Mangrove Jack Craft Series Yeasts

[TimT]

Bottled my pale/wheat ale today that I'd been fermenting over MJ44. The gravity was 1.024 - I'd sampled it about a week ago and got the same gravity reading and was hoping to get it down a bit lower. (It went down from an original gravity of about 1.046). But then, I did mash high, about 68-70. (Apparently some of these yeasts can be lazy attenuators, but not sure with M44??? Have to do some more brews to find out.)

This means I think that the main part of fermentation began and ended in a fairly short time frame, about 48 hours after a fairly short lag time on pitching - about 12 hours. In that 48 hour period, the gravity went down 20 points and then the yeast went to beddy-byes.

Interestingly the herbal-yarrow flavours seem to be less noticeable today. Might just be because I had some chocolate before sampling the ale, and wasn't able to sense delicate flavours. I'm getting a nice malty smell from the dregs in my cup though.

The description on the packet has the MJ44 as a neutral yeast that lets hop character and malt flavour shine through but I notice it really brings its own character to the ale - sort of similar to the appley vibe that the British Ale yeast has; maybe a bit less strong. I think some of those flavours will drop away once the beer is fridged and possibly the herbal flavours will come back a bit. At any rate that's what I want out of these yeasts - something with a bit of character, esters, a bit of yeast funk. So I'm liking it - funk yeah!

 

[Spiesy]

but doesn't outright smack you on the face with it like a stripper at the club.

Well, that's disappointing.

Initial impressions of my APA with M44 - good. Transparent, in both flavour and appearance. I crashed this for 4-days before kegging, and after a couple of cloudy glasses it's not clear, with no masking of hop or malt flavours. Nicely attenuated too.

 

[TimT]

Interestingly the herbal-yarrow flavours seem to be less noticeable today.

Scratch that, just had a second sample (of the leftover stuff that wouldn't fit in any of the bottles) and the yarrow smell and taste is definitely there.

 

[dent]

Drinking a glass of cider made with el cheapo juice and MJ 02 Cider yeast - best cider I've "brewed" yet. Super drinkable and what little sulfur was made is disappearing quickly. I like to backsweeten with about 250g dissolved white sugar per keg.

Brewed an Australian Bitter Ale with the M10 Workhorse, fermented quick and super clean so far, perfect for the style. Unfortunately I can't reuse the yeast as the glad wrap popped off overnight when the ferment was going hard, and I didn't trust any fruit flies not to take a swim - that one went into the keg ASAP.

 

[jyo]

What ferment temp, dent? I've been meaning to make a cider for ages.

 

[dent]

Just 18 degrees I think.

 

[Wolfman]

Made a 800ml starter for the dark ale yeast. Fermented that out really quick. Pitched the lot into a northern brown and less than 12 hours later it was cranking! Might be the solution to getting fermentation underway quicker.

 

[TimT]

I've used the dark ale yeast twice, just rehydrating both times and pitching straightaway - both times the brew was underway in a few hours. It's more with some of the other MJ yeasts I've noticed lag times.

 

[Wolfman]

I've used the dark ale yeast twice, just rehydrating both times and pitching straightaway - both times the brew was underway in a few hours. It's more with some of the other MJ yeasts I've noticed lag times.

Am going to do the same with the burton I'm pitching onto a stout, so should have more news on that soon.

 

[indica86]

Burton Union into an ESB - krausen after 36 hours. Possibly before.

 

[DeGarre]

I absolutely loved everything about M07 British Ale and as soon as my Notty stock is finished I am going to start using it as a house yeast for bitters and pale ales. Burton Ale yeast is up next and I might be able to squeeze it in before the competion DIPA, especially as the Cascade I ordered is still in transit.

So I am thinking a simple ESB/winter warmer/burton ale/stock ale/old ale at 1055-1060°, pale ale, crystal, amber, oats and as little sugar as possible to boost the gravity, fairly blonde and loads of bittering hops (target, progress, ekg, whatever I have open in the freezer) and just a little bit for aroma. The let the Burton yeast do its magic.

I want the bulk of the beer to age and mature till Christmas. I am actually so excited, no wonder as my pipeline is busted, 2 beers still in the FV, and I haven't had a beer for ages.

Basically a beer that I can drink from those short leg fat Belgian tulip glasses.

 

[DeGarre]

Pitched the Burton Union dry into 1058° wort at 1.30pm. After 3 hours some activity. After 10 hours clear bubbling. This morning a krausen ring and airlock pumping away steadily, not overly aggressive but steady thumping.

So no lag times to speak of. Wort was 21°C and room temp around 18-19°C.

I used 8.4% of sugar to pump up the gravity a few points.

 

[DeGarre]

Has gained momentum, going at it like a steamroller. What are these "lag times" I read about? Just produce superior wort and problemo solved...

 

[TimT]

Dicko on another thread shared the handbook on this series of yeasts; here it is. It's very useful - more notes on individual styles than you would just get on the packet, and general comments about yeast preparation, lag times, etc.

The main thing I noticed about it is its suggestion that all MJ yeasts (apart from the lager yeast) should be re-hydrated at about 30-35 degrees - not sure if this is standard practice.... I'd been rehydrating at much lower temps which may have contributed to the lag times.

 

[tiprya]

My Burton Union has stalled at 1.019 from 1.048.

I've racked to a keg, which usually restarts fermentation, but gotten nothing. Going to have to pitch some new yeast.

Very dissapointed, was looking forward to pitching the slurry onto a porter today, but now I'm worried it will stall again...

Edit: rehydrated, and oxygenated, pitched at 17, fermented at 20.

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

Had a read through the MJ info for the yeasts. They say we should not reuse.

"As a result of the drying process, Mangrove Jack’s dried yeasts are not suitable for harvesting and/or repitching. For best results, always use a fresh sachet of yeast with every brew. "

Is there any truth to this? Or is it just to get us to buy more packs?

 

[indica86]

I used the Belgian 3 times in a row with identical results - slurry that is.
I have also used the M44 in such a way and will be brewing two IPA with slurry from Burton Union. I see no issue with it.

 

[dent]

Had a read through the MJ info for the yeasts. They say we should not reuse.

*cough* ******** *cough*

 

[TimT]

I read that bit too, I'm certainly planning on re-using my yeast cakes.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I've saved my M79 slurry from a 1.040 mild, which will (with a big pitch) go into a high gravity Ale, Stout or something like that.