This is like my "Easy French Blonde" (which is most excellent) except with a wheat instead of pils base, and is using a lot of different grains due to the Wit Juice.
Only reason this is posted in advanced is because it's using my crazy step mashed wit juice that I froze. Otherwise it was a easy 40 minute brew day. But that's why I made the wit juice - so I could have lots of easy 40 minute brew days using it!
Enough wit juice to make a 1.008 wort at 2.5 gallons. That amounts to about this:
1/4# White Wheat
1/4# Flaked Oats
1/8# 6 row
1/8# Flaked Rye
1/8# Flaked Barley
2# Wheat DME
8oz 5L Candi Syrup
15 minute boil.
1oz French Aramis hops (10% AA) @10, commando, with lid thrown on pot immediately.
(to keep my Brett out, and I already know I will not get DMS by doing this by experience - the juice was already boiled a long time, so it's of no concern to me).
20 minute hop stand with lid on (to keep brett out).
Because of lid on, much of the aroma compounds will have recondensed back into the wort as it cools vs. being blown off.
Cooled, pitched a pack of Abbaye (Lallamand)
OG was 1.044
Should be around 4 SRM and 27-30 or so IBUs.
Should be very refreshing after a long bike ride.
Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
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Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
Well this is fermenting at 78-79, which is the highest I've pushed this yeast this soon, so we will see how Belgian it really is LOL. It is blowing out, which is nifty, because this yeast has never done that before even with higher OG beers. It's channeling it's inner 3787 (it's probably just all the wheat). I'm going to let it go to 80 if it wants to. But no more then that this time.
Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
This did hit 80. And it got done fast.
Finished at 1.006. 86%ish attenuation is in the perfect zone for a beer like this.
Tasted great.
I love Aramais, and I love the Abbaye yeast.
Abbaye is listed as a low flocculating yeast, but my experience is that it flocculates readily. So I don't know what's up with that. It is making beers as bright as Belgian Ardennes yeast does for me, clear out of the fermenter. Unless it gets chill haze, this looks like it will also be light and clear even though it's got all that wheat/oat/rye in it.
@BigPapaG or anyone else who has used Abbaye, has it always floc'd out nicely for you like it has for me? I am using only the Lallemand version so far if that matters.
Finished at 1.006. 86%ish attenuation is in the perfect zone for a beer like this.
Tasted great.
I love Aramais, and I love the Abbaye yeast.
Abbaye is listed as a low flocculating yeast, but my experience is that it flocculates readily. So I don't know what's up with that. It is making beers as bright as Belgian Ardennes yeast does for me, clear out of the fermenter. Unless it gets chill haze, this looks like it will also be light and clear even though it's got all that wheat/oat/rye in it.
@BigPapaG or anyone else who has used Abbaye, has it always floc'd out nicely for you like it has for me? I am using only the Lallemand version so far if that matters.
Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
So, it's interesting you should mention this flocculation observation...
The Lallemand Abbaye is listed as a Low Flock yeast...
Th Fermentis Abbaye is listed as a High Flock yeast...
Neither seem to give me the clarity of a Belgian Ardennes yeast... BUT:
I AM getting more clarity faster with the Lallemand than the Fermentis!
And while the Lallemand is still not as clear for me as the Ardennes...
The differnce is dramatic in that the Fermentis...
Well, that flocker seems to stay in suspension for at least a week longer...!
Now T-58? I'm three weeks into that powdery flock of a yeast and it does not want to drop out!
The Lallemand Abbaye is listed as a Low Flock yeast...
Th Fermentis Abbaye is listed as a High Flock yeast...
Neither seem to give me the clarity of a Belgian Ardennes yeast... BUT:
I AM getting more clarity faster with the Lallemand than the Fermentis!
And while the Lallemand is still not as clear for me as the Ardennes...
The differnce is dramatic in that the Fermentis...
Well, that flocker seems to stay in suspension for at least a week longer...!
Now T-58? I'm three weeks into that powdery flock of a yeast and it does not want to drop out!
Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
Interesting. That suggests that those two yeasts are not quite the same perhaps. Could be slightly different mutations like WLP530 and 3787 are (they aren't quite the same, just like Westvleteren and Westmalle yeast isn't exactly the same, although it came from the same base strain). But I wonder why they are listed "bass ackwards" as such in their characteristics? I also wonder if its recipe specific, all I've made so far are blondes/patersbiers, no dubbels, or such. I've been fermenting always on the mid-upper range of the yeast too - actually this one and my last one was in theory over it's range (77) and far above what they say is "recommended" (68? Come on now... that ain't Belgian temps). Because if I'm doing Belgians I want them to taste like Abbey/Trappist beers - I embrace the esters. I can say that 80 doesn't hurt this yeast at all. 68 is for wimps 
FWIW, with T-58 I just bottled it cloudy. It clears in the bottle and doesn't really leave that much bottle trub, just a thin layer, less then many other yeasts, even ones that look clear, even though it looks cloudy going in.
FWIW, with T-58 I just bottled it cloudy. It clears in the bottle and doesn't really leave that much bottle trub, just a thin layer, less then many other yeasts, even ones that look clear, even though it looks cloudy going in.
Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
Agreed, still not sure what strain these two Abbaye yeasts are, and may never really know.mashani wrote:Interesting. That suggests that those two yeasts are not quite the same perhaps. Could be slightly different mutations like WLP530 and 3787 are (they aren't quite the same, just like Westvleteren and Westmalle yeast isn't exactly the same, although it came from the same base strain). But I wonder why they are listed "bass ackwards" as such in their characteristics? I also wonder if its recipe specific, all I've made so far are blondes/patersbiers, no dubbels, or such. I've been fermenting always on the mid-upper range of the yeast too - actually this one and my last one was in theory over it's range (77) and far above what they say is "recommended" (68? Come on now... that ain't Belgian temps). Because if I'm doing Belgians I want them to taste like Abbey/Trappist beers - I embrace the esters. I can say that 80 doesn't hurt this yeast at all. 68 is for wimps
FWIW, with T-58 I just bottled it cloudy. It clears in the bottle and doesn't really leave that much bottle trub, just a thin layer, less then many other yeasts, even ones that look clear, even though it looks cloudy going in.
And even though I like the Lallemand strain better right now, that could differ as I continue to brew with both. My guess is that there will be brews that I do that favor the use of the Fermentis strain...
Re: The T-58
Yeah, me too... Often bottling from under yeast islands and while still cloudy. I was merely whining out loud and in comparison to the Abbaye strains. I'm kegging this one anyway so it's the difference of pouring off a pint instead of a few ounces to get rid of the trub... Just a frustrating yeast for me I guess.
Re: Easy French Blonde with Wheat, Oats, and Rye
Sorry for the crappy pic, but I'm drinking this right now and this beer is awesome. I love Abbaye at warm temps. And I love Aramais hops. And they love each other. The spice and light citrus from the Armais complements the spice and the apple/pear/plum/and slight banana esters of the Abbaye. I'm going to brew many more beers with those hops and this yeast next summer. And do not fear pushing Abbaye to 80. It is great when free rises to 78-80 a few days into fermentation. These light Belgians with big ester profiles are some of my favorite things in the world.
I won't say that this beer is better or worse then the original "Easy French Blonde" which was just pils and candi syrup. That beer was great too. There is a bit more sweetness and mouthfeel here, but otherwise they taste pretty much the same I think. This might be a touch more spicy. But only a little bit. I don't have any of the Easy French Blonde left to compare it with.
@BigPapa, you can see what I mean by the Abbaye finishing bright for me. This beer has all that wheat and flaked adjunct grain in it, and you can still see how clear it is. That flaked grain did go through a long step decoction mash, but still...
I won't say that this beer is better or worse then the original "Easy French Blonde" which was just pils and candi syrup. That beer was great too. There is a bit more sweetness and mouthfeel here, but otherwise they taste pretty much the same I think. This might be a touch more spicy. But only a little bit. I don't have any of the Easy French Blonde left to compare it with.
@BigPapa, you can see what I mean by the Abbaye finishing bright for me. This beer has all that wheat and flaked adjunct grain in it, and you can still see how clear it is. That flaked grain did go through a long step decoction mash, but still...
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