Yeast: plan B

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Planned to use some old Wyeast on today’s brew: first attempt at a freestyle ‘best bitter’.

The pack was just about in date, but to be on the safe side I ‘smacked’ it last night. However by the time I came to pitch this afternoon it had hardly swelled at all. Darn.

OK, plan B.

Checked the Vienna Lager that has just finished three weeks in the FV at 12°c with OLY-111 German Bock. It had dropped clear. So it’s either this or the ‘emergency, war only’ pack of S-04… OK no contest.

Quickly kegged the Vienna then just tipped the slurry straight into the FV. I think I’ve heard of people reusing yeast so hopefully this will work?

Now a slightly nervous wait to see if anything happens in the airlock. Either way, Best Bitter fermented with German Bock will be something new

 

[Alastair70]

I’d definitely expect to see fermentation, lager yeasts will work well at ale temps and there should be a tonne of viable cells in the old yeast cake. As you’re brewing an ale the potential downsides aren’t that relevant. My guess is that you’ll end up with a good ESB that’s being carried by the hops and malts, and I be surprised if the second generation bock yeast didn’t make a positive contribution too.

Two questions,
How did the Vienna taste at kegging?
and
Does S-04 have a niche? I was about to use it out of choice in an Irish Red ale on Tuesday but GEB got WLP004 back in stock at the 11th hour, so I’ll be brewing a Wit instead. The Irish Red can wait till the weekend.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I’d definitely expect to see fermentation, lager yeasts will work well at ale temps and there should be a tonne of viable cells in the old yeast cake. As you’re brewing an ale the potential downsides aren’t that relevant. My guess is that you’ll end up with a good ESB that’s being carried by the hops and malts, and I be surprised if the second generation bock yeast didn’t make a positive contribution too.

Two questions,
How did the Vienna taste at kegging?
and
Does S-04 have a niche? I was about to use it out of choice in an Irish Red ale on Tuesday but GEB got WLP004 back in stock at the 11th hour, so I’ll be brewing a Wit instead. The Irish Red can wait till the weekend.

Thanks! I'm sure it'll work (he says... nervously... ). I'm actually going to ferment it at 12ºc just in case I otherwise get a banana/clove ester bomb...

Q1: honestly can't remember... sorry!
Q2: I actually quite like S-04 in spicy beers - gives a good clean finish. I used it in a Tommy Taylor clone last year and it was spot on.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Q1: honestly can't remember... sorry!

EDIT: apols - wasn't thinking straight there: I now remember I did have a sneaky taste; and it was pretty promising... smooth - very smooth, and a gentle maltiness. Hops still a tad bitter but I'm hoping that will continue to improve with conditioning

 

[Alastair70]

Thanks! I'm sure it'll work (he says... nervously... ). I'm actually going to ferment it at 12ºc just in case I otherwise get a banana/clove ester bomb...

Q1: honestly can't remember... sorry!
Q2: I actually quite like S-04 in spicy beers - gives a good clean finish. I used it in a Tommy Taylor clone last year and it was spot on.

I called my Weizenbock "UXB-Unexploded Banana" after tasting it bottling. I can't believe I overlooked the rather obvious 'Banana Clove Ester Bomb' at the time

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Love it!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Only 24hrs after pitching the OYL-111 slurry - lawks...

In fact I had the opposite problem: the little blighter has worked itself up to 15.7ºc, despite the air temp in the fridge being set at only 12ºc. Further proof as if any were necessary, of the importance of having a temperature probe on the FV itself.

 

[Twogunrocky]

View attachment 56324
[/QUOTE]
Looks like a nice shepherds pie does that.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

View attachment 56324

Looks like a nice shepherds pie does that.
[/QUOTE]
Do you think I might have had it under the grill a bit too long tho?