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STRANGE DEVELOPMENT
I've made, and bottled a 10 gallon grand cru batch, I split it into 2 5 gallon fermentors, and used fermentis dry safbrew barvarian wheat yeast WB-06 for one batch, and Whitelabs WL400 wit bier yeast for the other one.
It's very very strange, the dry yeast is better. I know it's for a barvarian wheat beer, but it really works well for this grand cru. I started to get back into using liquid yeast for my First two All grain batches, because I wanted to use top quality stuff, but this dry yeast is better, at least for This beer, i'm going to have to rethink what one to send to the Sam Adams contest originally, it was going to be the liquid.WL400.
I use mostly Muntons premium dry yeast for almost everything. The stout I made that placed in a competition was fermented with it. Quality is better in dry yeast then it was in the past but variety is still in the liquid yeasts. nothing wrong with using dry unless you're looking for a specific style where a specific yeast is needed.
DC
bruguru wrote:
I've made, and bottled a 10 gallon grand cru batch, I split it into 2 5 gallon fermentors, and used fermentis dry safbrew barvarian wheat yeast WB-06 for one batch, and Whitelabs WL400 wit bier yeast for the other one.
Ahhh, I see someone else is also splitting batches and changing the yeast like I do. I always use at least 2 different strains, if not 3. Great way to experiment.
I have nothing against dry yeast, except that, like was mentioned, liquid has more of a selection. I used it regularly a few years ago and had good luck. Great beers can be made with it. The most negative thing I can say is lack of selection.
There are times I brew 10 gallons and put about 3.3 gallons in each fermenter and use 3 yeasts. They all come out very different.
Yea, I only make 10 gallon all grain batches now, because it takes just as long to make a 10 gallon, as it does to make a 5 gallon, and it only cost about 15 dollars more. Plus I have the pot, so what the hell.
The WL-400 taste almost like a berliner weiss beer, where the dry yeast has alot of flavors, apple, plum, and the nose is bananna, bubblegum, and has a great tart flavor.
I plan on making alot of expirimental batches, so i'll use different yeasts for different beers, maybe just make up 10 gallons of generic wort, and split it up for 5 2 gallon batches, then steep specialty malts on the stovetop. Hmmm, could be interersting
bruguru wrote:
....maybe just make up 10 gallons of generic wort, and split it up for 5 2 gallon batches, then steep specialty malts on the stovetop. Hmmm, could be interersting
Brewchez does that often. He's mentioned he'll make a big batch of 2 row wort, then steep a few different specialty grains on the stove, and have two completely unique beers......I also plan on trying that, as well as splitting......
This is a good idea. i'm thinking of making two beers this weekend and will now make a base wort and use it for the two beers and two different yeasts. Thanks for the idea.
DC
bruguru wrote:
Yea, I only make 10 gallon all grain batches now, because it takes just as long to make a 10 gallon, as it does to make a 5 gallon, and it only cost about 15 dollars more. Plus I have the pot, so what the hell.
I switched to 10 gallons a couple years ago and immediately tried multiple strains. Just like you said, after I made a few 5 gallon batches, I realized that I only spent a couple more hours for double the beer. I won't brew anything under 10 gallons now. It's just a waste of my time.
Just another method of experimenting. This is something I see many breweries really lacking in. Many of them just don't experiment much. A new beer once in a great while, but mostly the cores. I live somewhat near Widmer Brothers, and at least once a month I find a few new beers on tap. They are constantly trying something new. In fact, they are the only brewery in the state that I know of who is experimenting monthly.
I always recommend brewers trying out new things. I get tired of the same beer all the time.
Even if you have your staple beer, change something. Switch out a hop or two, or instead of 1# of that specialty grain, try 2#, maybe a different mash temperature... spice things up.
Yea, I have yet to make my go to batch the African Amber in all grain, but i'll be doing that before the end of the year. I'll make a 10 gallong batch of that, and keep me in my favorite beer until the spring anyway, then I'll be doing lagers.
I only made one czech Pilsner so far, by my cellar is perfect for it, it's about 55f all year, and I use the swamp cooler method with the sink, I was able to keep the czech at 38f for 2 months rotating in 8 2 liter frozen bottles every 3 days or so, came our very nice. eventually i'm going to have to get a fridge, but I still haven't decided if I'll get the chest freezer, or the regular stand up. I guess I'll pull the trigger in the spring, and get whatever is cheapest on ebay.
Bruguru:
Its nice to see you experimenting with your recipes like that. Tweaking and honing is a great way to learn and become a better brew. I think being focus in your experimentation is better that brewing style after style willy nilly sometimes especially when first starting with all grain.
Spliting batches with yeast is great and it looks like you may have found a magical combination for yourself with the grand cru and that dry yeast you used.
I am with Cubx, I don't dis on dried yeast. I used quite a bit of it actually. But the liquid stuff offers a larger selection to use.
I tend to brew alot of english style beers, and use a lot of safale-04. But I should really start splitting batches and trying many of the other english strains available from White Labs and Wyeast.
As you know, i'm a big fan of the safale-04 eversince I used it in the african amber batch, and it took hops and orange peel into the sediment, and held it like cement. I swear, I could pour off a bottle right to the very bottom before I saw cloudy start to come up the neck.
Next time i'm going to reuse this yeast, maybe pitch another batch right over it, I think you said that it's better the second time around.
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