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Author Topic: Lallemand Diamond Lager  (Read 5294 times)

Offline tommymorris

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #15 on: September 05, 2021, 10:58:28 am »
When I think slurry, I think thick slurry.  I do not count the supernatant that lies above the sedimented solids.   I cropped 400ml of roused sedimented yeast and beer from the primary.  That sedimented into 200ml of thick slurry and 200ml of supernatant.  I discard the supernatant before I pitch the thick slurry.

We normally pitch the entire volume, including the beer on top of the yeast cake.
The yeast settles in a peanut-butter like viscosity, making it difficult to drain from the container. Thus we use the liquid on top as a means of getting it roused up into a workable solution, shaking the bottle until it is easy to pour.

When making a starter with harvested yeast, we decant the entire volume of beer off the yeast.
If you don’t want that beer in your pitch you can discard it and then use a cup or two of the new wort added to the yeast slurry’s container to stir up the packed yeast.

Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #16 on: September 06, 2021, 05:29:25 pm »
When I think slurry, I think thick slurry.  I do not count the supernatant that lies above the sedimented solids.   I cropped 400ml of roused sedimented yeast and beer from the primary.  That sedimented into 200ml of thick slurry and 200ml of supernatant.  I discard the supernatant before I pitch the thick slurry.

We normally pitch the entire volume, including the beer on top of the yeast cake.
The yeast settles in a peanut-butter like viscosity, making it difficult to drain from the container. Thus we use the liquid on top as a means of getting it roused up into a workable solution, shaking the bottle until it is easy to pour.

When making a starter with harvested yeast, we decant the entire volume of beer off the yeast.
If you don’t want that beer in your pitch you can discard it and then use a cup or two of the new wort added to the yeast slurry’s container to stir up the packed yeast.

Dang! Call me an idiot for not thinking of that.
Thanks!

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #17 on: September 09, 2021, 09:41:18 am »
There are cultures that stick like glue to the container in which they are cropped, but that was not the case for me with Diamond lager.  It is just not that flocculant.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2021, 01:11:22 pm »
I just kegged a 3-gallon batch that was pitched with 200ml of first generation Diamond Lager slurry.  I can honestly say that this batch is the first I have fermented with yeast that started out as a dry culture that is indistinguishable from beer fermented with liquid yeast.  The beer is a Vienna-style lager so there are no big, bold flavors to hide off-flavors from the fermentation.

Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2021, 02:49:49 pm »
I just kegged a 3-gallon batch that was pitched with 200ml of first generation Diamond Lager slurry.  I can honestly say that this batch is the first I have fermented with yeast that started out as a dry culture that is indistinguishable from beer fermented with liquid yeast.  The beer is a Vienna-style lager so there are no big, bold flavors to hide off-flavors from the fermentation.

My experience is the same. The Diamond Lager is as good (maybe better) than most of the liquid yeasts we have used.

Offline MDL

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #20 on: September 18, 2021, 02:57:50 pm »
Mark, how  did you feel about the first batch, the dry pitch of Diamond?

I too have had excellent  results with Diamond.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #21 on: September 18, 2021, 05:05:57 pm »
The first batch is good, but not like the second batch. Both batches have gravities in the 60s.  I tried TXFlyGuy's temperature recommendation.  At 50F/10C, repitched Diamond Lager is a dry yeast gem.  My first batch was fermented in the higher 50s.  It has a bolder flavor, but there are higher alcohols present at low levels.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2021, 09:16:36 am by Saccharomyces »

Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #22 on: September 18, 2021, 06:26:24 pm »
The big thing about Diamond is I now pitch it straight from the fridge. If the slurry is fresh, say only a few weeks since harvest, it will take off like a nuclear bomb.

There is no need for a starter, and no need for it to warm up.

My first experience was messy! Took the slurry out of the fridge, and sat it on the countertop while other activities were taking place.
Next thing I knew...there was yeast climbing out of the container, walking across the countertop, and sliding down the front of the cabinets and oozing across the floor.

Yes, this stuff is potent.

