm going to have to hope that "fresh" with minimal conditioning time will pay off...?! Less coriander I think...

Mine smells very orangey, I reckon the chopped peel from MM is probably more potent than the ribbons I’ve used previously from GEB.

 

[Broken Toe]

I'm punching for fresh. Bold I know but my son loves satsumas and we have them coming out our ears!

Fancy a swap when this is all done?

 

[MickDundee]

I'm punching for fresh. Bold I know but my son loves satsumas and we have them coming out our ears!

Fancy a swap when this is all done?

Sounds like a plan - I’ll make sure I remember to bottle 4 instead of 3 when I come to package.

 

[Broken Toe]

I promise I'm not showing off. But I've just bottled. Steady burn all the way through and then stationary at 1.009 (a little low, but I can work with that). Definitely much more muted than I was anticipating. But I'm going to call it subtle or elegant

 

[MickDundee]

I promise I'm not showing off. But I've just bottled. Steady burn all the way through and then stationary at 1.009 (a little low, but I can work with that). Definitely much more muted than I was anticipating. But I'm going to call it subtle or elegant

I kegged and bottle last week. Finished at 1.011. Didn’t get a decent taste but hopefully the keg will be carbed enough for a pint of it tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[Broken Toe]

Nice. I have harvested some of the yeast afterwards and it was like scraping down a public toilet...

Not my finest hour.

I kegged and bottle last week. Finished at 1.011. Didn’t get a decent taste but hopefully the keg will be carbed enough for a pint of it tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[Begbie]

@Broken Toe and @MickDundee - did you guys make a starter with the 400? I'm loading up a couple of recipe ingredients on TMM site at the moment, and a Wit is one of them, and I'm planning on using WLP400.

 

[Broken Toe]

@Broken Toe and @MickDundee - did you guys make a starter with the 400? I'm loading up a couple of recipe ingredients on TMM site at the moment, and a Wit is one of them, and I'm planning on using WLP400.

I didn't with my one, I seem to remember the pack recommended that for the volume and og I was working with a direct pitch would suffice.

 

[MickDundee]

@Broken Toe and @MickDundee - did you guys make a starter with the 400? I'm loading up a couple of recipe ingredients on TMM site at the moment, and a Wit is one of them, and I'm planning on using WLP400.

I usually would, but MM bought in a load of fresh yeast because of the competition so my pack was only about 2 weeks old when I brewed with it so I didn’t bother.

 

[Begbie]

Thanks guys. I'll check/follow the instructions on the pack when I get it. I'm planning a 15L batch, so sounds like a direct pitch will be OK.

 

[MickDundee]

Here’s my first taste. It’s a little slick on the tongue, maybe the oats, and the coriander is more prominent than I’d expected but it ticks the rest of the boxes. I’m happy with it, not sure it’s a winner but I’m happy.

 

[Broken Toe]

I have a bottle ready to send out. Only been in it for a week but it's carbed up and ready to condition, I figure you could just drink it whenever you're ready. In my opinion it's a bit too floral but otherwise very drinkable.

I've also included a dry hopped version that I had as an overflow from the batch. Not tried it yet but I'm sure it's at least drinkable

I've pmd you

 

[user 18729]

I've just finished using the Wyeast strain of 400 and its painfully slow. Took 12 days to ferment a Belgian Blond out, and that was pitched onto. whole yeast cake as well Lovely flavour profile to it though, what's the saying... good things come to those who wait?