Omega Lutra yeast?

[jwa120]

I had my first bottle of my red X lutra ale yesterday. Damn, that one was good! Not fully carbed yet but surprisingly not much greenish taste either.

No kveik tartness!

Only problem is that this yeast likes to stay in suspension. This doesn't impact the taste as much as other yeasts would though. In a few weeks it should have cleared on its own.

I found the opposite with this yeast. It drops quickly and forms chunky blobs like some English yeast.

I do get a bit of mustyness with it, which fades with some conditioning.

 

[Miraculix]

I found the opposite with this yeast. It drops quickly and forms chunky blobs like some English yeast.

I do get a bit of mustyness with it, which fades with some conditioning.

Which generation was it? mine was the 2nd.

It is kind of a kveik mysterie.... same with voss, sometimes it drops like a stone, sometimes it stays in there forever. Nobody has figured out why.... I made a mead with Lutra, fg has been reached over 2 months ago.. still cloudy.

 

[jwa120]

I have only used lutra twice. The most recent use, was a 2nd gen pitch and it dropped like a rock. I don't recall anything different from the first use.

I keep my temps up in the upper 70s or 80s. I like it because I don't have to use ice to chill my wort in the summer to get to pitching temps. I'm planing on another (3rd repitch) to see how it goes.

Maybe it slows with lower fermentation temps, and stays in suspension longer?

 

[Miraculix]

I have only used lutra twice. The most recent use, was a 2nd gen pitch and it dropped like a rock. I don't recall anything different from the first use.

I keep my temps up in the upper 70s or 80s. I like it because I don't have to use ice to chill my wort in the summer to get to pitching temps. I'm planing on another (3rd repitch) to see how it goes.

Maybe it slows with lower fermentation temps, and stays in suspension longer?

Don´t know... I pitch around 37 C and keep the fermenter wrapped up in a sleeping bag. That should keep the temperature above 30 till it is almost done.

 

[HopSing]

I have only used lutra twice. The most recent use, was a 2nd gen pitch and it dropped like a rock. I don't recall anything different from the first use.

I keep my temps up in the upper 70s or 80s. I like it because I don't have to use ice to chill my wort in the summer to get to pitching temps. I'm planing on another (3rd repitch) to see how it goes.

Maybe it slows with lower fermentation temps, and stays in suspension longer?

+1. Brewed a Munich Helles grain bill this morning and pitched 2nd gen Lutra @ 87F 3 hours ago with 2.2 grams of Wyeast Nutrient for giggles. Airlock is popping already. Temp has coasted down to 84F. We'll see where it goes.

First batch with Lutra was a honey ale and it dropped clear without adding gelatin.

As mentioned, there are cleaner yeasts, but it's difficult to beat the performance and convenience of Lutra. I'm sold for my summer time brew days.

~HopSing.

 

[Miraculix]

+1. Brewed a Munich Helles grain bill this morning and pitched 2nd gen Lutra @ 87F 3 hours ago with 2.2 grams of Wyeast Nutrient for giggles. Airlock is popping already. Temp has coasted down to 84F. We'll see where it goes.

First batch with Lutra was a honey ale and it dropped clear without adding gelatin.

As mentioned, there are cleaner yeasts, but it's difficult to beat the performance and convenience of Lutra. I'm sold for my summer time brew days.

~HopSing.

Yes, pretty much the same for me, except or the clearing. But I will also continue using it for my summer brewing. We got around 30 C in Germany atm, hard to brew anything except belgian stuff, saisons and kveiks here atm without any temperature regulation. It is nice to have the clean kveik option now.

 

[duffy5018]

First psuedo-lager with Lutra. Vienna lager, a recipe that I really like and I brew about once every 3 months that seems to be all mine for whatever reasons. Usually use 34/70 under pressure, used lutra under pressure. 15 psi for 6 days at 68°F until it seems to give up at around 50% apparent attenuation, then wrapped the corny it was in with a seedling heater mat (double duty for the win), around 82°F, until it finished out. Went from 1.052 => 1.007. It usually finishes around 09, so slightly higher attenuation. Clear as hell after one week in the keg at 34°F and a shot of gelatin, pretty decently clean tasting. Petty happy with the turnaround. Gonna be money in another week, I think.

 

[Miraculix]

Next time, try it without the pressure, I bet it'll taste the same in a blind test.

 

[HopSing]

Lutra likes it hot. You might want to try wrapping your fermenter with a towel or blanket to keep the temps between 75F - 85F. It will probably eliminate the need to use the mat.

