For anyone interested I found a very detailed document on Fermentis SafAle BE-256.
Actually it seems to cover a few different topics, including NEIPAs with their dry yeasts, but the details on BE-256 start on page 14.
For anyone interested I found a very detailed document on Fermentis SafAle BE-256.
Actually it seems to cover a few different topics, including NEIPAs with their dry yeasts, but the details on BE-256 start on page 14.
Thanks Marc for sharing this! It is a very interesting document.
Something else that popped up from the section on W34-70: fermentation temperature (at least up to 20 °C) does not seem to affect negatively the flavour profile of the end-product. So it is a lager yeast performing well at ale temperatures! Is that the approach with “India Pale Lagers”?
India Pale Lager is not a style I am able to describe. It sounds more like a made up concoction by a brewery somewhere. The BJCP does have an IPL but it’s an International Pale Lager, associated with commercial examples throughout the world such as Corona Extra, Heineken, Red Stripe, Labatt Blue, etc. Hence, beers that are very clean and crisp on flavour.
Keep in mind that althoughW34-70 is indeed a lager yeast capable of fermenting at ale temperatures, you will get some ale type esters at warmer temperatures. I have used it as high as 16-17C without any ill effects. I wouldn’t have any issue using it to ferment something like a California Common or something that has more malt flavours.
Denis
There are nowadays several commercial examples. They typically refer to a hoppy lager. Even Unibroue makes a hazy version of the style: HIPL de Riviève-Trouble!
Trends evolve faster than the BJCP style guidelines .
The reverse is actually what the document Marc referred to is mentioning (see slides 33-34): no noticeable off flavour when beer was fermented “warm” (20 °C) using W34-70. I was surprised! I’d be more tempted to ferment at room temperature under pressure, but apparently it would not be required to suppress ester production from this particular lager yeast strain.
Although I always consider the “experiments” from Brülosophy with a grain of salt malt, their experience goes in the same vein as what Fermentis is saying.
Maybe so, but the HIPL is fermented low; which to me means with a lager yeast at lager temps. And I agree that styles evolve, 20 years ago you wouldn’t have seen half of what’s out on the market now and homebrewers were not experimenting as much as they do now. Brewing lagers was a real challenge and most homebrewers were sticking to ale fermentation. Fortunately, labs have developed all kinds of yeasts for us to use and W34-70 is no exception. Before that was available, the only true lager yeast that would ferment clean at higher temps was Wyeast 2112 and it was typically used to brew California Lagers. There were also many homebrewers (and commercial brewers) using Nottingham dry yeast at the low end of its temperature tolerance (13-14C) to create lager type ales. Now as you say, there are brewers making ale type lagers!
Denis
I just went through that document and although there are some VERY interesting conclusions from fermentation analysis, the way the information is presented needs a lot of explanation. It reminds me of a power point presentation without the speaker to go into further detail.
Regardless, you’re absolutely right about the conclusion of W34-70 - or at least according to their research - that you could in fact ferment a pilsner or lager with that yeast at much higher temperatures than traditional lager fermentation without affecting the flavour profile. I am about to brew a German Pils (a very successful award winning recipe that I brew regularly) with a W34-70 slurry and I’m tempted to ferment it at closer to 17-18C as opposed to 10-12C which I usually do. I’ll let you know how it turns out since I pretty much know what that beer tastes like. I’ve used a variety of different yeasts in the past for this recipe including Wyeast 2007, WLP830, Lallemand Diamond and W34-70. In pretty much all cases, the yeast fermented very clean leaving just the Premium Pils malt, Carapils, Carastan and Mittelfrueh hops shine through. Sort of my interpretation of St. Pauli Girl or Becks.
Denis
I totally agree that we’re missing the speaker for a better interpretation of the data in there!
Looking forward to hearing about your little experiment!
Wow, rapide!
J’aime surtout la courbe de température. C’est pratiquement la dérivée (inverse) de la courbe de densité .
Banana-bomb!
C’est fou de voir que meme si ta température extérieur est 21c, l’intérieur monte de 3c!
Is “extérieur” room temp or sticker-on-the-side-of-fermenter temp?
C’est clair. J’ai souvent des fermentations qui sont 4 à 5C au-dessus de la température ambiante.
room temp (basement)
In my case, extérieur is room temp and fermentation temp is the “sticker-on-the-side-of-fermenter” temp.
Good to know, I’ve been trusting my sticker as well!
@ericpare Bière de style crêpe banane chocolat?
I actually considered doing something like that with the nibs, DRC, and this yeast.
Got to keep it a secret!
With respect to fermenting lagers warm, from my experience with Diamond and W34/70 I have gone up to 18C but always under 1 Bar (up to 2 bars) of tank pressure. It definitely ferments quick and suppresses a lot of those sulphur compounds to get a clean flavour and aroma profile really quick without a butt load of lager time to clean up. Additionally, if you have a way to spund the fermentation from the beginning, you get really sexy head retention and natural carbonation, obviously.
The only negative thing I have seen with fermenting warm is the beer tends to feel a little more round (maybe that is me searching for something to complain about though) and you’re going to miss out on some interesting fermentation aromatic (ie. The sulphur note) but 95% of North Americans don’t like fart in their lagers anyway.
I’ve had a warm fermented light lager analyzed at Lallemand and they were even surprised that it was generally a very clean beer despite being fermented with Diamond at 18C (not under pressure).