TLDR Beer Club
02-23-2012
, 07:17 PM
02-24-2012
, 06:51 PM
02-24-2012
, 06:54 PM
02-24-2012
, 07:00 PM
02-26-2012
, 02:58 PM
I kegged the special bitter we all brewed about two weeks ago, and today I bottled it up to send out. When I brewed it, I fermented half of it with Wyeast's 1968, London ESB, and half with White Labs Yorkshire Square, a seasonal strain. Today was the first time I've tasted them side-by side. Here's the descriptions of each yeast strain:
WY1968:
WL037:
The 1968 is undercarbed compared to the 037, but wow, what a difference in the two beers. 1968 is what we use at work, so I'm used to how that yeast behaves, and one of its defining, most notable characteristics is how it flocculates, or how the yeast drops out of the beer after fermentation. That yeast flocs like a ton of bricks. It loves to drop out so much some brewers even have trouble with it floc'ing before fermentation is complete! It also gets a little estery with low O2 levels, low pitch rate, or higher ferment temps, throwing some stone fruity esters, but at proper O2 levels, pitch rate, and a lower temp, it's fairly British-clean.
The special bitter with 1968 is noticeably darker than the YS. The color of both is in the area of Coff's picture up there, but no doubt the 1968 is a shade or three darker. That may be because the YS isn't really floci'ng like 1968, although its been in a keg at 38F for two weeks. Honestly, I don't really know how else to explain a color difference in the two beers. Given a perfectly filtered beer, I think color is entirely determined by the wort, so these two beers should have the same color unless there's yeast floating around in one changing things slightly.
The 1968 is also definitely maltier and fuller than the YS. Part of this might be the carbonation. A higher carbonation level will tend to accent bitterness and thin body. But the maltiness of the 1968 is a rich, dark grain-y type of malty sweetness. The YS square seems pretty well balanced, with the nice toasty malt playing against a very present, but not overwhelming, bitterness. I don't think I've ever had a genuine commercial special bitter - other than Three Floyd's, I can't really think of an American brewer that regularly brews ordinary/special bitters or milds - but in my mind, the beer with Yorkshire Square yeast is closer to what a special bitter should be. Its nicely balanced and highly quaffable.
WY1968:
Quote:
A very good cask conditioned ale strain, this extremely flocculant yeast produces distinctly malty beers. Attenuation levels are typically less than most other yeast strains which results in a slightly sweeter finish. Ales produced with this strain tend to be fruity, increasingly so with higher fermentation temperatures of 70-74°F (21-23° C). A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete. Bright beers are easily achieved within days without any filtration.
Quote:
This yeast produces a beer that is malty, but well-balanced. Expect flavors that are toasty with malt-driven esters. Highly flocculent and good choice for English pale ales, English brown ales, and mild ales.
The special bitter with 1968 is noticeably darker than the YS. The color of both is in the area of Coff's picture up there, but no doubt the 1968 is a shade or three darker. That may be because the YS isn't really floci'ng like 1968, although its been in a keg at 38F for two weeks. Honestly, I don't really know how else to explain a color difference in the two beers. Given a perfectly filtered beer, I think color is entirely determined by the wort, so these two beers should have the same color unless there's yeast floating around in one changing things slightly.
The 1968 is also definitely maltier and fuller than the YS. Part of this might be the carbonation. A higher carbonation level will tend to accent bitterness and thin body. But the maltiness of the 1968 is a rich, dark grain-y type of malty sweetness. The YS square seems pretty well balanced, with the nice toasty malt playing against a very present, but not overwhelming, bitterness. I don't think I've ever had a genuine commercial special bitter - other than Three Floyd's, I can't really think of an American brewer that regularly brews ordinary/special bitters or milds - but in my mind, the beer with Yorkshire Square yeast is closer to what a special bitter should be. Its nicely balanced and highly quaffable.
02-26-2012
, 03:57 PM
Good write up about the difference in yeasts. Was definitely interesting. Mine is kegged and carbed, ready to go whenever everyone else wants to exchange. Since I'll be seeing pliny in March it'd be better if I sent to someone else. I'll probably throw in a bottle or two of something else I have lying around if it will fit in the box I end up getting.
The head on it receded pretty quickly by the time I walked from the garage to the kitchen but it lasted at that 1/2" mark for a while. I actually get a bit of warmth in the beer which is extremely weird since it's low on the abv. I used the S-04 yeast and forgot to oxygenate so it may be a combination of these two things. It cleared up pretty well just from the cold crash so I didn't put any gelatin in it or anything. The hop aroma and taste is pretty mild but goes with the malt well. Not a lot of esters in mine at all just a pretty balanced bitter.
The head on it receded pretty quickly by the time I walked from the garage to the kitchen but it lasted at that 1/2" mark for a while. I actually get a bit of warmth in the beer which is extremely weird since it's low on the abv. I used the S-04 yeast and forgot to oxygenate so it may be a combination of these two things. It cleared up pretty well just from the cold crash so I didn't put any gelatin in it or anything. The hop aroma and taste is pretty mild but goes with the malt well. Not a lot of esters in mine at all just a pretty balanced bitter.
02-26-2012
, 08:23 PM
02-26-2012
, 09:26 PM
02-28-2012
, 08:58 PM
