# Belgian Yeast With High Esters, Less Phenolics For All Round Beers?



## mje1980 (31/10/12)

Belgian brewers, im looking for a belgian yeast that favours esters, rather than spicy phenolics. I have,wy 3944, which I like, but find the black pepper a bit much. Im keen to do some bigger ales ( golden ales), that are belgian, but not too full on. Also for a belgian stout, and maybe even a belgian iipa. 

Cheers


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## dr K (31/10/12)

I am not familiar with Belgian Stouts or IPA's (though I have judged some Stouts and IPA's that have had some Belgian characters, though not all).
I suggest you look at fermentation temperature and adjust to suit the balance you require.

K


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## tiprya (31/10/12)

And pitching rate. I suspect if you use the lower end of the recommended temperature range, and slightly over pitch, you will be able to get subdued characteristics from some Belgian strains.

Maybe someone else can suggest a strain to try?


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## manticle (31/10/12)

1388


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## kevin_smevin (31/10/12)

dr K said:


> I am not familiar with Belgian Stouts or IPA's (though I have judged some Stouts and IPA's that have had some Belgian characters, though not all).
> I suggest you look at fermentation temperature and adjust to suit the balance you require.
> 
> K



optimum temp for production of phenolics is 18-20. Might help you choose the temp you want to ferment at


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## Kai (31/10/12)

Dammit, I opened this thread to suggest 3944

also look at mash profile and proportion of wheat in the grist maybe (ie none).


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## black_labb (31/10/12)

If you want to use the same yeast try pitching more yeast, oxygenate well and keeping the early ferment temp low. You can get huge variation controlling this. Pitching rate is often ignored (it was for a while in my case anyway)


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## mje1980 (1/11/12)

Maybe i'll try the 3944, but crank up the ferment temp??, or keep it low?, 2 different answers here, im confused


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## kevin_smevin (1/11/12)

mje1980 said:


> Maybe i'll try the 3944, but crank up the ferment temp??, or keep it low?, 2 different answers here, im confused



Higher temps should give more esters. It will also give you more higher alcohols though. As with everything in brewing, it's all about compromise


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## mje1980 (1/11/12)

Ok, been googling, some info suggests a healthy pitch rate should reduce higher alcohols. What do you reckon?. I'd brew a standard gravity ale, then use the cake for a bigger beer, so i'd have heaps of yeast for the job. I get the feeling that with belgians, its just a matter of going for it haha. I did a tripel with 3944, which i kept around 22, but i still got lots of phenols. I guess a huge beer might throw more anyway, it was 8.8%, and bloody nice when young, but the older it got, the more the phenols stood out.


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## mxd (1/11/12)

mje1980 said:


> Maybe i'll try the 3944, but crank up the ferment temp??, or keep it low?, 2 different answers here, im confused




how was your last belgium fermented (as in temp) ?

I'm more of an ester fan as well, I add yeast at 18 then up the temp 1.5 every day to about 27, then leave it to finish off.


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## mje1980 (1/11/12)

I not long ago did a wit, which was fermented cool. I actually brewed it for a mate, so only tasted gravity samples ( he drank it before i got to try it on tap <_< ). From the sample, the phenols were mild, though it was only a 5% wit.


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## Nick JD (1/11/12)

I'm probably becomming known as a 1214 evangelist. But ... 1214 (Chimay's).

It matches your flavour profile requirements perfectly. 20C is a good temp.

Second would be 3787 (Westmalle) - but it's a krausen monster and while it's nicely estery it differs from 1214 mainly by the extra phenolics it makes.

Also, when it's hot (30C+), 3724 is ester supreme.

This is a good webpage: http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast.htm


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## beerdrinkingbob (1/11/12)

Nick JD said:


> I'm probably becomming known as a 1214 evangelist. But ... 1214 (Chimay's).
> 
> It matches your flavour profile requirements perfectly. 20C is a good temp.
> 
> ...


Think I tried it at anhc, there were three yeast same wort, threw a lot of banana, almost banana bread, thought it would make a great heffe....


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