This is the first time that I am using this yeast to make a Helles Lager. I have found only limited information on the strain and was wondering if this strain benefits from a DA rest?
I plan on fermenting at around 50 degrees until fermentation is complete and perhaps a DA rest if necessary.
Thanks
Any lager yeast will benefit from a diacetyl rest IF necessary. If not necessary, then obviously there is no need to perform a diacetyl rest! Do a rest based on taste IF necessary, not based on other people’s experience.
It has been a few years since I have used this yeast. If memory serves, it did throw a little diacetyl, so I did do a rest, and it cleaned up within a couple of weeks. But if YOU don’t get any diacetyl from it, then it’s safe to skip the diacetyl rest.
Thanks Dave!
I re-read Wyeast’s information on the yeast and it does indeed say a thorough DA rest is recommended. My question is how thorough is thorough? Palmer states 24 to 48 hrs provided that the yeast was pitched at the same temp as the wort.
I often give mine a full week or two. Doesn’t hurt a flea, assuming you’re lazy and/or patient like me. I would recommend a minimum of 3-4 days, knowing that the diacetyl probably still will not disappear 100% for a full 3-4 weeks. Aging and patience is often your friend with the lagers.
Thanks again Dave. I am new to the lager end of brewing. In fact, I just purchased my Johnson Controls A419 thermo control unit and chest freezer. I was planning on a BoPils for my first attempt at a lager, but figured I may want to get a few lagers under my belt before going that route.
You definitely want a diacetyl rest with this strain.
I use it all the time for helles and matter of fact, I am just moving down towards lagering temp after a D rest done over a long weekend. This is one of the few strains that also throws isoamyl acetate at levels within taste threshold, whereas most strains do not. Even though it produces crisp, clean lagers. If you did not do a VDK rest you will be left with both diacetyl which produces the buttery tones and also some banana tones that come from IA. As long as you perform at least a 3 day 60f rest before reaching terminal gravity it has always been lowered in my experience and then the minute levels left are dealt with when lagering and always disappear in the finished beer.
The strain does not really create tons of sulfur/ diacetyl like some other strains and it is mainly the IA that your concerned about when using this yeast.
Specifically using my current beer as example. I target around 1.015 to move the temp up and when I start moving down to lagering temps it usually is around 1.010
EDIT** To chime in with Dave if you left the D rest for over 3 days to a week or whatever it certainly will not hurt a flea as you should be fully fermented out after a few days at 55-65f
Thank you ITsPossible that is a lot of good information. In regards to my chest freezer: if I ferment at say 50 degrees (in the chest freezer) could I take the fermenter out of the freezer (DA rest) for a long weekend being that the ambient temp of my basement is about 62 degrees? I just seem to have a problem to get the temp to rise in that thing. I guess I could always get a pot of very warm water to rise the temp to where I need it and have it hold.
I guess I am a little certain how people get the proper temp for a DA Rest after fermenting at a lower temp.
My set up is a 7 Cu Ft Chest Freezer with a Johnson Controls A419 digital temp controller.
That seems like the easiest option.
You could do that, Although a temp controller is meant to be able to move the temp in whatever direction you need. I usually set the temp 5f -/+ a day either way when raising and lowering and do this in steps of a day in between. This next comment is meant mostly about lowering temps towards freezing for lagering but it should be pointed out in either case.
Most text speak to moving the temps slowly at 1c/ 1.8f at a time to acclimate yeast to ambient instead of thermal shocking. In my research I have found reference to a 5f max so this is what I follow so it doesn’t take 2 weeks to get to temps. So if it takes forever to get from 50 to 60 go ahead and place at room temp for VDK, But when going towards freezing put it in with the chest set at 55-/+ and move 5f each day until you reach 30-32f. The main thing I mean to point out is when moving to lagering moving slowly will leave you with the best results as the majority of yeast will still be active during lagering instead of stunted/ burst due to thermal load on cell walls.
Nice yeast for a Helles. That was the yeast I used for my first Helles and it turned out great. I did a diacetyl rest. I ferment in my chest freezer and just raised the temp for a few days before dropping it to lagering temps.
