First kveik brews

[bebocklater]

I recently brewed my first batch using Voss kveik yeast, fermented at 97˚ on a heat pad & wrapped in a blanket. It went from 1064 to 1016 in 3 days, kegged on day 4, and was drinking it on day 5- amazing! I decided to try another batch on the yeast cake but without heat, as an experiment. Furious activity within 90 minutes, airlock stopped bubbling after 3 days, but gravity is at 1024 after 5 days. So I put it back on the heat pad and blanket, and fermentation has picked up again, with more kraeusen forming. So what I'm learning is that this yeast loves heat, even more than a Saison yeast.

What experiences have you folks had with kveik?

 

[greywolf]

Same experience as you had. I agree that heat is needed. Did a hornindal in a lagerish recipe as it got cooler and as temps fell it basically stopped. I've got it warming now to finish.

 

[bebocklater]

After raising the heat, this brew finished at 1010 after three days.

 

[NewJersey]

Do people use kveik just for speed? Is it basically just a faster S05?
I never see people talking about anything other than speed for this strain.
Does it clean up after itself faster too?

 

[bebocklater]

I've only done two brews, so I'm no seasoned expert. I can tell you that it's very fast, but I'm not sure it's as clean and neutral as S05. I find it has very citrusy notes, even when using small amounts of hops. I plan on doing several more trial brews with it to find out more.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Do people use kveik just for speed? Is it basically just a faster S05?
I never see people talking about anything other than speed for this strain.
Does it clean up after itself faster too?

Different strains can lend different flavors, and yes many brewers are using it for the fast turn around.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I've only done two brews, so I'm no seasoned expert. I can tell you that it's very fast, but I'm not sure it's as clean and neutral as S05. I find it has very citrusy notes, even when using small amounts of hops. I plan on doing several more trial brews with it to find out more.

There are some strains that are very clean, and pitch rates also factor in with lower counts giving more yeast character.

 

[lumbergh]

I've only done one brew with Mangrove Jack's kveik. It was a stout that that I left in the fermenter for a month then 2 weeks in the bottle. It seemed pretty clean as far as yeast goes. I did this same stout with s-05 and haven't noticed much difference so far. The beer needs a few months of aging before it is where I want it to be.

 

[shoreman]

Do people use kveik just for speed? Is it basically just a faster S05?
I never see people talking about anything other than speed for this strain.
Does it clean up after itself faster too?

ease of use, you can cool to 85 and pitch warm with some great results.

In my experience you still have to let it clean itself up for at least a week or longer unless it has a crazy amount of hops that mask any yeast flavors - which alot of brewers do.

 

[Andres Falconer]

I've been experimenting with another hot-fermenting traditional farmhouse strain, Lithuanian Jovaru (Omega), and I'm keen to brew my first kveik next week. I'm inclined to try farmhouse styles first (juniper infusion, short or no boil "raw" beer etc.) before using to brew speedier "traditional" beers, but I'll get there when I get there...

 

[Ninoid]

I fermented Blonde Ale with Voss Kveik. The beer is quite cloudy and very citrusy. Maybe because the yeast fermented around 22'C, which is a little below the lower limit for that yeast? I thought it should get a cleaner taste more like lager at a lower temperature. The beer was drunk, but I wasn’t happy with the result.

 

[Albionwood]

Do people use kveik just for speed?

No.

Is it basically just a faster S05?

No.

I never see people talking about anything other than speed for this strain.

Never? There have been many, many discussions about the interesting and unique flavor profiles contributed by several kveik strains, and several discussions of the mouthfeel, clarity, ageing, etc. Speed gets a lot of attention but it's not all people are talking about.

Does it clean up after itself faster too?

One of the interesting things about kveiks (please note the plural) is they generally don't require cleanup in the same way German or British yeasts do. There is basically no "green beer" flavors to age out; the beers are drinkable immediately. That is not to say they don't improve with some conditioning - they certainly do - but it's a different process than the "cleanup" phase with other brewing yeasts.

Again, this has all been discussed on HBT many times.

 

[Gozie Boy]

... There have been many, many discussions about the interesting and unique flavor profiles contributed by several kveik strains, and several discussions of the mouthfeel, clarity, ageing, etc. ...

