What are you brewing?

[nzbrewer]

Since this is the most popular thread on the RealBeer.co.nz forum I thought I would start it here just to see what happens

[Bambule]

What's your thoughts on the Ardennes yeast? I'm looking at getting some in the next wyest order.

[Doublehoppy]

I'm drinking an Ardennes blond as I type. It's way over carbed (even for a Belgian ale) which is bloody annoying.

Nothing wrong with the yeast though, has all those lovely sweet esters you expect from a Belgian strain. I fermented at 18C btw.

I'll certainly be doing another blond with it soonish.

Go for it!

[MrC]

I'm interested in this yeast also. What commercial beer would you liken it to yeast-wise? Tuatara Ardennes?

[Doublehoppy]

La Chouffe. Unsurprising really as this is the source. It's a while since I've had the Tuatara, but probably quite close.

[Stu McKinlay]

Tuatara Ardennes, according to street talk, no longer uses the Ardennes yeast.

[Mike Neilson]

I have Brewed with and how many times, Wlp550 (1), Wlp500 (1), Wyeast 3787 (4), 3522 (2) Wyeast French/Belgian (Unibroue) (4)

My Favorites are for a Darker say Dubbel, Dark Strong etc has to be 3787 (Trappist) Because of its spicyness and dark stone fruit esters. For My lighter beers it is Unibroue, I like the suttle esters and fruityness it creates and how easy the beer can change with ester's due to higher/lower pitch rates and or pitching and fermentation tempratures. When I pitched it @ 26 and let it ramp to 29 the profile was of lollies and apples and pears exactly like St Bernardus 12, but when you pitch a 18 and let it raise to 22 it has a fruity subdued spicyness. I like Wlp550 and Ardness but I really like that lollie type fruityness and little spice in my Blondes, Goldens and Tripples.

[MrC]

Thanks a lot Mike! Now I want to try them all!

My "To Brew" list just gets longer and longer every day.

[Stu McKinlay]

you got nothing good to say about WLP500?

I know I don't. But I have only used it twice.

[Mike Neilson]

Yip heres some thing good, The brothers at Chimay can keep it!!!!!!!! and return to refermenting in the bottle with that strain.

[Soren]

I don't particular care for 3787, it's a bit too phenolic for me, but I've only used it a couple of times. I've got a blonde in a keg and 2 big ones still in secondary using 1214 or WPL500 I think is the equivalent. too early to say much about the big ones but the blonde is alright but its got sort of a lager character to it that I'm not a fan of. all pitched at 18 and ramped to 21, then finished off at 24.

[Mike Neilson]

Man the phenolics in the blondes with 3787 is rank!! it comes out all solventy.

[Stu McKinlay]

I got a lot of glue off the first JP (Tripel) trial that used the Westamalle - we tried 4 different strains at a Regionals tasting. I tried it again about 7 months later at the brewery and it was really nice. I could be wrong but I'm sure Richard said it was one of their favourites after aging.

I've never used it. I'm not a big fan of Westmalle beers, though i do quite like the Tripel when it is pretty fresh. Has a really nice, and quite unique, hop aroma.