Wyeast 1056, Does It Need A Diacetyl Rest?

[C-MOR]

This is my second go with liquid yeast. I'm brewing a pale ale kit with 1056 @ 17-18 C. Can I bottle it once it stops fermenting? or is there some other process i should be thinking about? to soak up diacetyl? (ive been listening to the Jamil podcast and they talk about so many different options)

Another question, I started two colonies from the slap pack, one became my started, one is in the fridge, i'm planning to do this again next time (1 into 2). Can i Just keep doing this forever?

One more question, mid-ferment taste tests reveal a pretty serious hop bitterness finish, will this mellow as the beer comes of age? is there anything i can do to encourage it to mellow?

thanks

 

[Fourstar]

ok, first off diacetyl rest (is it pushing diacetyl? aka butterscotch) if yes, increase the temp, if no, hit terminal gravity and bottle it. A good process would be to let the beer rest for atleast 48 hours after terminal gravity to ensure it cleans up after itself anyway. ive never ran into diacetyl issues with 1056 myself but it doesnt hurt to ramp up temps toward the end of fermentation to ensure they clean up after themselves.

Can you keep splitting the colony? Not really, you are dropping (1/2ing) the cell count every time you do this. From the beginning, you should have dumped the single smack pack into a 1L starter and than dropped it into your wort to get the cell count to correct pitching rates, dont worry, your beer will still turn out fine.

If anything, you could take 1/2 cup of slurry from the fermenter when you bottle/keg it and pitch that into the next wort. do this 3-4 times and you have made your moneys worth.

Unless you are slanting or can be bothered dealing with starters, i'd just buy US05 dry yeast and a quick and easy option. (this is what i use for cider, i just buy a packet. cant be bothered building a starter for one single batch.)

as the beer ages and the yeast floccs out, bitterness/IBU will flocc out on the cell walls of the yeast lending a cleaner and mellow palate. give it time, she will soften!

 

[C-MOR]

Perhaps i could have been more clear. after halving retail pack i stepped it back up into 2 ltrs of wort for 48 hrs, that should be heaps of yeast right? i still have one 2ltre starter in the fridge, next brew i use my stored yeast to make 2 more 2 ltr starters, use 1 keep 1, and so on... forever? if im clean?

As for throwing diacetyl? as a noob i dont feel that my pallet is up to it, so i was really asking, in theory does this yeast produce diacetyl at these temperatures? and youve answered that for me, in that you've never had a problem.. thanks fourstar

 

[dr K]

Diacetyl is a by-product of fermentation, lots of things influence it, including yeast strain. Ales brewed at ale fermentation temps still need a diacetyl rest, but in the case of ales the rest is at fermentation temperature.
A healthy ale yeast ferments a healthy wort out in 3-4 days, it still needs a rest though.

K