Diamond Lager Yeast - Lallemand

Over The Cliff Brewing

Over The Cliff Brewing

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2019
Messages
2,227
Reaction score
5,617
Points
113
Anyone use this yeast? I plan to brew a Vienna Lager in the next couple weeks and I already have this yeast. Also for 5 gallons do I need 2 11G packs or will one in a starter do the job?
 
I have not used it yet. However I am confident that just 1 pack should be enough for 5 gallons. I use dried yeast almost exclusively and it always starts fast at this pitch rate, even for lagers.
 
It will totally depend on your fermentation temp. If you plan to ferment at low temp, definitely use at least 2 packs.
I've used 1 packet a number of times when doing 5 gallons at 60 degrees plus when building up yeast for a bigger batch. Great results, but not as true to style as would have been with lower temps.
I've only used the Fermentis versions of lager yeasts and don' t have direct experience with the Diamond Lager yeast but it would likely give similar results.
 
Frankenbrewer said:
Anyone use this yeast? I plan to brew a Vienna Lager in the next couple weeks and I already have this yeast. Also for 5 gallons do I need 2 11G packs or will one in a starter do the job?
Click to expand...
I'd go with two, at least. Depending on your OG, normal pitch rate should be over 300 billion cells. Each sachet should provide about 100 billion cells, depending on freshness. The pitch rate calculator says you need 387 billion cells to hit the normal pitch rate for a lager at 1.050 OG. This is likely repitched yeast, fresh yeast is more viable, use these figures for comparison, actual mileage may vary, people will tell you you need fewer, etc. So rather than trusting Head Brewer Google, I go with what I can read from brewing scientists and master brewers: More is better, at least when it comes to lagers. My last Lager had an OG of 1.046, I used a three-liter starter of liquid yeast, still an underpitch based on most of the literature out there. To those who would argue, "I used less and love the beer I make," I'm happy for you and would agree it's working for you in your brewery under your conditions using your ingredients and your palate. It doesn't for me or for most of the brewing experts I've read.
 
Right now my basement stays around 55F so I plan to ferment in that range. I do have a chest freezer if needed but it will prolly be fermenting something else. Nonetheless, it sounds like a 2 bagger for the yeast. This is my very first lager and I don't want to screw it up by underpitching. I can do that on my own, screwing it up that is.
 
I used it over the summer. Made a dunkel with batch one and used that slurry for a Helles and a Festbier. I fermented in the mid 50s. I used 1 pack for a 1.5 gallon batch. I didn’t do a starter but with my batch sizes I don’t really need to.
 
Used this yeast a couple times in Octoberfest, rehydrated 2 packs at 75f, added some 1.060 OG wort at 55f before pitching, still took off rather slow, 36 hours before what I would consider active fermentation. Held at 55f for 5 days. 1.060 OG both times so middle range OG. Lager temps need more yeast so depending on OG, I'd go with 2 if you can. Very happy with results, both batches finished >74% attenuation, very clean flavor. I did a diacetyl rest at 62f on day 5-7. Planning to repitch this yeast in a black lager very soon.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/1089868/octoberfest
 
Nosybear said:
To those who would argue, "I used less and love the beer I make," I'm happy for you and would agree it's working for you in your brewery under your conditions using your ingredients and your palate. It doesn't for me or for most of the brewing experts I've read.
Click to expand...
Many homebrewers brew good homebrew but miss out on brewing certain styles really well. Of course we love the beer we brew, especially when we're just getting started. All our friends tell us how great it is and everybody's happy. But, when we really start to dig deep and make improvements based on established guidelines for taste, appearance, etc, we start to understand how far from perfect those early efforts were.
When it comes to lagers, there's a lot of decent beer that's close but really not right - in the craft beer world and especially in homebrewing. It's pretty easy to make a very drinkable beer with a single packet of lager yeast fermented at 64 to 68 degrees and a lot of homebrewers do just that and are quite happy with the results. I do it pretty routinely for starter batches and we happily drink it up - I just don't think of it as a proper lager. The difference between that starter batch and the batch that's properly pitched, nicely hopped, fermented dead clean and lagered crystal clear is huge.
 
J A said:
Many homebrewers brew good homebrew but miss out on brewing certain styles really well. Of course we love the beer we brew, especially when we're just getting started. All our friends tell us how great it is and everybody's happy. But, when we really start to dig deep and make improvements based on established guidelines for taste, appearance, etc, we start to understand how far from perfect those early efforts were.
When it comes to lagers, there's a lot of decent beer that's close but really not right - in the craft beer world and especially in homebrewing. It's pretty easy to make a very drinkable beer with a single packet of lager yeast fermented at 64 to 68 degrees and a lot of homebrewers do just that and are quite happy with the results. I do it pretty routinely for starter batches and we happily drink it up - I just don't think of it as a proper lager. The difference between that starter batch and the batch that's properly pitched, nicely hopped, fermented dead clean and lagered crystal clear is huge.
Click to expand...

Ya'll must have never tried S-189 yeast, pitched at ale rates and fermented anywhere from 51 to 65 F (yeah I've used it at both extremes). Takes off within 24 hours even at ale rates at 51 F. That one scored me a silver medal. Cleanest clean malty lager you ever had. Yummy yum. S-189 lagers never last long in my house, magically disappear from the cellar. Dang near impossible to screw up no matter how much you pitch or how you control anything. Take it from me, a screw-up. Outstanding yeast.

I have high hopes for Diamond as well based on things I've heard, but like I said, I haven't tried it yet.
 
I've won gold medals in brew competitions for beers that were not done "properly" more than once. I have no doubt that if I were to put my Pilsner up against a fresh German one it would not be as good even if I am following closely as I can, but that's not a common thing. Bias plays a lot in brewing.
 
I must have underpitched with one pack. The OG has gone from 1.052 to 1.024. My expected final is 1.012. I held my temp at 66F for a week. I let it keep going.
 
Last edited:
Frankenbrewer said:
I must have underpitched with one pack. The OG has gone from 1.052 to 1.024. My expected final is 1.012. I held my temp at 66F for a week. I let it keep going.
Click to expand...

Pitch rate shouldn't affect attenuation. Recipe and mash parameters would have greater bearing. Also, have you calibrated your hydrometer and mash thermometer in recent history?
 
Frankenbrewer said:
I must have underpitched with one pack. The OG has gone from 1.052 to 1.024. My expected final is 1.012. I held my temp at 66F for a week. I let it keep going.
Click to expand...
At that fermentation temp, a low pitch rate might or might not contribute to stalling but lack of O2 can definitely lead to under attenuation.
 
Good point and one I hadn't thought of: Dry yeast is carrying its own oxygen so an underpitch could have some of the same issues as under-aerated wort.
 
I aerated the wort at 65F before pitching. I just pulled a sample to check the gravity with a hydrometer and the FG is at 1.011 where I expected it to be. The previous reading was using a refractometer. It also tastes pretty good.
20201223_103750.jpg
 
Yeah unless you're ready to do the calculations for the refractometer just use a hydrometer for the FG. It's what I do.
 
Hawkbox said:
Yeah unless you're ready to do the calculations for the refractometer just use a hydrometer for the FG. It's what I do.
Click to expand...
There's always the refractometer correction calculator on the site....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Copyright © 2007-2025 Brewer's Friend, Inc. - Send Feedback - Terms - RSS Feed - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Back
Top