Mauribrew Lager 497?

Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews said:
I’ll be out of town for work until Friday night(probably), the way it was going, wouldn’t surprise me at all if it was done working by the time I get home. Should be cleaned up nice in a couple weeks.
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What temp you using? I'm going to have a hell of a time holding even at ale temps. It was 108 degrees here yesterday and my garage stays HOT. I can use my glycol chiller in the half barrel and it holds pretty well but the insulation isn't that thick and it builds up condesation like crazy. I've got the big Peltier-cooled tanks but even with good insulation, they won't go more that about 30 degrees below ambient. If I move the big tanks down to my AC'd shop space, I can hold decent temp but in a closed space, CO2 from 22 gallons of fermenting wort may be a real issue. :eek:
 
I hope for your sake that this is not the same as m54. That yeast performs beautifully and then has a horrible finished profile. In my opinion of course....
 
J A said:
What temp you using? I'm going to have a hell of a time holding even at ale temps. It was 108 degrees here yesterday and my garage stays HOT. I can use my glycol chiller in the half barrel and it holds pretty well but the insulation isn't that thick and it builds up condesation like crazy. I've got the big Peltier-cooled tanks but even with good insulation, they won't go more that about 30 degrees below ambient. If I move the big tanks down to my AC'd shop space, I can hold decent temp but in a closed space, CO2 from 22 gallons of fermenting wort may be a real issue. :eek:
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My basement usually holds a steady 66 degrees, but with the hot weather lately, it’s up to 70. Fermenter temp was 72 according to the infrared. According to Mauribrew, should be good to 30c, 86f if my math is right.
 
Iliff Avenue Brewhouse said:
I hope for your sake that this is not the same as m54. That yeast performs beautifully and then has a horrible finished profile. In my opinion of course....
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What do you mean "horrible finished profile"? What's horrible about it? What temp are you talking about? What pitch rate? Did you use this yeast once and have a bad experience or use it multiple times and remained disappointed?
I can imagine a lot of yeasts performing well at high temps and leaving nasty flavors as a result of overproduction of esters. Or fermenting out even though underpitched at lower temps and leaving a lot of diacetyl.
More info, please..."horrible" isn't a particularly useful review. ;)
 
J A said:
What do you mean "horrible finished profile"? What's horrible about it? What temp are you talking about? What pitch rate? Did you use this yeast once and have a bad experience or use it multiple times and remained disappointed?
I can imagine a lot of yeasts performing well at high temps and leaving nasty flavors as a result of overproduction of esters. Or fermenting out even though underpitched at lower temps and leaving a lot of diacetyl.
More info, please..."horrible" isn't a particularly useful review. ;)
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Dang. Sorry there JA... I used it twice in a row for a hoppy pilsner and APA in the mid 60s. The pilsner wasn't quite ready when I brewed the pale so I just decided to reuse the slurry. They both took of really quick and finished really quick but just remained in suspension. Eventually it cleared after quite some time with finings and time in the keg.

The finished beers have a very minerally quality and just a flabby character overall. Maybe an overly lit match sulfury thing that doesn't meld with the malt or hops. Not really good with reviews so it's hard for me to describe. Gonna stick with horrible ;). Again, this is based on M54 which I've read on forums is just repackaged 497. I can't verify that so didn't want to take this too far off topic. As far as M54 goes, I have seen many positive and negative reviews. Some of the negative reviews noted that the finished beer was pretty much undrinkable and got the sink.
 
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Iliff Avenue Brewhouse said:
Again, this is based on M54 which I've read on forums is just repackaged 497. I can't verify that so didn't want to take this too far off topic.
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I think it probably is the same strain. Who knows how things are handled when they're bought in bulk and re-packaged. I have a pound of the 497 so I hope it does okay. I'll brew up a 5-gallon batch of something simple to see what it does and then use the slurry for a bigger batch. I'm looking for a cream-ale style from this beer - light and crisp and not overly hopped. That'll be a true test of the yeast flavor. I noticed that WLP810 the SanFrancisco Lager yeast that I used a while back was slow to floc out, too. Probably common to the various versions of this yeast. I split fermentation with that batch and did one at mid-60s and one at mid 50s. Both were quite good and there wasn't a big difference but the lower temp definitely helped the malt character and the higher temp favored the hops a little. I'm hoping for something similar from the 497.
Good info! Thanks!
 
I’ll pull a gravity sample tomorrow. I usually don’t mess with the fermenter for two weeks, but I’ve got no activity in the airlock, no Krausen, and what looks like a tight, compact yeast cake. If it’s done working, I’ll rack it with some gyle and bottle.
 
85.7% apparent attenuation. From tasting the gravity sample, no more off flavor than 34/70 at the same temp(for twice as long). I'll set it up to bottle condition and see what it's like in 4 weeks when it's carbed and lagered.
 
Cleaned the fermenter today, notice a fairly strong banana or maybe slightly sulfur smell to it. Not worried at this point, have decided not to decant this batch, more a shortage of time than anything else...besides, that 500g brick is enough yeast for 20 or more batches at my current pitch rate.
 
Just cracked open one of a few bottles I put in the keezer on Friday night, 2 days at 34 and there is a bit of chill haze. A bit drier than the same beer with 34/70, but nice. Much cleaner than I expected for beer that is still pretty green. I'm impressed thus far.
 
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After one week at lager temp. Very clean, a bit dryer than the batches made with 34/70. Seems to be a very neutral yeast. This is the best batch yet. If it works this well in my other beers, it’s going to be my hours yeast.
 
If that's a week at low temp, it's a pretty stubborn yeast. I've found that keg finings of some sort are really helpful with getting the lager-style beers clean and clear.
I finally kicked the last keg of the canceled wedding lager so I'm gearing to get a brew on with the 497 soon.
 
Two weeks at 34 degrees and I'm sold. Clear and very neutral, no off flavors or strange smells...and ready to drink 2 weeks ahead of the last batch made with 34/70. Just a really nice Bohemian Pils, Going to try this yeast in my "Shore Leave" Cali Common next time I brew.
 
Bulin's Milker Bucket Brews said:
Two weeks at 34 degrees and I'm sold. Clear and very neutral, no off flavors or strange smells...and ready to drink 2 weeks ahead of the last batch made with 34/70. Just a really nice Bohemian Pils, Going to try this yeast in my "Shore Leave" Cali Common next time I brew.
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Makes a great Cali Common too, next I'll try it in a Czech Dark.
 
Shore Leave(Cali Common) has gotten really good already, pitched Shady Bohemian yesterday afternoon and it's chugging right along. Left out the yeast nutrient and whirlfloc this time, just to see if it really has an effect on the yeast.

One observation, now that I'm on the third run with 497, seems to really work fast(been using 25g per pitch, dry into fermenter), the big airlock on the Speidel chugs right along, but VERY little kreusen in the fermenter has been a consistent theme with this yeast. Attenuation was around 85% on the Dirty Bohemian(numbers not available for Shore Leave due to broken hydrometer...I have 3 on hand now).
 
Well, trying reusing this one for the first time. Poured a pint of very clean yeast saved from my last light lager into 11 gallons of Cali common wort, air lock activity within 4 hours and it's rolling through that stuff like a cattle stampede at 66 degrees.
 
Isn't lagering more of a process? So technically you can 'lager' with any yeast.

That being said, I agree with the comment of Top vs Bottom fermenting being the distinction
 
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