Is there a "Bad" Yeast to Ferment a Stout with?

[ArkotRamathorn]

Thread title sums it up. I am planning an oatmeal stout 1.049 range that I will add montmorency cherry juice/concentrate to to take a swing at a good cherry stout (and/or the Cherry Stout offered by New Glarus but I don't know how close I am going to get).

After my LHBS closed a month and a half ago, I have no close access and I really am planning on brewing this weekend no matter what. I have everything I need, except for an English yeast strain (1187 or Windsor were my original plans). Oddly I was caught with my pants down and no S04 on hand. The only yeasts I have is a slurry of brett brux, some English cider yeast slurry, harvested 3068, everything else I have is in beers that went over 9% so I don't know how reliable I could harvest from the bottom of a bottle. I do on the other hand have some 1007 German Ale in a beer that I think its low enough ABV and no major sugar additions that I could realiably revive this yeast.

Is there such a thing as a bad yeast for a stout (besides something like a brett/saison)? Anyone tried making a stout with a German Ale/lagered a stout grain bill?

 

[JonM]

I wouldn't use the 3068, but the 1007 would be nice and clean. Should work well.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I wouldn't use Candida albicans.

Seriously though I think the stout is low enough abv for the english ale yeast you have.. Also if you have access to any Rogue beers, I've had good luck harvesting pacman by pitching the dregs into bottles of apple juice from trader juice(It takes a few days before the population ramps up enough to even need a bubbler). The bonus is around decanting time you get some free cider.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Candida would be bad.

I would not hesitate to use a phenolic yeast tho'. I think some clove phenol behind a dry stout finish would be nice.

 

[JonM]

Since you mention New Glarus, you must be in Wisconsin, which means you can get Bells. The best stouts I've ever made have been with Bell's house yeast. Culture up some Oberon dregs.

 

[Jhoss]

Will only get you down to about 1020 after 3 weeks...but it aint done...and it just doesnt quit in my experience. Fine for taste but its a slow boat to 1012.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Ah yeah, sorry I wasn't specific, the English yeast I have is the wlp700 I think, cider yeast I thought that may not be that great in a beer (and I also cannot for the life of me remember which of the 3 mason jars are english cider yeast and which one is the brett so these will probably be used in a future brett cyser).

I've had success with really drawing out a Belgian character with the 3068 fermented hot (think 75F+) in a Belgian tripel grain bill (80% pilsner, 20% sugar), nice and spice with a lot of floral alcohol which I was surprised at with the 3068. Could be interesting to try a dry stout now with the 3068 (I am due for to make a dry rye stout again as I like to keep a batch on hand).

You know, I feel ashamed I've attempted a clone of Hop Slam and I love love love Two Hearted, but have not had Bell's Oberon before. New Glarus hasn't made their Cherry Stout in almost 3 years I think now, and now I'm finally ready and decent enough at brewing to make a serious attempt at one. I haven't come across another decent commercial example of a cherry stout that comes close to NG's offering, most are too syrupy sweet, or the stout character completely dominates the cherry and all you taste is roast.

I hope that Midnight wheat/Pale Chocolate with dash of special B and honey malt with a single decoction, and 2lbs of toasted flaked oats will give me a chewy mouth feel after the cherry juice/concentrate tries to dry the beer out. The 1007 was in a German Honey Amber Ale (I call it a honey bock if non-beer nerds ask) and it turned out fantastic, leaving it malty.

 

[andrewf1985]

I used a lager yeast with one of my stouts and it came out really well. it was very clean and the malt sweetness really come through. Fermented slow at about 16degC with a couple of months conditioning. Would definitely recommend trying it

 

[JonM]

Oberon is a nice refreshing American wheat with this nice fruity -almost pineappley Brett-like character from the yeast (but the fruitiness can be controlled at low 60s temps.)

And there always seems to be a crapload of slurry at the bottom of the bottle.

 

[andrewf1985]

Saflager s23 was the strain in a coffee and oat stout. Still got a few bottles. Had a heat of alcohol to start with but that soon cleaned up and smoothed out. I heard guiness use a lager yeast but i could have heard wrong