Reminds me that "interesting" is the universal polite euphemism which your friends and brew club colleagues use in place of, "WTH is this funky shiite flavor in your beer"?

 

[stealthfixr]

Did an Xmas Ale recently with a 1.063 OG, and pitched two packets of Lallemand Voss. Within a range of 91-97F, it dropped to 1.022 within 18 hours, then stopped. Mashed at 156F. I expected more attenuation. It also didn't drop out quickly or easily either. Thoughts?

 

[NewJersey]

No.

No.

Never? There have been many, many discussions about the interesting and unique flavor profiles contributed by several kveik strains, and several discussions of the mouthfeel, clarity, ageing, etc. Speed gets a lot of attention but it's not all people are talking about.

One of the interesting things about kveiks (please note the plural) is they generally don't require cleanup in the same way German or British yeasts do. There is basically no "green beer" flavors to age out; the beers are drinkable immediately. That is not to say they don't improve with some conditioning - they certainly do - but it's a different process than the "cleanup" phase with other brewing yeasts.

Again, this has all been discussed on HBT many times.

Ok, maybe I'm not paying enough attention and I only notice the discussion on speed.
Maybe I'll make a point of reading about it more.

 

[myndflyte]

The first kveik brew I did I had it around 80F and it actually stalled about halfway through. After I wrapped it up to get it up to 90F it just dive bombed. Next kveik brew I just left it in my hot garage in the middle of the summer and it went from grain to glass in a week.

 

[McKnuckle]

I've only done one brew with Lallemand dry Voss Kveik. It was an amber ale with cascade, kind of a Sierra Nevada type of thing, should be a sure thing with US-05. Just one gallon (thankfully).

Fermented at 80-85. Final gravity was reached in four days. Tasted along the way, including after 8 days sitting in the fermenter, and was just grossed out every time. Absolutely horrible, sour yeast flavor in this thing that refused to significantly dissipate. Hops were destroyed by it. I dumped it before it ever saw the inside of a bottle. Maybe that was rash, but I felt it had no hope. I guess I am the outlier but I'm reticent to try using this yeast again.

 

[bebocklater]

I imagine traditional pale/IPA drinkers wouldn't be drawn to the flavor profile of this yeast, and my recent experience with it makes me think it's not the best choice for them. But I think if you enjoy Saison/farmhouse/sour beer styles, you're gonna like it.
I find myself repeatedly drawn to this first Voss kveik brew; there's something mesmerizing about it. I think this would be great with a cheese plate and a game of cribbage.

 

[brewswithshoes]

Did an Xmas Ale recently with a 1.063 OG, and pitched two packets of Lallemand Voss. Within a range of 91-97F, it dropped to 1.022 within 18 hours, then stopped. Mashed at 156F. I expected more attenuation. It also didn't drop out quickly or easily either. Thoughts?

Had the same thing happen on a brew earlier this year where i mashed at 156. Voss just flat stopped at that spot on 1.065 OG. I ended up trying out alpha amlyse enzyme on that brew as it was too sweet to drink. AE dropped it to 1.006 which was kind of the other end, but i preferred the drier taste over the too sweet.

I brewed another batch and used that same yeast (3rd gen) when mashing back at 152 and I hit 77% attenuation. had to be the mash temp for me. only other variable i changed in the next brew was i doubled my yeast nutrient when i read that kveiks want/use more.

Both batches were held @ 90-ish for fermentation.

I really like Voss, just won't mash that high anymore.

 

[BreweyMcHops]

Do people use kveik just for speed? Is it basically just a faster S05?
I never see people talking about anything other than speed for this strain.
Does it clean up after itself faster too?

It does clean up faster actually, and carbonates in the bottle quicker too, but a major advantage depending on where you live is the ability to brew right on through a hot summer. Without a coolroom, and normal yeast, i could only brew about 8 weeks a year

 

[Ninoid]

It does clean up faster actually, and carbonates in the bottle quicker too, but a major advantage depending on where you live is the ability to brew right on through a hot summer. Without a coolroom, and normal yeast, i could only brew about 8 weeks a year

Why only 8 weeks a year?
For example, US-05 makes excellent beers in the temperature range of 17-26'C, and M29 in the range of 26-34'C.
I have no control over the fermentation temperature and I make beer all year round without any problems in the apartment. I simply adapt beer styles and yeasts to a certain time of year.

