Kveik

Alex.mc · Mar 19, 2019

I'd really like to try some Kveik yeast, but I have a question.

The commercially available sachets such as Omega, WHC etc.... is pitching the whole packet overdoing it? Have they packaged those yeasts at a normal cell count?
If they have, would it make sense to pitch one teaspoons worth, then build a starter with the remaining yeast and then store that for future use?

entertheflagon · Mar 19, 2019

You get too much in the Omega packs for 5 galls in my opinion, split it for storage and pitch a teaspoon would be my advice but I think the WHC people are more stingy, perhaps build a starter for them?

David Heath · Mar 20, 2019

Kveik is an underpitch in its farm form, ive no idea about the isolates though. In dry form farm kveik is generally 6g for 25-30L

xozzx · Mar 20, 2019

I used a WHC yeast, made a starter and split it. I added 15mL of yeast after cold crashing the starter to a 1.061 wort last night, pitched at 38C and held at this in the brew fridge. This morning - nothing! Did I add too little? I have another starter going and may add some more if nothing by this evening.

entertheflagon · Mar 20, 2019

xozzx said:
I used a WHC yeast, made a starter and split it. I added 15mL of yeast after cold crashing the starter to a 1.061 wort last night, pitched at 38C and held at this in the brew fridge. This morning - nothing! Did I add too little? I have another starter going and may add some more if nothing by this evening.

You'll have to be patient, I'd suspect the cold crashing has put it to sleep a bit. I've found it seems to like to keep up a head of steam, fresh yeast from a brew kicks off pretty quick but cold stored yeast can be sluggish I've found.

xozzx · Mar 21, 2019

I gave it a stir yesterday and started bubbling away immediately... This suggests it was most likely the lid wasnt sealed properly.

Its not an overly vigorous ferment but is going smoothly now

BeerCat · Mar 21, 2019

xozzx said:
I gave it a stir yesterday and started bubbling away immediately... This suggests it was most likely the lid wasnt sealed properly.

Its not an overly vigorous ferment but is going smoothly now

Probably half way through when you put the lid back on.

AdeDunn · Mar 22, 2019

The WHC Bjorn (Hornindal) that I pitched on Wednesday evening (no starter) is going like the clappers, sadly it's running a bit cool (was at 25.9 degrees C, but seems to have cooled to 25.3 today) though, so probably going to be fairly neutral, but never mind, plenty of Citra went in at flame out in that brew (69g in a 14 litre brew....). I'll be top cropping at 11am today (should be roughly 40 hours in).

It was amusing last night, as my wife had forgotten it was there, and went hunting around the house to find the leak/source of the knocking noise.... She completely forgot about good old Jurgen (for those who weren't around during that discussion, a member on here nicknamed the Speidel airlock Jurgen Klopp, because they make a noise like Klopp, Klopp, Klopp, Klopp....) on my FV working away like a piston (those Speidel FVs seal airtight every time)....

David Heath · Mar 22, 2019

xozzx said:
I gave it a stir yesterday and started bubbling away immediately... This suggests it was most likely the lid wasnt sealed properly.

Its not an overly vigorous ferment but is going smoothly now

Giving the fermenter a gentle rocking back and forth and front to back for afew minutes usually works wonders. Stirring with a spoon or whatever is not the best idea for yeast health.
Good to hear you got it solved though :)

xozzx · Mar 28, 2019

I left my brew 6 days at 38C, dropped to 14C to dry hop and will cold crash then keg.
Took a gravity reading and was down to 1.013. Had a taste from the trial jar and it is bursting with flavour, I definitely got the orange flavour from underpitching the yeast and the hop flavours are really strong. I think this could potentially become my best beer yet!

It is based roughly on James Morton Totally tropical pale ale - I have made this a few times but its looking like the kveik version may be the best yet.

Mrobson · Mar 28, 2019

Referring to pitching rates, how are people measuring this and what’s the least anyone has pitched without an issue?

Zephyr259 · Mar 28, 2019

I use this calculator on normal beers. Last batch of kveik got a non-specific teaspoon of thick slurry added to 15L (via a 500 ml starter of the first running), this slurry was from a starter I made to build up a vial of the yeast so it was fresh and clean. Took maybe 10 hrs to start the blow-off going and fermented out in about 3 days.

xozzx · Mar 28, 2019

Mrobson said:
Referring to pitching rates, how are people measuring this and what’s the least anyone has pitched without an issue?

I made a starter and split it into a few vials, no calculation as I had no idea what to pitch. This is what I used in my last brew, about 12.5ml:

Next time I might do the same but make another small starter, about 250ml from the vial the night before to get it going before I pitch it.

David Heath · Mar 28, 2019

Just to say that during the last month or so I have been talking a great deal with people that are known as "Kveik experts", including Lars Marius Garshol, about getting clear and better information out there about kveik use, practises and what people should expect from isolates and the original farm versions.
I have written up notes on this now for a video and work has started on this guide. I hope to have this ready for this weekend.

BeerCat · Mar 28, 2019

Thought i would share the recipe for my last no boil. Inspired by @David Heath

4.5%
2kg uk lager
2kg uk wheat
500g oat malt
300g crystal
150g acid malt
mashed at 65c
mashout at 75c

RO water 0.19g of calcium chloride per liter giving 50ppm

I steeped 50g citra at 75c for 20mins when i pasteurised the wort. Also recirculated during this time to make sure there were no cold spots.
Fermented at 37c for 3 days, dropped to 14c and dry hopped with 50g of citra and eldorado
Cold crashed for 48 hours then kegged with another 50g of citra and el dorado. Takes a week for the bitterness from the keg hops to subside.
I cant remember exactly but i think i boiled 20g of magnum in a liter of water for 20 mins and added that at the start. Gives approx 20 IBU.
You could omit this step or do it at the end or add pre isomerised oil when kegging.

BeerCat · Mar 28, 2019

xozzx said:
I made a starter and split it into a few vials, no calculation as I had no idea what to pitch. This is what I used in my last brew, about 12.5ml:
View attachment 18403

Next time I might do the same but make another small starter, about 250ml from the vial the night before to get it going before I pitch it.

I have used enough slurry to reach the bottom line in your photo without problems. Probably 5ml at a guess of fresh yeast.

xozzx · Mar 28, 2019

BeerCat said:
I have used enough slurry to reach the bottom line in your photo without problems. Probably 5ml at a guess of fresh yeast.

Ok, will try less next time. I currently have some sitting in a 250ml erlenmeyer flask, next brew I will just remove a t-spoon full.

Anyone tried fruit beers with Kveik? I have made a few really good raspberry wheat beers and my next beer (this weekend) will be same recipe with kveik yeast.

Alex.mc · Apr 4, 2019

Well, I've ordered up both Hornindal and Voss in Omega.
Looking forward to trying them as I can maintain the higher fermentation temps very easily. I have switched to 15 litre batches recently and I wanted to brew a little more and have slightly less stored beer with a bit more variation. I'll try a small pitch of them as recommended here.

David Heath · Apr 8, 2019

Check this out guys:-

Zephyr259 · Apr 8, 2019

Good video David, thanks.

Out of interest have you pushed kveik into double figure abv much? Any special considerations for it, since normally you'd pitch more yeast among other things.

Kveik

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