Again, it’s just a yeast like any other but it’s a yeast where I really like the character. Its origin IS Mexico City (I believe) so there is that. There is no real way to define these characteristics. Budvar and Staro strains are Czech and I really like them but how do I define them as Czech? Same with 2308, Bayern, 2124 or any American strains. You just know what you know and if you brew with them enough you begin to recognize them. Something tells me that Baja is NOT a dry version of 940.
I pulled the Baja batch out of the fermenting fridge on Saturday .. so it was in the fridge for about a week which is longer than usual. I moved it to a warmer spot upstairs and I’ll leave it there for a bit and when I run it into the keg I will try to get a small sample just to get some idea of Baja’s character.
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I transferred this Baja beer to the keg today. I tried to get a sample but I admit the sample had some yeast in it. The sample was very phenolic .. almost like a Belgian beer. Could I have futzed something up? Sure. It’s rare for me to do that but sure. I will treat this guy like I treat my others .. get it cold, carb it, give it some cold time and then give it a try. Based on the sample I have very little hope for it and now I’m in a box because I saved the yeast but I have NO faith in using it in another batch until I see how this one came out and by that time the yeast will not be worth using again. I may as well toss the yeast and if this Baja batch comes out okay in the end I can always order more.
The one and only time I used Baja, I recall getting some phenolic character as well. There is a lager strain from White Labs (WLP885 Zurich Lager) that is POF+, so it’s not unheard of for a lager strain to make phenols. Perhaps Baja is the dry version of this…?
Interesting. But if it WAS Zurich .. why call it Baja? Even the fermenter that I washed out .. still smells like a funky, barnyardy Belgian beer. I’m not going to brew with it again. If this beer somehow turns the corner and ends up good, I’ll buy more and then I’ll have experience with it.
Interesting observation. I used this yeast once and had a touch of sulfur that eventually faded out. I thought the finished beer had a touch of breadiness, not quite lager crisp… but absolutely nothing phenolic that would make me think “Belgian” or funky. Maybe what I thought was sulfur was what you are picking up as Belgian…if so, mine faded out after a few weeks conditioning. Very interested to hear how your beer turns out. Good luck with it.
I went to get the harvested yeast and it DID seem to settle out pretty nicely in the flask so that’s one positive. But I dumped the yeast because I don’t feel confident using it in another batch. I have some batches coming up so I made a starter with Omega West Coast ale. When this Baja batch is ready to sample, I’ll report back. Cheers Beerheads.
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