It’s getting time for me to start brewing my summer pils, 4 cornies worth, and for the first time I’m considering dry yeast. I’d appreciate hearing from those who have actually used dry yeast in a German pils. I’m not willing to use dry yeast simply because it’s easier, but only if it will produce a pils equal or near-equal to a liquid yeast strain. Tell me straight, please. Any worthy dry strains out there?
I have used the Saflager yeast in a Classic American Pils, for which I usually use a liquid Bohemian (Czech) yeast strain. The dry yeast produced an alright beer, fermenting in the upper 40s, but I would not try it again. I found the finished beer lacking in the crisp, dry character I usually get with the Bohemian strain. Overall it was a decent, clean lager, but other brewers I know have had fruity off flavors from the same strain (likely at higher fermentation temps), and my impression was that it took slightly longer to finish, needed to lager for a longer time before clearing, and was not nearly as clean as the beer produced using the liquid strain. I have since reproduced the beer using the liquid Budvar strain, and again had a superior beer with a cleaner finish.
Unfortunately you are not going to find a very good dry yeast for a German pils. S-189 will work “ok”, but no where near as good as a good liquid yeast.
I’ve heard good reports of 34/70 in pils, but have no personal experience.
I am currently enjoying my 1st Pilsner brewed with this exact strain. S-189 it is so convenient to utilize and attain
the proper pitch rates. I dry hopped the beer and have been lagering it about 4 months …it is a really nice beer.
That yeast is prolly the reason, even tho this was the 1st time I built water from R.O. for brewing.
So then, no lack of crispness? Did you make any compensations since you were using a dry yeast?
Yeah, it’s OK. Just not on par with something like WLP830, for my tastes. I just got done drinking 10 gallons of pils a couple weeks ago made with the yeast. It didn’t get dumped down the drain ;), and I made a doppelbock with the slurry that turned out nice too. But I think if I am going to spend all thee time and energy making a lager I am going to just stick with liquid yeast from now on. That said, S-189 is the only dry yeast I have ever had good luck on with lager yeasts.
This yeast ferments very clean and produces a fairly dry lager. I made a 10 gallon batch of a Boston Lager clone and split the the batch using WLP830 and 34/70. The 34/70 attenuated a tad bit more than the 830. I have never tried it on a Pilsner, but I was impressed with the performance of 34/70.
I’ve wanted to try S-189, where can you get it?
Dave
Guess I attribute crispness to the CO2. But perhaps you are onto something there. I need to taste
it again. I just pitched 2 packages of S-189 into a 5 gallon batch of wert that was at 1.065 O.G.
I secondaried in a SS Corny and it was REAL cold in the lager fridge. It may have frozen not sure.
It did have some haze that I managed to clear up with polyclar. When I added the polyclar, I also cut
the finished beer with some distilled water to decrease the viscosity of the beer…lessen the gravity if you will.
Now the hop particles are settled out and it is good and clear.
Funny you should ask, I brewed 12 gallons of German Pilsner Wednesday and split it between S-189 and Zurich Lager from White Labs, since I believe they are supposed to be the same strain, but it is way to early to have results.
Ok, Tasting again…nice and crisp. Maybe not as crisp as a tater chip but not bad. And, I am sure
it is the CO2 that makes that sensation on my palate.
189 seems a bit crisper but 34/70 is good as is 23 (Dortmunder type)…FWIW,I understand from my microbrewery/brewpub friends that the tilt is DEFINITELY to dry yeast-equal flavor MOST of the time longer shelf life than a slurry
I will definately use this yeast again it is way convenient not to have to piddle with a starter.
I’ve had pretty decnt results with 34/70. but have found this yeast improves with subsequent generations. I have a German pils lagering right now that I used the third generation of this yeast. Early results are dry and clean. I’ll let you know how it turns out in about another month. Don’t now if third generation really qualifies as a dry yeast any more though.
I’ve made three pilsners this winter with 34/70, and like them a lot. Dry, crisp…First keg is almost gone, second is just about done lagering, third has been lagering for a week.
Couldn’t have been any good if you made them this winter and you haven’t kicked even one keg yet! 