Like Miraculix said, I'd be curious if there is a taste difference with just and airlock vs. 15 psi. Do you ferment and serve from the same corny?

Care to share your Vienna lager recipe and brew stats??

~HopSing.

 

[duffy5018]

Lutra likes it hot. You might want to try wrapping your fermenter with a towel or blanket to keep the temps between 75F - 85F. It will probably eliminate the need to use the mat.
Like Miraculix said, I'd be curious if there is a taste difference with just and airlock vs. 15 psi.

I'll try it again without the pressure, just a blow off tube. I'll let you know what I think.

Do you ferment and serve from the same corny?

I do, it's much easier, and I wind up with around 4.5 gallons (1/2gal of garbage in the bottom of the corny), which is fine for me. At least recently since we haven't had too many parties the past year, so 4.5 gallons last long enough.

Care to share your Vienna lager recipe and brew stats??

Sure.



Vienna lager

Type: All Grain
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 6.52 gal
Boil Time: 60 min
End of Boil Vol: 5.98 gal
Final Bottling Vol: 4.60
Fermentation: Lager, Two Stage
Equipment: Pot and Cooler ( 5 Gal/19 L) - All Grain
Brewhouse Efficiency: 76.00 %

Ingredients

Amount​	Name​	Type​	#​	%/IBU​	Volume​
3.50 g​	Calcium Chloride Mash 60.0 min​	Water Agent​	1​	-​	-​
1.00 g​	Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) Mash 60.0 min​	Water Agent​	2​	-​	-​
5 lb​	Vienna Malt (Weyermann) Mash (54.1%) - 3.0 SRM​	Grain​	3​	54.1%​	0.39 gal​
4.0 oz​	Chocolate Malt Mash (2.7%) - 350.0 SRM​	Grain​	4​	2.7%​	0.02 gal​
4 lb​	Pilsner (Weyermann) Mash (43.2%) - 1.7 SRM​	Grain​	5​	43.2%​	0.31 gal​
0.25 oz​	Hallertau Magnum First Wort Addition (13.1 IBUs)​	Hop​	6​	13.1 IBUs​	-​
0.50 oz​	German Tradition Boil 15 min (5.1 IBUs)​	Hop​	7​	5.1 IBUs​	-​
0.50 oz​	Hallertauer Mittelfrueh Boil 15 min (3.4 IBUs)​	Hop​	8​	3.4 IBUs​	-​
1.0 pkgs​	Saflager Lager DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70​	Lager yeast​	9​	-​	-​

Gravity, Alcohol Content and Color
Est Original Gravity: 1.053 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.012 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.4 %
Bitterness: 21.5 IBUs
Est Color: 11.2
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Sparge Water: 4.99 gal
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F
Target Mash PH: 5.20
Total Grain Weight: 9 lb 4.0 oz
Mash Steps

Name​	Description​	Step Temperature​	Step Time​
Mash In​	Add 11.56 qt of water at 162.5 F​	151.0 F​	60 min​

Sparge: Batch sparge with 3 steps (Drain mash tun, 9.98 qt, 9.98 qt) of 168.0 F water

 

[DJL531]

Has anyone done a pseudo maibock or doppelbock with this yeast?

I'm doing one right now. 1.066og and after 9 days it if finally down to 1.022 but still bubbling every 5-10 seconds. Temps vary fro 74deg at night to 80 during the day. It's sitting in the guest bathroom where it is dark 99% of the time. Lutra took off the first night and I awoke to overflow and my big mouth bubbler lid was pushed out. Tasted a sample yesterday when I did the latest gravity check and it had a nice taste, not as much lagerish as I thought, but it has not settled and is still pretty clowdy. You could taste the alcohol in it. Will bottle as soon as FG is steady and drink a few weeks afterwards.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

so i brewed bier munchers centennial blonde with lutra.
people tell me it tastes like a lager.

 

[balrog]

so i brewed bier munchers centennial blonde with lutra.
people tell me it tastes like a lager.

Did you use yeast nutrient? What was the ferment temp, and did you use pressure?

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Did you use yeast nutrient? What was the ferment temp, and did you use pressure?

no nutrient.
ferment chamber temp was 85f. (so actually temp of wort was probably higher)
no pressure.

 

[DuncB]

Good to use a double dose of yeast nutrient.

 

[SMD]

I’m planning a Mexican Lager (Vienna style) with Lutra in the next couple weeks. I’ve read the lower temp you ferment, the cleaner it is?

