86% attenuation??? ...let's hear it for Denny's Favorite 50

[beowulf]

Got your attention, did it? I know, I know....I was a little shocked myself. Looking at my BYO 150 clones magazine, this looks like Ruination-style attenuation....I'm positively giddy. 10-day ferment so far on an IIPA of (sort of) my own design. I think the magic is due in part (ok, mostly) to the 3rd generation Denny's Favorite 50 yeastcake. Went from 1.077 to 1.010....with carapils it should still maintain some body and hopefully not be too dry.

Now I'm looking forward to a brutal dry-hopping for this worthy monster...

With each new batch when reusing this yeastcake I've experienced increasingly impressive attenuation. Have any others had good experiences with this yeast? I'm sold on it...

 

[SwampassJ]

I used it for the first time on Saturday and it's already starting to drop the krausen.

 

[Powers]

i also put it to use on a late-Saturday night brew session. in line with swamp's note above, the beer appears to be on the down-slope already. haven't checked the gravity since pitching.

i do plan on either making another batch this weekend and using the yeastcake, or washing the yeastcake to keep a few jars for later.

 

[jwible204]

i need to try this stuff, i'm guessing my LHBS should have it. i'm trying to build up my stock of yeast so i don't have to buy it again. my fridge looks like it belongs in a science lab.

 

[ajwillys]

I used that on an Imperial Stout that I've several times before and didn't like it at all. Tasted like a hot ferment, lots of fusels and just generally rough. If others have had good results, I might be willing to try it again.

I was hoping it would be a good sub for 1056 at a lower temperature range. I do lots of Kolsch beers (it's VERY popular) and was looking for a yeast for other beers that would ferment at roughly the same temp (around 62).

 

[Naked_Eskimo]

Great attenuation....not so great floculation. Not a problem if you're cold-crashing and fining, but yeasties do not like to drop out.

 

[Powers]

hey eskimo, when's a good time to cold crash? and can I do it if I'm going to bottle condition, or will the yeast go dormant?

 

[ArcaneXor]

Just made a Fav50 starter with an old smackpack today that I was going to use in a Simcoe IPA.

 

[SwampassJ]

10 days in and only at 70% apparent attenuation. 1.077 - 1.021. If no change after swirling over the next few days I'm going to need to pitch some chico strain into it to try and lower it down a few more points.

 

[meegs]

10 days in and only at 70% apparent attenuation.

I had a similar experience. 1.072 and petered out at 1.024. Problem was, I've gotten so cocky with my fermentation process, I didn't bother to check the gravity until I was already transferring to a keg. Now I had to re-pitch in the keg. Once it finishes up, I'm going to transfer to another keg and potentially re-dry hop depending on how I feel about it. I used the new White Labs San Diego Super Yeast for the re-pitch and pitched a 2000ml starter at full krausen. It's doing the job nicely. Anyhow, just wanted to say I was very dissappointed with my first Denny's Fav 50 experience. This was for an extract kit that I won as a raffle item and Norther Brewer recommended the Denny's Fav 50 with the kit. I'm an all grain brewer, so doing an extract batch is not something I undertake often. I maintained 67F throughout the first 72 hours of fermentation and then bumped it up to 70F to help drive the ferment, but it still petered out. I don't recall what the package or 'best used by' date was on the package, but I did do a 2000ml starter per my normal process.

 

[Denny]

The extract could have something to do with it. I generally get in the high 70s for first gen yeast, although it's been as high as 88%.

 

[meegs]

Thanks Denny. It was probably 2 months after I won the kit that I brewed it, and there were 3 containers of "Northern Brewer Gold Malt Syrup." One thing I noticed right away because the extract is packaged in clear milk type jugs, is that one of the 3 was significantly darker than the other two, which made me think it might be getting oxidized. I found all three to be tightly sealed with a foil type material under the caps, but who know, perhaps some O2 was getting into that one container. Anyhow, you're right, it could be the extract was not in optimal condition and that impacted the ferment.

Nice to see homebrewing rock stars such as yourself out here trolling on the forums and replying to threads. Thanks again. Ken.

 

[tre9er]

Yeah, mash temp (fermentables) has a huge impact. I've got over 90% attenuation from extremely low mashes that went for a very long time.

 

[Denny]

Thanks Denny. It was probably 2 months after I won the kit that I brewed it, and there were 3 containers of "Northern Brewer Gold Malt Syrup." One thing I noticed right away because the extract is packaged in clear milk type jugs, is that one of the 3 was significantly darker than the other two, which made me think it might be getting oxidized. I found all three to be tightly sealed with a foil type material under the caps, but who know, perhaps some O2 was getting into that one container. Anyhow, you're right, it could be the extract was not in optimal condition and that impacted the ferment.

Nice to see homebrewing rock stars such as yourself out here trolling on the forums and replying to threads. Thanks again. Ken.

Thanks for the kind words, Ken, but I'm just a homebrewer like evrybody else here.

Extracts are frequently less fermentable than AG, especially something like "Gold", which likely has Munich malt and a pretty good % of crystal. When I was helping NB design kits from my recipes I had them add a lb. of sugar to the kits in order to increase the fermentability and finish at the same FG as rhe AG versions.

 

[inhousebrew]

I really liked this yeast last year. I kept it around for several generations and pitched it to a variety of different beers. It seems to do well for a bunch of styles. I dig it.

 

[beowulf]

Thanks for joining the thread, Denny, and offering your sage advice! I have it fermenting a pale ale right now...it's about 79% so far. I tried to get it to attenuate less by mashing at 158F for 45 mins, but it's still going. Oh well...I know it'll turn out great in the end. I've been getting anywhere from 77-87% over the last few batches. I think this is batch #3 or 4 on this particular run of 1450. Good stuff!

 

[Brew-boy]

A+ on 3rd Generation That is where the yeast really shines

 

[k-ale]

I am not sure if my IS has adequately attenuated. OG was1.090. After 2 weeks in primary it stopped at 1.020. Am I correct in calculating attenuation of 77%? If so, should I call it a day and let it it sit in my secondary for a few months?

In the past, I have used 1056 and it has got my 1.090 wort down to 1.014 so I'm a little concerned. Any comments or suggestions? Should I re-pitch some of the Denny Fav yeast I harvested from the primary or leave it be?
Ps: I always use a 1400ml starter.

 

[Denny]

That's a small starter for that OG. Actually, the attenuation you got isn't bad at all. Is this exactly the same recipe you've made before? I'd give it at least another week in primary before considering repitching.

 

[temple240]

Does anyone have experience using Denny's 50 in a cider? I want to make a cider today and it's the only yeast I have on hand. It seems like it should work well. I like ciders to be on the sweet side and it might accentuate the apple flavor.

Sorry to thread jack a little.

 

[Denny]

Does anyone have experience using Denny's 50 in a cider? I want to make a cider today and it's the only yeast I have on hand. It seems like it should work well. I like ciders to be on the sweet side and it might accentuate the apple flavor.

Sorry to thread jack a little.

Haven't tried it, but it should work fine. For cider, I've found the yeast doesn't make a world of difference.