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Author Topic: K-97  (Read 6029 times)

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: K-97
« Reply #45 on: January 15, 2021, 02:14:50 pm »
If K-97 is a Wyeast 1007 in dry form, it will go very low for an ale yeast.   It was the only ale yeast I could use in the unheated basement of the house where I lived when I started to brew.  The other culture I used during the cold months was CL-660, which I now believe is a W-34/70 isolate.

Offline denny

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Re: K-97
« Reply #46 on: January 15, 2021, 02:47:28 pm »
If K-97 is a Wyeast 1007 in dry form, it will go very low for an ale yeast.   It was the only ale yeast I could use in the unheated basement of the house where I lived when I started to brew.  The other culture I used during the cold months was CL-660, which I now believe is a W-34/70 isolate.

If so, it's remarkably unlike 1007.
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Offline dmtaylor

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Re: K-97
« Reply #47 on: January 15, 2021, 02:55:24 pm »
Indeed they are related, but perform noticeably differently.
Dave

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Offline Hopspringseternal

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Re: K-97
« Reply #48 on: January 15, 2021, 03:08:12 pm »
I appreciate all the insights about the K-97.  I'm not a sophisticated brewer--just use extract kits and mostly just ales.  I got Brewer's Best Kosch kit and it included the K-97.  Even though the recipe said (twice) "do not rehydrate," I always rehydrate my dry yeast.  I have a Grainfather conical fermenter so I've kept the temp at a steady 62--which is the mid-point in the range suggested by Safale.  The OG was 1.044 and after four days the reading from my Tilt hydrometer indicates a SG of 1.010.  I'm hoping the negatives others have mentioned about this yeast won't occur, but since several entries have suggested the K-97 might be okay for a Kolsch, I'm hoping for the best.
Hopspringseternal

Offline fredthecat

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Re: K-97
« Reply #49 on: January 15, 2021, 08:22:36 pm »
ok, it was going. i surrounded it with warm water bottles, just to try to raise the temp a little bit (it was 2am and i was needed in bed).

in the morning it was going and its been going since. i'll just let it go and see what happens. now that its fermenting that should raise its temp to an acceptable measure.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: K-97
« Reply #50 on: January 16, 2021, 07:08:54 am »
I'm not a sophisticated brewer--just use extract kits and mostly just ales. 

Yes, but you have better gear than I have and I have been brewing all-grain off-and-on for 28 years. :)
« Last Edit: January 16, 2021, 10:09:20 pm by Saccharomyces »

Offline fredthecat

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Re: K-97
« Reply #51 on: January 16, 2021, 10:08:28 am »
I'm not a sophisticated brewer--just use extract kits and mostly just ales. 

Yes, but you have better gear than I have and I have been brewing all-gain off-and-on for 28 years. :)

all-gain, no-pain brewing

Offline fredthecat

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Re: K-97
« Reply #52 on: January 16, 2021, 11:24:29 am »


seems to be chugging along, here's what it looks like.

Offline Hopspringseternal

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Re: K-97
« Reply #53 on: January 16, 2021, 01:31:29 pm »
I'm not a sophisticated brewer--just use extract kits and mostly just ales. 

Yes, but you have better gear than I have and I have been brewing all-gain off-and-on for 28 years. :)

Yeah, I'm spoiled with that conical fermenter, and the Tilt was a Christmas present this year! 
Hopspringseternal

Offline fredthecat

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Re: K-97
« Reply #54 on: February 18, 2021, 10:51:36 am »
ok, this was the thread i intended to finish up the k-97 recommendation at low temps. it fermented only at about 53-57F fluctuating.

attenuation was about 75% because i kept it at relatively cool temps and did not raise temps near end of fermentation. no diacetyl detected (assuming i can detect it??)

-to me the flavour is very, very clean. it has an ale character, of very light "bounciness" to me, as in to me a lager is usually just "flat" even when sweet.
-i would say it doesnt strongly emphasize malt or hops really well. i used a LOT of hops and really it seems sort of subdued, but hoppy enough.
-it is a "stronger" seeming yeast than most others ive encountered. the bottles were carbed enough after 24 hours and co2 was mostly in solution, which ive never had happen before.

common statements about k-97 from this and other forums:
1. it has a "bready taste". - i can see that, but to me it is absolutely not negative. id say just a decent maltiness with bread aspects. and i did use victory malt.
2. it will not clear - probably true, i used gelatin and cold crashed to near zero for a week and the picture below is the result. i did not get rid of the haze effectively. raising temp to really finish it off before crashing probably would have aided the clarity.
3. the yeast makes the bitterness/hopping "harsh" - i dont think so at all, i hopped it to 38 IBU and it tastes about that.
4. it is a top cropper - yes, it definitely is. i didnt intend to re-pitch it, but i was considering making just enough beer to fill the carboy 95% completely and have the krausen go into a sterile blowoff-tube and jar. but didn't.




i would absolutely use k-97 again and would unhesitatingly recommend it.