# Lallemand NEIPA Yeast



## B Metcalfe (10/1/21)

Hi Guys,

2nd time I've used this yeast and I'm finding it ridiculously fast fermenting. 
24hrs and down 30 O.G. points.
Has anyone any experience with it.??

Recipe borrowed from Northside Brewing is:

Marris 2.635kg
Wheat 1.646kg
Oats 1.1 kg
Melanoidan 109 gms

120/140 ppm Sul to Chlor ratio.
68c mash for 90 mins.
Boiled as normal.

was waiting for 3 days for first D.H. but now I'm confused.

Last beer was a bit of burn in the throat that got better after a week or so in the keg so I'm assuming yeast rather than Hop. Also very cloudy but got better.
I normally cold crash but Xmas was coming fast and I needed it gassed.

Cheers


----------



## BKBrews (11/1/21)

I have just used it for the first time, currently day 9 of ferment and have just finished a diacetyl rest.

I found it super fast to kick off (full krausen within 12 hours), but it slowed down around 3 days. At day 5 I had about 74% attenuation (1.053 down to 1.013), and bumped the temp up 2 degrees to finish off. I haven't since tested to check for FG, but after 2 days at 20c I have dropped back to 18c, and will then dry hop 3 days prior to kegging. I mashed at 66c and went for a Sul/Chlor ratio of 100/150.

The first sample had a hint of hop burn (I did a biotransformation dry hop at yeast pitch), but as soon as I cooled the sample it disappeared. Flocculation is much higher than expected - my beer is extremely clear after crashing a sample, especially compared to another recent beer I did with less proteins and using voss kveik (it's an awful beer - the hop burn is insane and not dissipating after a solid month in the keg). I was surprised - looks more like a pacific ale than a NEIPA (approximately 30% Maris Otter, 30% Ale, 27% Flaked Wheat, 10% Oats, 3% Acidulated).

Will reserve judgement until kegged and carbed, but my initial thoughts are it's quite a bland strain. I used a fair bit of whirlpool hops (200g in 25L batch), and they're there, but I have done punchier beers with supposedly more neutral strains.


----------



## B Metcalfe (12/1/21)

Cheers Bk

I've been using a Coopers fermented for the last few brews, so not seeing air lock activity with this brew obviously and have no krausen residue either.
36 hrs in and it was at 1.014 target FG. Hydro sample not sweet and had a little retained co2 spritz. Had no chance for biotrans Dry hop step.
Almost exactly the same as last time.
Research tells me there is a suspicion its Conan yeast but can't confirm.
I've hit it with the first dry hop now and will assess in 24-36 hrs.
I'm going to try a Session IPA recipie based on Munich and a traditional air lock fermenter to see if I can't time how the activity occurs.
Just can't understand the speed.
Anyway I'll follow up


----------



## BKBrews (12/1/21)

B Metcalfe said:


> Cheers Bk
> 
> I've been using a Coopers fermented for the last few brews, so not seeing air lock activity with this brew obviously and have no krausen residue either.
> 36 hrs in and it was at 1.014 target FG. Hydro sample not sweet and had a little retained co2 spritz. Had no chance for biotrans Dry hop step.
> ...



To be fair, I didn't take a hydro sample until day 5, so it may well have reached 1.013 in 3 or so days as well. Lallemand do state on their site that this strain takes a little longer to attenuate, and that they generally see ferments stop on day 7+.

Don't forget that you should try and remove all CO2 from your sample before measuring with a hydrometer. Residual gas will skew the reading - if you still had gas in your 1.014 reading then the actual may be lower again. Obviously temp vs hydrometer also plays a role here.


----------



## fdsaasdf (12/1/21)

I've found Verdant IPA to be reliably great for NEIPAs, hitting FG in 3-4 days even with enormous biotransformation hop additions. Compared to my previous go-to liquid yeasts Burlington, VT and London III this is a welcome, affordable and practically better option. I ferment at 21 to bring out the intended apricot nose and finish at 23 for a D-Rest as advised by the manufacturer.

I haven't tried making anything intentionally hazy or milkshake-y - aiming for the original NEIPAs from those such as the Alchemist who pioneered the style a decade ago which just shimmer from suspended hops in an otherwise pale beer.


----------



## An Ankoù (13/1/21)

Interesting that this Lalbrew yeast doesn't seem to be available under that name in the UK. Instead we have Lalbrew Verdant IPA yeast (Verdant are a tiny brewery in the south west of England where they make NEIPAs). The suspicion is that it's derived from this one : London Ale III | Wyeast Laboratories
because of its crazy fermentation characteristics.
Got one in the fridge just waiting for an opportunity to use it. Which won't be any time soon as the weather's a bit glacial.


----------



## DJR (13/1/21)

An Ankoù said:


> Interesting that this Lalbrew yeast doesn't seem to be available under that name in the UK. Instead we have Lalbrew Verdant IPA yeast (Verdant are a tiny brewery in the south west of England where they make NEIPAs). The suspicion is that it's derived from this one : London Ale III | Wyeast Laboratories
> because of its crazy fermentation characteristics.
> Got one in the fridge just waiting for an opportunity to use it. Which won't be any time soon as the weather's a bit glacial.



Yep that's my understanding - verdant were serially repitching london ale iii - some way along the line the yeast must have had a mutation that allowed it to be dried successfully. I heard that there was issues trying to get london ale iii itself to dry. I can't imagine it's mutated that much from the original LA3.

Plus verdant IPA has a lot better success after drying - going on the lallemand specs, new England only gets 1 billion cells per gram, whereas verdant is listed as 5 billion cells per gram. That's why the new England specs say to pitch 2 packs, the viability is low.


----------



## B Metcalfe (14/1/21)

To update, checked gravity again and 1.012 3 days in.
No off flavours 2nd dry hop in. I'll give it a few days then keg is and monitor over a few days to determine floccing.
Cheers


----------



## BKBrews (14/1/21)

B Metcalfe said:


> To update, checked gravity again and 1.012 3 days in.
> No off flavours 2nd dry hop in. I'll give it a few days then keg is and monitor over a few days to determine floccing.
> Cheers



Will be interested to hear/see how yours floccs. My week old sample is basically crystal clear (considering the grain bill) which is astonishing.


----------



## BKBrews (16/1/21)

How’s yours going? Kegged mine last night and tested a sample today and it’s now 1.015/1.016. Has me absolutely stumped - haven’t had a reading go up in 7 years of brewing (and yes I have removed all gas, adjusted for temp etc etc).

pretty low attenuation but probably not unsurprising considering that their brewing calculator considers 2 packs to be an under pitch. Beer tastes great at least!


----------



## B Metcalfe (6/2/21)

Sorri BK.
Been flat knacker.
I had no issues. Keg kicked after 3 weekends and no discernable clearing.
Nose could have been better but that's serial complaint I have about my beers.
Looked pretty similar to some other commercial examples I've had. Local HBS has tried the yeast and found it a fast fermenter as well


----------



## BKBrews (8/2/21)

Looks good mate.

mine continues to clear, but tastes great. This is a few weeks old this pic.


----------

