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Author Topic: Oktoberfest Yeast  (Read 2283 times)

Offline BaseWerks Brewing

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Oktoberfest Yeast
« on: April 01, 2021, 02:07:24 pm »
Hi, I need a quick recommendation.  I planned to order Wyeast 2206 for a batch of Oktoberfest I planned to brew in a few weeks.  Wyeast doesn't have it at the moment.  Is there another good Wyeast I could use?  I've use 34/70 in the past but wanted to try something different.  Would I be better off just waiting a few weeks until I can get 2206?
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Offline denny

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2021, 02:09:53 pm »
If you want to go dry, S-189 is a great choice.
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Offline BaseWerks Brewing

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2021, 02:13:09 pm »
Thanks. I'd be fine with liquid or dry.  I just want a good one.  I felt my batch with 34/70 seemed a bit thin in my limited experience. 
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Online dmtaylor

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2021, 02:21:07 pm »
If you want to go dry, S-189 is a great choice.

I was going to say S-189 as well.  It's even better than W-34/70.  Love the S-189.
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2021, 04:05:50 pm »
Wyeast 2633 is my favorite for Octoberfest. 2124 and S189 are great choices, too.

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Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2021, 04:18:28 pm »
My Oktoberfest won a First Place Award this year at the Bluebonnet, and it was made with Wyeast 2633 (Oktoberfest Lager Blend). I do not like the flavor profile. And I will not use it again.

The judges obviously liked it. But not me!

Might give S-189 a try here.

Offline ttash

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2021, 07:40:12 pm »
I'm a big fan of 2206, but if I couldn't get it I wouldn't hesitate to use 2124.

2124 produces more sulphur than 2206, but it will dissipate during conditioning.

Offline BaseWerks Brewing

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2021, 07:50:17 pm »
Thanks for the advice.  They have some Wyeast 2352 which from what I can tell comes from Augustiner.  Anyone have experience with that?  I always like the Augustiner beers I've had. 

S-189 is very tempting.  Dry yeast is easy.
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Offline Village Taphouse

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #8 on: April 01, 2021, 07:52:49 pm »
I like Omega Bayern for an Oktoberfest.  It's supposed to be Augustiner's yeast.  It makes a great helles, pilsner, Vienna, bock, etc. but I especially like it in an Oktoberfest.  S-189 is very good as is Diamond but I feel like S-189 is just a little bland on the yeast character.  I believe it's technically a Swiss yeast but that shouldn't necessarily exclude it.  Another good option is 2308. 

EDIT:  We were posting at the same time.  Wyeast 2352 and Omega Bayern are the same strain. 
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Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2021, 04:49:31 am »
Thanks for the advice.  They have some Wyeast 2352 which from what I can tell comes from Augustiner.  Anyone have experience with that?  I always like the Augustiner beers I've had. 

S-189 is very tempting.  Dry yeast is easy.

Yes, dry yeast is easier. But Wyeast can be easy as well, provided you are patient and make a good starter the day before. This is where the black-magic art of brewing comes into play.

I have S-189 in the fridge now, planning to use it soon. If it is any consolation, we have won brewing competition medals with both dry yeast (Fermentis) and liquid yeast (Wyeast).

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2021, 08:09:46 am »
Omega Bayern is a great lager yeast - I use it without hesitation; but I use S-189 the most anymore; Diamond is a close second for dry yeasts.
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Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2021, 06:23:30 pm »
If you want to go dry, S-189 is a great choice.
Next up for me is a festbier with S-189
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2021, 06:59:28 am »
Another product that is said to be the Augustener stran is Imperial L-17 Harvest.
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Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2021, 04:53:04 am »
If you want to go dry, S-189 is a great choice.
Next up for me is a festbier with S-189

You probably have a good recipe, but my entry at the Bluebonnet scored 43 points, and was perhaps one of the best beers we brewed last fall. I got the idea for the grain bill here, from the Village.

60% Pils
20% Vienna
20% Munich.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Oktoberfest Yeast
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2021, 08:28:16 am »
Thanks. I'd be fine with liquid or dry.  I just want a good one.  I felt my batch with 34/70 seemed a bit thin in my limited experience.

That was my assessment too, that is, other than the low-level phenolic off-flavor in the finish.  I am surprised to read that White Labs was distributing Lallemand Diamond Lager culture.  Granted, they have a vested interested in liquid culture production, but one of the things that they have repeatedly claimed in their catalog about dry yeast cultures is the possibility of phenolic off-flavors with dry yeast (page 10 of this document: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi2pYTH4-TvAhUOGFkFHdoQC9IQFjAAegQIAxAD&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwhitelabs.com%2Fpublic%2Fuploads%2Fckeditor%2F5f8914dc7a8c71602819292.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3a3AWxMUGFqlxWb6Iqp_nC).  I am glad to see that information in print, even if it may only be confirmation bias.  One thing I want to know about Fermentis W-34/70 is how does a culture that is claimed to be flocculent morph into one that is not?  Additionally, the loss of flocculence does not appear to be consistent from package to package.  However, enough brewers have complained about how powdery this yeast strain can be that the loss of flocculence is occurring on a fairly regular basis.  Even brewers on this forum have remarked at how long it takes W-34/70 to drop out of suspension.