I have only used this yeast a couple of times now and want some feedback from people who have some experience with it.
I brewed a blonde ale 11 days ago and pitched two packages of the yeast after rehydrating in a half cup starter. The thing kicked off extremely fast. I had full fermentation within 12 hours or less. In three days the vigorous fermentation stopped. I still have it on the yeast and will probably rack it off this evening. The FG is a little lower than I wanted compared to when I use WLP001 but that’s fine.
I will be brewing an American Amber this weekend and was considering putting the new beer on the US-05 yeast cake. Let me know your experience of reusing US05. The yeast is cheap but then again so am I.
Two packs seems like overkill for 5 gallons and you may want to consider using half of the yeast cake and save the other half for another batch or more US-05 starters.
yeah - unless I’m racking the same day as brewing AND using US-05 again, in which case I’ll repitch some, otherwise, it goes to the big wort in the sky.
US-05 does tend to attenuate about 2-3% more than 001/1056 for me, but you can adjust for that via your mash temp.
if you repitch, be sure to visit Mrmalty.com to calculate how much slurry use - do NOT use the whole cake.
I’m cheap too and often re-use any White Labs or Wyeast. However, I’m also lazy which wins out when the yeast is a dollar a packet. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth the hassel to re-use the dry yeast.
I to generally reuse WLP001 yeast. I always try to make back to back batches to save a little money and time making starters. Our local HBS charges almost 8 bucks for White Labs. The price has doubled in about 3 years. I have no problem buying more yeast to keep from making a crappy beer! I think the US-05 was close to $4.
I’m very familiar with Jamil’s Mr. Malty and how much yeast to use but I do appreciate the replys. I agree that the yeast attenuates really well and a rework of the mash schedule is necessary if you are used to using WLP001.
So I take it that no one has reused it and has data regarding off flavors or problematic fermemtation?
[quote]I brewed a blonde ale 11 days ago and pitched two packages of the yeast after rehydrating in a half cup starter. The thing kicked off extremely fast. I had full fermentation within 12 hours or less
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first off, when you say you “rehydrated in a starter” - you didn’t really make a starter did you? All you really need to do is sprinkle the yeast on the beer and give a swirl, though rehydrating in 80-90 degree water can help insure closer to 100% viability (but as much as you pithed that was certainly not necessary.) Regardless, any form of starter for dry yeast can actually be detrimental.
Also, 12 hours??? What temp did you pitch and ferment? I pitch US-05 fairly cool (low 60s, high 50s sometimes) nd keep very cool fermentation temps. I use it regularly and for me this is a slower fermenting strain. Overpitching and pitching warm can certainly accelerate fermentation - but 12 hours is crazy short. As you probably know an extremely short fermentation does not necessarily make the best tasting beer.
Also, I am planning a brew in my conical with US-05 and I plan on harvesting it for the first time, simply because it has started to get kind of expensive - I used to be able to get it for 2 bucks a pack. Now it is nearly 4 (or more depending your retail location). I don’t anticipate any issues with it. I certainly would not go on an entire yeast cake with a low gravity beer though - you only need 1/4 of the slurry for a 1.050 beer.
no - I have in the past, as said, I typically keg my previous batch while the mash of my new one is going on - so if I’m using US-05 in the new batch, I have no qualms of taking some of the yeast cake after I keg the previous one and re-using it. I just don’t bother with keeping it in a jar for use at a later date (though with the increase in prices, I might change my process here :-[ - I bought about 15 packs 2 weeks before the hike ;D) .
No issues with off flavors, though I do seem to get a little higher attenuation than a first pitch by a couple percent.
I appreciate the specific feedback! The higher attentuation does concern me for an American Amber. I hate tweeking my recipe and procedured when I have always liked the past results. Good discussion!
Also, 12 hours??? What temp did you pitch and ferment? I pitch US-05 fairly cool (low 60s, high 50s sometimes) nd keep very cool fermentation temps. I use it regularly and for me this is a slower fermenting strain. Overpitching and pitching warm can certainly accelerate fermentation - but 12 hours is crazy short. As you probably know an extremely short fermentation does not necessarily make the best tasting beer.
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Major- looks like you dropped his next sentence when you quoted him. The full quote should be
[quote]I had full fermentation within 12 hours or less. In three days the vigorous fermentation stopped.
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Sounds like he’s saying fermentation was going full-speed in 12 hours but didn’t complete until three days. That sounds a little more reasonable.
Sounds like he’s saying fermentation was going full-speed in 12 hours but didn’t complete until three days. That sounds a little more reasonable.
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Sorry I wasn’t more clear. Not really pertinent to the original question but being finished in 12 hours would be something to worry about. :o
It probably was not fully attentuated at 3 days either but the blow-off had slowed dramatically from the first couple of day. The beer will be a fine example of a award winning blonde ale : when it get’s carbonated!
Well, considering it performs better (at least in my experience) on successive pitches , coupled with the fact that I have PLENTY of yeast for more beers I consider the effort of pouring the slurry into mason jars worth the effort.
