I’ve only brewed one CAP to date, about a year ago. So not overly familiar with this yeast. I’m wondering about a typical primary fermentation time. I’ve planned two weeks including 2 days for a D-rest. I know it will be determined by the gravity readings, but I’m looking for predictions.
I’ll ferment mid-temperature range at 52* and I followed BeerSmith’s guidelines for a yeast starter.
Steve,
I’ve used 2007 a couple times fermenting at 54* both times. Two weeks should do it but it’ll be done when it’s done. I let mine condition in cornies for at least a month before serving. I hopped mine with all Sterling. If you haven’t picked out a hop, I recommend it. Great summer beer.
I’ve used this yeast with excellent luck. But I let it ferment for a solid month. I started out about 44° and then later ramp up to 51 over a course of the week and then maintain it at 51 for the rest of the time. No need for the rest. It’s way cleans itself up nicely.
Wyeast 2007 is not a proper CAP yeast. The only CAP yeast strain that is currently available from Wyeast or White Labs is the Christian Schmidt strain. This strain is available as 2272 North American Lager. A derivative of the Christian Schmidt strain is 2035 New Ulm Lager (oh, I mean American Lager).
Good to know, but I already have the starter finishing up - and not really concerned with style guidelines on this one, I just want to make a good beer. I’m making it for a friend of mine who will be here in late September who only drinks BMC type stuff. We served aboard the same ship years ago, so I’m calling it 8 Bells Lager.
On a more general note, I have really valued your posts. Your knowledge of yeast is a big asset to this forum.
It’s not actually acetaldehyde. Per Mitch Steele, who used to brew at AB, it’s actually an ester produced by their yeast strain. Even though I’m not a big fan of Bud, there’s no arguing that it is very clean. I’ve never picked up any off flavors like acetaldehyde in it.
“Acetaldehyde is another flavor that results from fermentation issues, and is present in beer either because the beer hasn’t been aged long enough, or if the yeast health is poor, the yeast cells die and burst, releasing this flavor into the beer. In any event, acetaldehyde is hard flavor to discern at lower levels, and is one of the hardest off-flavors to detect and also fix. There is a common misperception that the green apple ester that some people use to describe Budweiser is acetaldehyde. I’ve heard this from very experienced, knowlegable brewing educators, and it is absolutely wrong. Budweiser has the lowest measured acetaldehyde levels of any major American lager brewer, the green apple ester is something else, and this exemplifies some of the confusion about this off-flavor. Not to name any names, but there is one lager brewer who operates in this country whose beer has definite acetaldehyde-and I think it’s a characteristic of their yeast strain, because it’s very consistent in their beers. So is this an off-flavor? To them perhaps not, but I find it unpalatable.I believe that aroma is due to low-level ethyl acetate.”