I did try to make a MOktoberfest with lutra and just let it rip as warm as it could go. It was clean and lager like but not what I consider an Oktoberfest.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Lutra is one of my favorite yeast strains and certainly on top of the kveik heap, buuuuttt....
I kinda get a yeasty aftertaste, even when fermented in the high 60's. Like, after I drink one I have yeasty, bready smell on my breath. Not a fan of that. The beers themselves present as very clean, but to my palate, there is a lingering doughy character that kinda turns me off a little bit. Just sayin'.

 

[Miraculix]

I had my first bottle of my red X lutra ale yesterday. Damn, that one was good! Not fully carbed yet but surprisingly not much greenish taste either.

No kveik tartness!

Only problem is that this yeast likes to stay in suspension. This doesn't impact the taste as much as other yeasts would though. In a few weeks it should have cleared on its own.

Little update, looks like I'm facing protein haze here, no kveik to blame.

 

[DuncB]

Super F seems to get rid of it when I've used it.

 

[Miraculix]

Super F seems to get rid of it when I've used it.

Thanks for the tip, but I don't use anything from the lab in my beers, except for the yeast.

 

[DuncB]

Then just use temperature and time the two oldest constants in the laboratory. It'll clear up.

 

[Miraculix]

Then just use temperature and time the two oldest constants in the laboratory. It'll clear up.

No need to, thanks, I don't mind protein haze. Yeasthaze tastes crappy, protein haze doesn't.

 

[fuzzybee]

I'm planning on using Lutra for a kolsch-style next weekend. I'd like to brew the beer twice - once with a blow-off and again under pressure. Would y'all recommend making a good-sized starter to split or just pitching the second beer on top of the first beer's dregs?

I noticed this is a top-cropper. How would that affect my yeast harvest from a conical (or from an Erlenmeyer flask, for that matter)?

 

[DuncB]

I'm planning on using Lutra for a kolsch-style next weekend. I'd like to brew the beer twice - once with a blow-off and again under pressure. Would y'all recommend making a good-sized starter to split or just pitching the second beer on top of the first beer's dregs?

I noticed this is a top-cropper. How would that affect my yeast harvest from a conical (or from an Erlenmeyer flask, for that matter)?

underpitch no starter, so maybe a teaspoon of washed slurry, in each brew.

 

[fuzzybee]

underpitch no starter, so maybe a teaspoon of washed slurry, in each brew.

Thanks for the response. Wouldn't an underpitch give more esters?

 

[Miraculix]

Thanks for the response. Wouldn't an underpitch give more esters?

There are none.

 

[superiorsat]

Thanks for the response. Wouldn't an underpitch give more esters?

Yes I believe so. Voss gets orange with under pitch. Although I don't recall What Lutra does with under pitch. Says it is isolated from OYL-091 which has tropical.
I typically ferment all kveik yeasts hot (90/95F) but got stuck doing a side by side ( 2 fermenters one fridge ) a while back where 74F was high temp as that was the cap for Sundew.

Lutra is one of my favorite yeast strains and certainly on top of the kveik heap, buuuuttt....
I kinda get a yeasty aftertaste, even when fermented in the high 60's. Like, after I drink one I have yeasty, bready smell on my breath. Not a fan of that. The beers themselves present as very clean, but to my palate, there is a lingering doughy character that kinda turns me off a little bit. Just sayin'.

Lutra at that temp (74F) kind of had a "funk" or musty might not be the right word but down those lines which for a farmhouse ale I was not super opposed to. LHBS was out of Voss which would have been my preferred yeast for the farmhouse but Lutra was what I got. I have used Lutra multiple times at high temp and been very pleased with it.

 

[fuzzybee]

There are none.

OK

I hope to brew this over the next couple of weekends and ferment them both in the garage, but put one under pressure. I'll try just a spoon of the Omega slurry in each. I'll report back the findings in a few weeks. Hopefully I can come close on making the wort twice.

 

[Miraculix]

OK

I hope to brew this over the next couple of weekends and ferment them both in the garage, but put one under pressure. I'll try just a spoon of the Omega slurry in each. I'll report back the findings in a few weeks. Hopefully I can come close on making the wort twice.

This underpitching thing is mainly done to boost esters. As lutra is very clean, I don't see any reason why you would want to go that route, except for saving yeast of course. I wouldn't do this on purpose but I also wouldn't make a starter either, I would just pitch what I got on hand. Lutra sludge stores very well in flag jars in the fridge. I recently bread with a seven month old sludge without any issues.

