Has anyone used this stain? K-87 is allegedly the same strain as Wyeast 1007, which is a true top-cropper. It would be nice to find a dry true top-cropper.
They are worlds apart IMO. K97 isn’t nearly as crisp and clean IME.
I got a pile of sulfur in a Cream Ale fermented at 68F the only time I ever used it. It took forever to clear and lose the aroma. I do think the beer had a crisp bite though. That was one pack in a 3 gal. batch.
I’d be hard pressed to use it again.
I didn’t like it the few times I used it. Got a strange tartness from it.
I liked K-97 in an American Wheat beer except it cleared a bit faster than WY1010. Otherwise the taste was similar.
I haven’t liked K-97 in anything else.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say “worlds apart”. They are very similar, though I found K-97 takes an even longer time to clear than 1007, and even after clearing still tastes a little yeasty and with the odd tartness that others agree on. I do think 1007 is the superior product. But they act in much the same ways, krausen that won’t fall for a long time, etc. Similar to 2565 in that respect.
I’ve used it in alt and American wheat beer. I’ve been happy with the results.
I’m currently drinking a batch of wild blackberry wheat beer that was fermented with it.
Maybe is not the same, but they have something in common, and it is a true top-cropper, for me this one is more similar to kolsch strain than the 1007, sadly, but otherwise is a beautiful yeast, only use this on my cream ale and kolschs.
i did some research recently and ordered some k-97. i plan to just do the obvious and make an alt and see how it tastes before doing anything else.
from what i read and can rememeber now:
complaints:
-slight “tart” flavour
-very slow to clear (I know someone here said the opposite, but i saw quite a few people saying it remained hazy for a long time)
-it is a “true top cropper” resulting in messy carboys, and someone suggested that removing the krausen decreases a perceived astringency. others said the astringency fades with time
positives:
-can make really clean tasting beers, basically pseudo-lager
-plenty of positive reviews with no one really saying “it’s just not that great” like you hear about some other yeasts (S-04 and nottingham)
Well, here ya go…it’s just not that great. Its not bad, but I don’t think I’d call it anywhere near clean. IMO your have far better luck with BRY97, even for a psuedo lager.
do you think its appropriate for an alt though?
it seems some of the kolsch/alt labeled yeasts, people say aren’t really accurate
Nope. Not crisp enough. BRY97 would be far better for alt if you want to stay with dry yeast.
im doing k-97 in about a month or two. what do you think are appropriate styles to go with it?
it sounds more like a kind of alternative ale profile, ~highly attenuating ale, somewhere between english and belgian?
Nothing Belgian about it. Maybe suitable for British styles. IIRC it’s kind of bready.
I agree. I’ve actually had less than stellar results with many dried yeasts, or at least they are all relatively hit & miss compared with liquid strains. Just being perfectly honest.
The exceptions to this in my experience, so far, are S-189 and London ESB. Both make a very clean beer (well S-189 actually is a lager after all!), better than any of the others. Yeah yeah I know London should have esters… except that in real life, it doesn’t!
EDIT: Oh yeah, and W-34/70 is no slouch either, but I think S-189 is a little better.
Meanwhile I don’t think I’ll use K-97 ever again. It just… isn’t great.
K-97 would work really well in an American hefeweizen. And… that’s about it IMO. Or well I guess maybe you could play with it in a NEIPA, but just be aware of the tartness and breadiness.
S-189 surprised me in a Rauchbier. That was a split batch, 34/70 was good, might like S-189 better.
In a pilsner it is 34/70 (or Diamond) for me, S-189 is not dry enough.
appreciated, everyone. ill let you know once i brew it.
nice reference. i can get diamond lager too, but didnt consider it. is it a true lager?
As far as I can tell, yes, Diamond should be a true lager yeast. Possibly the same as W-34/70, not sure yet. One of these years I’ll try Diamond, for whatever reason I too have ignored it until recently.
I’ve never tried K-97. Just picked up some Diamond yeast to try in a German Pilsner. I like S-189, but I know some folks don’t think it has enough “snap” for the dry side lagers (I find it is nicely rounded and with the right water profile and hop combinations, it is plenty snappy for me). 34/70 has had some subtle lemon notes occasionally, but that could have been a genetic drift issue back when I was serially re-pitching into the teens.
Cheers!