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #23 on: September 18, 2021, 07:05:38 pm »
I just kegged a 3-gallon batch that was pitched with 200ml of first generation Diamond Lager slurry.  I can honestly say that this batch is the first I have fermented with yeast that started out as a dry culture that is indistinguishable from beer fermented with liquid yeast.  The beer is a Vienna-style lager so there are no big, bold flavors to hide off-flavors from the fermentation.

good to know.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #24 on: September 19, 2021, 07:35:40 am »
I am 5 repitches into a Diamond lager re-use and it is still going strong and clean.  Most have been at 10 psi.
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #25 on: September 19, 2021, 08:49:24 am »
I am 5 repitches into a Diamond lager re-use and it is still going strong and clean.  Most have been at 10 psi.
What temp are you running your pressurized fermentations at?
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Offline Bel Air Brewing

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #26 on: September 19, 2021, 10:07:06 am »
Never tried pressurized ferment, but we are at least 8 generations in with Diamond. And still clean, fresh aroma, and very healthy.

Offline Saccharomyces

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #27 on: September 19, 2021, 10:17:30 am »
I am 5 repitches into a Diamond lager re-use and it is still going strong and clean.  Most have been at 10 psi.

To be honest, I was a little nervous when I pitched the crop. My girlfriend who likes a good lager, but is more a helles than a pils girl, commented on how smooth the wort tasted (I get her to taste wort before the culture is pitched, so she understands the role of yeast).  The wort was exceptional and I did not want to risk it to dry yeast (94% Weyermann Vienna, 6% Weyermann CaraRed, Hops Direct Mt. Hood pellets @ 45, 30, and 15 for 31 IBUs Tinseth, but contained with a hop spider, so I have no doubt the actual IBU level is lower).  The first batch I pitched with Diamond Lager came out good, but it was a slightly bigger beer with a higher hopping rate.  There was less to hide behind in this beer, so I needed a clean fermentation.   That is why I chose to pitch at 50F/10C instead of 55F/13C.  At 50F, repitched Diamond Lager performs exceptionally well. It is a still quick to start and a vigorous fermenter at 50F/10C with normal lager pitching rates.  I experienced the same kind of thing with BRY-97.  The first pitch is okay to good, but definitely not as good as the first pitch of a good liquid lager culture.  However, the second pitch is money. I cannot say the same thing for US-05 with its bushel of peaches off-flavor and I refused to repitch W-34/70 because the first batch was so wonky with a tart note in the finish.  No amount of brewery adaptation will make those cultures suitable for my brewing.

Offline fredthecat

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #28 on: September 19, 2021, 11:46:24 am »


To be honest, I was a little nervous when I pitched the crop. My girlfriend who likes a good lager, but is more a helles than a pils girl, commented on how smooth the wort tasted (I get her to taste wort before the culture is pitched, so she understands the role of yeast).  The wort was exceptional and I did not want to risk it to dry yeast (94% Weyermann Vienna, 6% Weyermann CaraRed, Hops Direct Mt. Hood pellets @ 45, 30, and 15 for 31 IBUs Tinseth, but contained with a hop spider, so I have no doubt the actual IBU level is lower).  The first batch I pitched with Diamond Lager came out good, but it was a slightly bigger beer with a higher hopping rate.  There was less to hide behind in this beer, so I needed a clean fermentation.   That is why I chose to pitch at 50F/10C instead of 55F/13C.  At 50F, repitched Diamond Lager performs exceptionally well. It is a still quick to start and a vigorous fermenter at 50F/10C with normal lager pitching rates.  I experienced the same kind of thing with BRY-97.  The first pitch is okay to good, but definitely not as good as the first pitch of a good liquid lager culture.  However, the second pitch is money. I cannot say the same thing for US-05 with its bushel of peaches off-flavor and I refused to repitch W-34/70 because the first batch was so wonky with a tart note in the finish.  No amount of brewery adaptation will make those cultures suitable for my brewing.

im sure it varies, but most of my brews range between 30 to 50 IBU and after probably 10 brews with a small-medium sized hop spider i now assume a loss of about 5 IBU per batch. so im aiming 5 IBU higher than i used to now.

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Lallemand Diamond Lager
« Reply #29 on: September 20, 2021, 07:30:41 am »
I am 5 repitches into a Diamond lager re-use and it is still going strong and clean.  Most have been at 10 psi.
What temp are you running your pressurized fermentations at?

Between 54 and 62F typically, but it may start on the high end of that range overnight the first night then settle in between 56-58 for a few days.  Fermentation lasts between 5-7 days.  I use a Tilt hydrometer to determine stabilized gravities.  This yeast handles the pressure fermentation with no problems.
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