Abby vs Trappist Yeast

[Abrayton]

Hi all. I am planning to brew Revvy's Belgian Blonde as my first all-grain beer. His recipe calls for Abbey Ale (White Labs #WLP530). I would like to harvest the yeast and use it to brew a Dubbel followed by a Tripel. Is it a bad idea to use Abby yeast instead of Trappist yeast for a Dubbel or Tripel? I'm trying to pinch pennies here and get the most out of the WLP530 plus I don't have great temp control as the weather warms up so higher ferm temp Belgians seem like my best bet. Thanks for all advice.
Cheers!

 

[DromJohn]

From White Labs

WLP530 Abbey Ale Yeast
Used to produce traditional Belgian style beers. Similar to WLP500, but is less fruity and more alcohol tolerant (up to 15% ABV). Excellent yeast for high gravity beers, Belgian ales, dubbels and trippels.

Style performance is a listing of styles made with WLP530 Abbey Ale Yeast.
Belgian & Wheat
Belgian Blond
Belgian Dark Strong Ale
Belgian Table Bier
Belgian Wit
Biere de Garde
Dubbel
Saison
Tripel

 

[andrewmaixner]

WLP530, aka Westmalle strain, does great for tripples, dubbles, and quads also. It's a good balanced trappist yeast. I've done extensive testing of the various trappist/abbey strains, and it is one of the overall favorites across all tasters.

I'd actually say that compared to WLP500 (chimay), the westmalle strain is less phenolic/estery, in a good way, and ready to drink sooner.

Also NOTE: it also makes the largest krausen of this yeast strain family. use lots of headspace, or a blowoff. I've seen it hit the top when fermenting 2 gallons of moderate gravity wort (1.060) in a 3-gallon vessel. be prepared for cleanup.

 

[IchLiebeBier]

I've never harvested, but from what I've read, you shouldn't harvest if your beer was over 6.5% or so, because it's too hard on the yeast.

That may have changed with the improvements in new yeasts, but I'd recommend researching that aspect of harvesting before committing to it.

 

[Abrayton]

WLP530, aka Westmalle strain, does great for tripples, dubbles, and quads also. It's a good balanced trappist yeast. I've done extensive testing of the various trappist/abbey strains, and it is one of the overall favorites across all tasters.

I'd actually say that compared to WLP500 (chimay), the westmalle strain is less phenolic/estery, in a good way, and ready to drink sooner.

Also NOTE: it also makes the largest krausen of this yeast strain family. use lots of headspace, or a blowoff. I've seen it hit the top when fermenting 2 gallons of moderate gravity wort (1.060) in a 3-gallon vessel. be prepared for cleanup.

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to have a great Dubbel and/or tripel recipe you could share? Ive found many online but maybe with your experience you have a tested and true recipe!

 

[andrewmaixner]

Thanks for the info. Do you happen to have a great Dubbel and/or tripel recipe you could share? Ive found many online but maybe with your experience you have a tested and true recipe!

I don't know if I'd call mine 'great' but they are definitely good:


20 lbs Pale Malt or Pilsen (2.0 SRM) Grain
2 lbs Wheat - Red Malt (Briess) (2.3 SRM) Grain
2.00 oz Northern Brewer [7.8%] - Boil 30 min Hops
2.00 oz Saaz [3.5%] - boil 5 min Hops
2.00 oz Styrian Goldings [5.5%] - whirlpool

Mash at ~150f

Chill, and Into each 5gal half, add:
1 to 2 lbs of invert syrup or dextrose (for tripple)

1 to 2 lbs of d180 dark syrup (for dubbel), depending on strength and color desired. 1lb/5gal of d180 will be a nice and very drinkable dark amber, 2lb will be more like chimay blue/ bernardus12 color.

You can then get both from a 10gal mash/boil.

Feel free to adjust, You can adjust up your base malt for more body if desired in the dubbel, or add a tiny bit of spices for the tripple.

If you've been reading up on the Styles, you probably already know this, but for a double, the main flavor component is the carmelized sugar syrup and the yeast, and for triple the yeast and possibly a litle spices do it all. No specialty grains are needed here at all, even though some of the dubbelle recipes call for them

 

[sven945]

I've never harvested, but from what I've read, you shouldn't harvest if your beer was over 6.5% or so, because it's too hard on the yeast.

That may have changed with the improvements in new yeasts, but I'd recommend researching that aspect of harvesting before committing to it.

Perhaps overbuild your starter and keep a sample of that for your second batch, rather than reuse the slurry from the first fermentation perhaps? There's a guide here that I'm planning to use from my next brew.

 

[coypoo]

I've done extensive testing of the various trappist/abbey strains, and it is one of the overall favorites across all tasters.

What's your go to Trappist yeast?

 

[andrewmaixner]

What's your go to Trappist yeast?

first, the liquids are all better than the drys.

probably Westmalle or Duval for balanced, trappisty, a little fruity. Duval may be a little less fruity if memory serves.

Ardennes if I want less fruity, and more of an interesting spice / tang.

Chimay if I want that character and am willing to wait longer to drink it (1 or 2 month longer for a 1075 OG, for *my* tastes, for it to be good).

Lallemand Abbaye dry was the favorite of the drys.
Fermentis Abbaye was much less character than the above strains.
T-58 was dead last in almost everyone's opinion. Takes longer to taste OK, not a bad yeast if you have time and can't get the better stuff, but I no longer use it ever.

These were all tested in a light dubbel, side-by-side, by at least 15 people.
-----------------------------------

I have a vial of Orval strain (WLP 510 Bastogne Ale) in my fridge now to try, and haven't gotten Rochefort nor Unibroue (similar to Chimay) to try yet -- They are harder to get ahold of.