Surely, you brewmeisters have tried Lagunitas “Lil Sumpin Ale” which they graciously proclaim the use of Westmalle yeast. I’m in love. I could die an alcoholic now, with a clear conscience, saying “I have attained”.
But to practical matters, I want to steal it. Is it Wyeast 3787, High Gravity Trappist Ale yeast? Does White Labs have an equivalent? Wow, talk about head over heels! That is some good beer!
It is, and they do: WLP530. Yeast Strains
Careful with that yeast. It can be very sticky, so it tends to “climb” on you. Easy to get blow-offs. Have excess headspace in your fermenter or be ready with a blow-off tube. That yeast and 3068 are the ones that go crazy for me.
Thanks for that, I’ll use a blow-off hose.
So it’s the stickiness of the yeast that causes it to climb? I didn’t know that.
+1
WLP530 is a blower. I’ve used it a few times and have had blow-offs every time. Makes a great beer.
I want tot make another Dubbel with it.
Right, the kraeusen doesn’t collapse as quickly as with other yeasts, so as the CO2 is produced, it just tends to keep pushing the kraeusen upwards. It seems sticky, like it has more internal structure. If it were bread, I’d call it gluten.
It’s my favorite yeast for all Trappist styles. It can perform differently under different temperature conditions. Westmalle ferments it cooler, Westvleteren ferments it warmer. Both work, but give you different profiles. My preference is like most Belgian yeasts; start it cool and let it rise on its own. If you try to constrain the temperature, the yeast tends to be unhappy.
That’s how I ferment it. Start low (about 60ish) and let her rip. No contraints.
I think this will be my next beer if I can get a vial of this yeast from the LHBS.
This yeast is used by Westmalle, Westvleteren, and Achel. The last 2 get the yeast from Westmalle on the day before they brew. Read “Brew Like a Monk” by Stan Hieronymous to get the temperature profiles they use to produce the beers they make. As Gordon says, this is one of the ways to make this yeast really work. One of my favorites.
Has anyone had good success with this yeast in a Porter style wort?
If you don’t have Brew Like A Monk, as mentioned above, Stan’s talk from this year’s NHC is on the web , http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/attachments/0000/4958/Plastic_Yeast_Strains-Stan_Hieronymus.pdf. (Sorry, but the “Insert Link” button doesn’t seem to want to work for me today.) On page 13 he gives the fermentation details that the three abbeys use for the Westmalle yeast.
Thanks for the pointers to Stan’s book. I’ve had it for a long time, just hadn’t ever paid it much attention. Maybe now I’ve grown into it a bit.