Yeast Query

[stuart_A]

Hi all
I'm planning to brew the Greg Hughes Munich Dunkel recipe tomorrow. The recipe suggests Safelager W34/70 which I did purchase however it says on the pack that it should be pitched in 10-15L of wort. I'm planning a 19l batch.

I'm not able to get hold of another packet of the w34 before tomorrow but do have 2 packets of MJs Bohemian Lager yeast. I need this to ferment quickly (suggests 1 week in the book) as it's for a party end of July so don't want to risk slowing up the process.

So what would you guys recommend?

Just use the one packet of W34 and stick to the recipe? Pitch the two MJ packets instead? Or could I mix yeasts (e.g. one of each or maybe all the W34 and half a single MG)?

Stu

 

[MyQul]

Think your going to have a tight squeeze making a lager for July. What temp are you going to ferment at? Are you going to cold condition/lager it.

If I was you I use the MJ's Bohemian Lager yeast and ferment at the bottom end of ale temps, say 17C. For two reasons a) I you cold ferment at 'proper' lager temps it'll need more yeast, twice as much approx in fact, so you'll need to two packs. You could of course use the W34/70 and the MJ BL together as you suggest. b) Fermentation will take longer, leaving you less time to lager/cold condition if thats what you plan to do.

 

[stuart_A]

Think your going to have a tight squeeze making a lager for July. What temp are you going to ferment at? Are you going to cold condition/lager it.

If I was you I use the MJ's Bohemian Lager yeast and ferment at the bottom end of ale temps, say 17C. For two reasons a) I you cold ferment at 'proper' lager temps it'll need more yeast, twice as much approx in fact, so you'll need to two packs. You could of course use the W34/70 and the MJ BL together as you suggest. b) Fermentation will take longer, leaving you less time to lager/cold condition if thats what you plan to do.

Hi MyQul

The recipe suggests it should be ready to drink in 5 weeks! (which i did think was a little optimistic). Anyway, i planned on fermeting at 12C and then conditioning for 4weeks at 3C (in mini-kegs).

I have two packs of MJ BL so I could add all that if extra is needed?

 

[MyQul]

5 weeks is quite optomistic seeing as it says 4 weeks to cold condtion. It'll never ferment out in one week especially if you cold fermenting it

 

[stuart_A]

Oh well ill wait until it's fully fermented and then condition as long as time allows and check how it tastes.

 

[MyQul]

Have you made a true lager before? You have to include the diacytl rest after fermentation is complete which takes 2-3 days

 

[stuart_A]

Have you made a true lager before? You have to include the diacytl rest after fermentation is complete which takes 2-3 days

No first time. Oh no never knew abiut that. What does that involve?

 

[MyQul]

No first time. Oh no never knew abiut that. What does that involve?

After your cold fermentation has finished bring the temp back up to 18C for 2-3 days for the yeast to clean up diacytyl any thing else. Then you can start to cold condtion/lager.
If you ferment at 17C you wouldnt have to do this, just give the yeast a rouse after 1 week fermentation to make sure. There's some evidence that lagers fermentated at ale temp and lagers temps taste almost the same and in a blind test people cant tell the difference. http://brulosophy.com/2016/02/08/fe...ager-yeast-saflager-3470-exbeeriment-results/ on your short time scale I'd definately consider fermenting warmer to give yourself as much cold conditioning time as possible