I’ve been on a German style beer kick recently and currently have a Munich Helles lagering in the secondary and harvested the yeast from the primary which was Saflager W-34/70. I am now getting ready to brew a Dusseldorf Altbier, and I realize that an Altbier is technically an ale, and I plan on fermenting it at 58 degrees for two weeks, then drop it on down to about 35 degrees for 6 weeks before bottling. Would it be okay to use the harvested 34/70 yeast?
I’d ferment at 55F or below. An alt is supposed to be pretty clean like a lager, so I don’t know if brewing with a lager at warmer temps would approximate the flavor of the alt ale yeast.
Go for it and report back to us.
Dammit,
I was hoping for some kind of “stamp of approval”, or I’ve done this and it worked out great, or I’ve done this and it totally tasted like crap. No one likes to be the one who screws up a batch!
However, I have benefited so very much from everyone else’s successes and screw ups on here, that perhaps it’s my turn to take the hit and venture out on the precarious limb of trying something different.
I have a week left to decide, but I’m leaning towards going for it.
I have never done it - so can’t help you there
BUT, alts should be very clean and a lager yeast can certainly achieve that (at lager temperatures). Worst case senario you end up with something more like a lightish dunkel than an alt. Dunkels are delicious
I dont know about using it at higher temperatures. you might not get the cleanliness you’d want for an alt. using it at ale temperatures would make it a “steam” alt. which could be interesting… but i dont know how that strain is for steam beers.
Well according to Fermentis, the yeast temp range is up to 59 optimal. I’ve certainly never fermented it that high (usually right at 48-50), but it seems to be a really clean fermenting yeast (much better than S-23 IMO), so if I do this Altbier with it at 56 degrees, it probably won’t hurt anything. It might make for an interesting beer, although not a true Altbier anymore I suppose. More like a Dunkel as you said.
Dammit,
I was hoping for some kind of “stamp of approval”, or I’ve done this and it worked out great, or I’ve done this and it totally tasted like crap. No one likes to be the one who screws up a batch!
However, I have benefited so very much from everyone else’s successes and screw ups on here, that perhaps it’s my turn to take the hit and venture out on the precarious limb of trying something different.
I have a week left to decide, but I’m leaning towards going for it.[/quote]
My bad. GO FORTH AND BREW WITH SAID YEAST. Is that okay?
Seriously it’s a good yeast and you will end up with good beer, maybe not an exact alt, but good.
:cheers:
Much better!!! LOL
:cheers:
I’ve used it a lot, but always in the 50’s. it is clean, so I bet at ale temps, it wouldn’t get too far on the estery side. Just no empirical evidence, so thanks for being the leader on this! If you want to hedge your bets a little, you could swamp cool it and add frozen water bottles (get 4-6 ready and rotate 2-3 out every 12 hours or so).
34/70 is becoming my go to yeast after running a batch of WLP800 for over 20 batches…
I feel like its a pretty wide style (and its a ‘hybrid’, so not really an ale or a lager), and a variety of yeasts can make a great alt.
From the style guidelines:
Aroma:
…“Clean yet robust and complex aroma of rich malt, noble hops and restrained fruity esters.”
Flavor:
“The malt presence is moderated by moderately-high to high attenuation, but considerable rich and complex malt flavors remain. Some fruity esters may survive the lagering period…Some yeast strains may impart a slight sulfury character. A light minerally character is also sometimes present in the finish, but is not required…”
34/70 sounds a-ok for the above-description…especially if used at the temps you are talking about
damn now I want one of these…
brauen, Herr Brauer.
Wow, 20 batches??? That’s impressive. No negative flavors stringing her out for that many batches?
[quote=“Pietro”]I feel like its a pretty wide style (and its a ‘hybrid’, so not really an ale or a lager), and a variety of yeasts can make a great alt.
From the style guidelines:
Aroma:
…“Clean yet robust and complex aroma of rich malt, noble hops and restrained fruity esters.”
Flavor:
“The malt presence is moderated by moderately-high to high attenuation, but considerable rich and complex malt flavors remain. Some fruity esters may survive the lagering period…Some yeast strains may impart a slight sulfury character. A light minerally character is also sometimes present in the finish, but is not required…”
34/70 sounds a-ok for the above-description…especially if used at the temps you are talking about
damn now I want one of these…
brauen, Herr Brauer.[/quote]
After reading the above, I do tend to agree, and think that the 34/70 would probably do just fine to achieve the style guidelines. Just going to have to watch the sulfur… Man that 34/70 throws it off like a rhino after a hard boiled egg and bean breakfast! But the long lagering period should take care of it I would think. At any rate, I’ve decided I’m going to give it a shot. I’ll keep you all posted with the results!
