The yeast experiment

Three different yeast were used to ferment the same wort in order to help resolve the characters of different yeast. Two yeast cultured from commercial bottles along with a yeast from a Wyeast smack pack were selected

• Wyeast 1028
• Yeast from Fuller's 1845
• Yeast from Shepherd Neame's Spitfire

• 1kg Sahti malt (85% pilsner, 10% light crystal, 5% enzyme)
• 15g 3.6% Fuggles hop pellets 60min

While sahti malt is intended for making sahti -- the traditional old finnish beer, it is also excellent for a basic ale. The malt was mashed at 62C (144F). After aeration the wort was divided into three 1 liter glass jars and a smaller jar. The small jar was the control batch. All jars were sealed with aluminium foils wiped down with alcohol.

The 1028, Fuller's 1845 and Spitfire yeast were pitched from bottles, which contained a once stepped up culture from an earlier starter. The 1028 came from an old bottle (4 months) and had a slow start. The fermentation was conducted at room temperature, 20C (68F).

Fermentation log

Control

4 hours: No activity

12 hours: No activity

1 day: No activity

2 days: No activity

4 days: No activity

7 days: No activity

10 days: No activity

Wyeast 1028

4 hours: No activity

12 hours: Some activity

1 day: Fermenting vigorously

2 days: Slowing down, very cloudy

4 days: Going very slowly, clearing, slightly milky cloudiness

7 days: Done. Allmost cleared

10 days: Bottling. FG 1.006

Spitfire

4 hours: Some activity

12 hours: Strong fermentation

1 day: Foam dropping

2 days: Slowing down, clearing

4 days: Done. Clearing, still a bit milky cloudiness

7 days: Cleared

10 days: Bottling. FG 1.008

Fuller's 1845

4 hours: Some activity

12 hours: Vigorous fermentation

1 day: Foam dropping

2 days: Almost done. Quite clear already. Great 'lava lamp'

4 days: Done. Very clear

7 days: Crystal clear.

10 days: Bottling. FG 1.008

The liquid cultures with a healthy starter showed signs of fermentation under 4 hours, and by 12 hours the fermentation was very vigorous. Long yeast storage (Wyeast 1028) resulted in prolonged lag of about 12 hours. While this is still acceptable, the results show the need for a good starter.

There wasn't much variation in yeast attenuation, FG's ranged from 1.006 to 1.008. The yeast from Fuller's 1845 was an extremely flocculant strain, producing crystal clear beer in just a week from pitching. Wyeast 1028 took the longest time to clear, Spitfire being in the middle of the two.

Each beer was bottled in two 0.33 liter beer bottles. 6 gramm/liter priming sugar was used.

Tasting

Tastings were performed after 1 week and 2 weeks in bottles. While this was a bit early, I just could not wait any longer. Wyeast 1028

• Nice head retention. Clean on esters. The yeast brings out the bitterness of the beer and makes it a natural choice for English type bitters. Very nice, clean tasting, mildly malty, minerally beverage.

• Excellent maltiness. Lovely fruity esters, maybe perry? Nice head. Yeast settles quite well in bottles. Soft, fullbodied mouthfeel.

• This stain produced a crystal clear, very malty beer. There was also some delicate apple-like fruitiness, which contributes to the sweetness. Yeast settles in the bottles excellently. This migth be the same as Wyeast 1968?

As a conclusion, all yeast produced a very enjoyable beer, even though the recipe was simple. The yeast had much bigger effect on the palate then was originally suspected. While the beer is basicly the same, with a proper choice of yeast one could easily fine tune it from a dryish bitter to a sweet and fruity pale ale.

Finally, a comparison of some characteristics. Three points mean strong, and 0 points means minimal amount. The grading given here is purely comparative.

• Flocculation:
  • 1845 (3/3)
  • Spitfire (2/3)
  • 1028 (1/3)
• Apparent attenuation:
  • 1028 (2/3)
  • 1845 (2/3)
  • Spitfire (2/3)
• Maltiness:
  • Spitfire (3/3)
  • 1845 (2/3)
  • 1028 (1/3)
• Esters:
  • 1845 (3/3)
  • Spitfire (2/3)
  • 1028 (1/3)