 

[Albionwood]

I imagine traditional pale/IPA drinkers wouldn't be drawn to the flavor profile of this yeast, and my recent experience with it makes me think it's not the best choice for them. But I think if you enjoy Saison/farmhouse/sour beer styles, you're gonna like it.

Huh? Voss contributes a distinct flavor of orange peel/marmalade that goes GREAT with pale or IPA styles. It attenuates the same as any other non-diastatic Sacch yeast, around 75%, but leaves a thick, rich mouthfeel. It is widely regarded as an excellent choice for IPA, especially NEIPA.

It's completely NOT like a Saison/farmhouse/sour. It doesn't attenuate like a Saison, it's not phenolic, and it's not sour (although there is some pH drop). We do agree about pairing it with a cheese plate though - the citrusy character is a great complement to fatty food.

Why do you think pale/IPA drinkers wouldn't like it?

 

[BreweyMcHops]

Why only 8 weeks a year?
For example, US-05 makes excellent beers in the temperature range of 17-26'C, and M29 in the range of 26-34'C.
I have no control over the fermentation temperature and I make beer all year round without any problems in the apartment. I simply adapt beer styles and yeasts to a certain time of year.

Us05 recommends 15-22 degrees on the packet, and with the fermentations own heat of say 3 degrees , the ambient temp would have to be no more than 19 degrees , giving me 8 weeks a year absolute max, probably 6 weeks . I haven't pushed it though in term of high temps and risked it , you say you have had good beers with it, with the majority of the ferment at up around 26 degrees?

The saison yeast, yes thanks for that good point, my kveik journey actually started when i went on a main-mission quest to the local brewshop to obtain saison yeast, but the guys there talked me into kveik

I definitely agree with the concept of brewing for seasons and using yeasts and styles accordingly

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Recommendations of a Kveik yeast and fermentation temps for a good banana hefeweizen?

 

[shoreman]

Recommendations of a Kveik yeast and fermentation temps for a good banana hefeweizen?

Probably better off with this. Bananza™ Ale | Omega Yeast

 

[Ninoid]

Us05 recommends 15-22 degrees on the packet, and with the fermentations own heat of say 3 degrees , the ambient temp would have to be no more than 19 degrees , giving me 8 weeks a year absolute max, probably 6 weeks . I haven't pushed it though in term of high temps and risked it , you say you have had good beers with it, with the majority of the ferment at up around 26 degrees?

The saison yeast, yes thanks for that good point, my kveik journey actually started when i went on a main-mission quest to the local brewshop to obtain saison yeast, but the guys there talked me into kveik

I definitely agree with the concept of brewing for seasons and using yeasts and styles accordingly

I fermented beer with an ambient temperature of 26’C and US-05 yeast and the beer was always good. True, it is better at lower temperatures.

 

[BarryBrews]

My first Kveik experience was a year and a half ago making a split batch of NEIPA with Kveiking and Loki kveiks. WOW!! Have since made 12 batches of NEIPA trying all of the available kveiks with some better than others. For context I've been brewing 9 years, 95 brews, and have always been a style slut until now. Kveik and NEIPA style were made for each other!

Kveik is all I use now, it's that great. My NEIPA's are heavily hopped in a 160F whirlpool and not in the fermenters which avoids a myriad of potential problems. Chilling and overnight settling the wort in the boil kettle maximizes the clarity and quantity for the fermenter. The clear wort (no trub, no hot/cold break) is reheated to pitch temperature via the RIMS while siphoning to the fermenters. I should also note that all my kveik beers are fermented near the upper temperature limit, most above 90F.

The advantages of kveik include the fact that it is much easier to heat and control a fermentation box than to cool it, the turnaround time in essence doubles the effective size of the brewery, it never produces diacetyl, and by using only clear wort the final kveik cake is easily dried in a food dehydrator for long term storage.

I would recommend the Imperial kveiks Loki (A43) and Kveiking (A44). Read the Larsblog on kveik https://www.garshol.priv.no/blog/393.html for the best explanation on use. Try it!