 

[fuzzybee]

This underpitching thing is mainly done to boost esters. As lutra is very clean, I don't see any reason why you would want to go that route, except for saving yeast of course. I wouldn't do this on purpose but I also wouldn't make a starter either, I would just pitch what I got on hand. Lutra sludge stores very well in flag jars in the fridge. I recently bread with a seven month old sludge without any issues.

Ok - I was thinking of only using one yeast pouch. Do you think I should pitch beer #2 right on top of beer #1's sludge? I was considering making the starter to split instead.

 

[Miraculix]

Ok - I was thinking of only using one yeast pouch. Do you think I should pitch beer #2 right on top of beer #1's sludge? I was considering making the starter to split instead.

I would just split the pouch into two portions and pitch both.

Or ferment one beer first and save the sludge. Should be good for at least 4-6 separate batches.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Just kegged my Apricot Wheat beer brewed on July 4th, fermented with Lutra. OG was 1.050. Pitched a full pack of Lutra at around 77 degrees F. in the late afternoon. Krausen was already dropping the next morning. Fermentation temperatures raised to 84 as measured with my Inkbird ir gun aimed at the side of my plastic Speidel fermenter. Probably could have kegged it much sooner but I had to run out of town, just got home last night. FG was 1.008, (5.5%), a couple points lower than Beersmith predicted. Hydrometer sample tasted very good, no off flavors that I could detect. It’s kegged and in the fridge cooling down for a couple days before I quick carb it. Hope to be drinking it by mid week. Will update later.

 

[Virus467]

Just tapped a pseudo Munich Helles with Lutra. Really clean profile that lets the malt shine. I did a starter with it and fermented at 72F to give it the best shot at being clean. Not sure if that was necessary though

 

[bartichex]

Just kegged my Apricot Wheat beer brewed on July 4th, fermented with Lutra. OG was 1.050. Pitched a full pack of Lutra at around 77 degrees F. in the late afternoon. Krausen was already dropping the next morning. Fermentation temperatures raised to 84 as measured with my Inkbird ir gun aimed at the side of my plastic Speidel fermenter. Probably could have kegged it much sooner but I had to run out of town, just got home last night. FG was 1.008, (5.5%), a couple points lower than Beersmith predicted. Hydrometer sample tasted very good, no off flavors that I could detect. It’s kegged and in the fridge cooling down for a couple days before I quick carb it. Hope to be drinking it by mid week. Will update later.

Just tapped a pseudo Munich Helles with Lutra. Really clean profile that lets the malt shine. I did a starter with it and fermented at 72F to give it the best shot at being clean. Not sure if that was necessary though

All good info. Thanks for posting.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

Good to use a double dose of yeast nutrient.

I used a healthy starter then let the yeast cake ride.
Didn't have any issues.
Is nutrient for flavor profile or attenuation ?

 

[Nathan Graen]

I didn't add nutrient once and it quit at 1.015, was cloudy and tasted really off.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I didn't add nutrient once and it quit at 1.015, was cloudy and tasted really off.

both beers i've brewed with it ended up in the low 1.000's.
they were cloudy after a few weeks but some gelatin in the keg took it from cloudy to not cloudy.
it never got clear but people really liked the first one which was just pale malt and instant rice.

2nd one i just discovered I used a darker crystal malt accidently and i now think that's why it tastes more like a lager. it's not a bad beer, however it isn't flying out of the keg.
I think i'm going to dry-hop it.

 

[Nathan Graen]

My first bad beer ever. I haven't given up yet.

I tried gelatin, still cloudy and off.

Then I took an unmarked jar of yeast from the fridge, made a starter and pitched it. Dropped to 1.009, added biofine, still cloudy and off.

It's kegged and the pressure keeps building, some something's still going on in there. I don't need the keg space, so I'm just going to let it ride and see what happens...

 

[DuncB]

I used a healthy starter then let the yeast cake ride.
Didn't have any issues.
Is nutrient for flavor profile or attenuation ?

There's normally a lot of dead cells etc to feed the yeast if you pitch on a yeast cake.
I add nutrient to all my beers just to reduce stress on the yeast and keep it healthy, not sure that it helps attenuation.

 

[ba-brewer]

My first couple batches of Kveik(voss not lutra) were quite cloudy even with cold conditioning. Gelatin helped some but still had a persistent haze. Those batches were only chilled down to about 100F and did not have a second visible break event. I started chilling low enough to get a good second break event and the resulting beers seem clearer with normal cold conditioning, but you need to add heat to get into the prime fermentation zone.