I went to my LHBS to pick up a smack pack of Wyeast 2206 for my late O-fest that I will be brewing next weekend, and they were out of that and most other varieties of lager yeast. My question is this: out of the in-stock yeasts listed below, which would be the best substitute? I have to get one by tomorrow to have time for my starter.
2000 Budvar Lager
2007 Pilsen Lager
2001 Urquell Lager
2035 American Lager
2565 Kolsch
1007 German Ale
WLP001 California Ale
I went ahead and picked up some of the 2000, but I might just save it for a later brew if there is a better choice for my O-fest.
Well, Tom kinda paraphrased it…I was really referring to starters and said “If your yeast isn’t ready, you;re no more ready to brew than if you don’t have malt and hops”. That said, I’m not enough of a “try it and see what happens” guy that I’d go for a vastly different ingredient. But it looks like there are some reasonable choices on the OP’s list.
Oh, that’s different. It is one thing to say “the yeast isn’t ready”, it is something else to say “I can’t get the exact strain I want”.
I would use a vastly different ingredient just to see what happens, but I wouldn’t expect it to taste traditional. So you could make an o-fest with kolsch yeast, you just shouldn’t expect it to taste like an o-fest.
Agreed, that’s why I said I wouldn’t use the rest for an o-fest.
But in terms of short hand description, “o-fest with kolsch yeast” gives you a better idea of the flavor than “malty beer with kolsch yeast”, don’t you think? Like “black IPA” is a good short hand description of the flavor of the beer, but a stupid name. ;D
I prefer to make a beer style using the appropriate ingredients. Perhaps it’s the German in me. I wouldn’t try making an Ofest with Kolsch yeast as I think it would not turn out the way I wanted it and that’s just the way I roll. ;D
That being said, I have used many Heinz 57 type recipes but with the intent of doing so. In other words, when using a mix and match of ingredients I expect a mix and match flavor. Most of the time I try to avoid this but it’s okay in a pinch.
The OP should understand that he will not get a classic flavor profile from the yeasts he’s listed. He will come close but no cigar. IMO. I’m considering the classic examples as the target. Now if he’s okay with something close then I would go with the 2001 as it will lend a more balanced profile. Rich maltiness is the key here.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I am going with the 2000. I wish I had the proper yeast, but I have a bunch of coworkers who will be joining me for brew day this weekend, and I can’t really move the date. As long as it tastes like a good “autumn” beer, I don’t care too much about it truly being an O-fest. By the way, here is my recipe: