I’m planning to brew a dopplebock that I’ve made several times and really enjoy. Typically I use Imperial L17 Harvest (Wyeast 2352, wlp6860). I’m tempted to use some wlp001 slurry that I will have available and am curious what, if any, flavor differences I can expect from this yeast. My dopplebock comes in around 1.082 OG, and has a rich, malty, dark fruit flavor to it that I really like. I’m feeling both experimental and frugal thus wanting to try this, but not at the expense of a disappointing beer…Any thoughts are appreciated.
Should be fine.
I’ve made many Doppel Bocks as it is my favorite style. I once experimented with what your thinking of doing. I didn’t like the result at all. I now had 5 gallons of beer I didn’t like. WLP001 is an ale yeast and even though it’s clean tasting it is not a lager yeast. My local brew pub just brewed a Doppel Bock. I was excited. I ordered a pint and immediately went to talk to the brewer. I ask if he used ale yeast and indeed he had. I never ordered a second and I had a hard time drinking the first. I’m cheap and reuse my yeast but I would never use ale yeast in a Doppel Bock. Ale yeast will ferment and make a beer but it won’t be a Doppel Bock.
I have had a quite plausible light, pale lager made with an unspecified “American ale yeast” by a local brewery. Actually among the most lager-like craft lagers I’ve had during the recent explosion of the style. But not a Doppelbock. Maybe that’s just too big a beer to minimize fermentation characteristics in.
I think you will like the beer. I think it would be better with lager yeast.
Thank you for the responses…My brewing window got pushed back a couple weeks giving me more time to contemplate…
Chico will attenuate more deeply than most lager strains, and it also produces less sulfur. Given the same recipe, I suspect Chico will produce a drier and blander doppelbock. Not a terrible one, just a blander one, lacking the character you’re looking for. Probably still drinkable and enjoyable, but if you’re going for malty and authentically lager-ish, WLP001 is not the strain to use.
If you can do this, I suggest that you brew a smaller lager with a lager yeast, like a dunkel and then pitch the whole yeast cake from the dunkel into the dopplebock. I have had success with that approach when using lager yeast.
Thank you, this makes sense. What I love about my doppelbock is the malty, fruity complexity that I get from it.
Agree. For my current doppelbock on tap I used the whole slurry of Imperial Harvest yeast that was used to ferment a Dortmunder export lager and it performed beautifully!
Isn’t Rogue’s Dead Guy beer a bock fermented with an ale yeast?
Yes. It uses the Rogue house standard Pac Man yeast.
It has been a long, long time (at least 10 years) since I last had one, so I don’t want to comment on the flavor.
OPPORTUNITY
Several years ago I brewed a pilsner with Pac Man at 72f and entered it into a competition. I got scored in the slightly upper 30s with no mention of it being non-lager like.