7 replies to this topic

[JimInNJ]

On Feb 1st I brewed a 3gal batch of Mexicanized Vienna Lager and split it between S-189 and W-34/70 dry lager yeasts. They were fermented in side by side 3gal Better Bottles with 1.5 gal in each. Chilled to 50F and sprinkled one packet in each. Fermentation was evident within 24 hours and appeared almost identical. After three weeks I dropped the temp to around 40F.OG was 1.048 and the SGs were both 1.015, just a bit higher than I wanted.Sampled at bottling on March 21st there were noticeable differences. The S-189 had green apples while the W-34/70 was already very smooth.Yesterday, after a month of bottle conditioning they were almost indistinguishable. The S-189 had a pleasant but extremely slight apple/fruity ester, while the W-34/70 had none. Both were extremely clean, allowing you to taste each ingredient, but slightly more so with the S-189. With the W-34/70 the flavors were slightly more blended.Overall the S-189 was preferred as being slightly "brighter" tasting and I think it will be my preferred dry lager yeast in the future, unless I want absolutely no esters, in which case the W-34/70 would be a better choice. That said, I want to repeat that my main observation was that the two were almost indistinguishable.I am curious if these observations are consistent with anyone else's experience.- Jim

[MyaCullen]

I haven't used 34/70, however, i have used both s-189 and s-23. The apple ester, I can't say I have experienced with s-189, but I have with s-23.In my experinces with s-189 it has been very clean, slightly, just barely estery, with it's profile leaning towards alowing the malt to shine not the hop.With the Apple ester, it always seems to clean up after 6 or 8 weeks of lagering.

[BrewerGeorge]

I get that slight cidery/appley flavor from 189 as well. Especially with really light-tasting beers. IME, it does not seem to age away, either.

[MyaCullen]

I get that slight cidery/appley flavor from 189 as well. Especially with really light-tasting beers. IME, it does not seem to age away, either.

I dunno if it's the power of suggestion or I jut overlooked it but, youguys are right with the aplleish taste, dammit, I was blissfully ignorant .

[boo boo]

Thanks, Jim. I have 250g of 34/70 on order from our clubs annual bulk yeast order.looking forward now to trying it. I have already tried the S-189 and found it good,but it was so expensive compared to every other dry yeast. Never got any appleflavours from it though. I found it really neutral and agree it don't age well. Orat least it don't seem to lager well.Every brew I made with it seemed off a little compared to all other lagers I have done.This was after lagering for 2 or more months. Up to then it was OK. Not as good IMO asliquid yeast though. Didn't seem as crisp.

[passlaku]

This is a really good thread. Thanks, Jim, for starting this thread. I was wondering if you have tried these yeast on other recipes, eg an IPA or stout fermented with these yeast? I was wanting to buy a large chest freezer for serving and fermenting and was wondering if I should just switch to fermenting with all lager yeast, a la Charlie Papazian's Cry Havoc.

[consumes]

i have 2 satchets of 34/70 ... which will be my 1st lager if i can ever get up the nerve to try it

[Big Nake]

Jim: Your original thread got me on a "Mexican Vienna" kick that has banging around in my head for years. You motivated me to got back on it and make a quasi-clone of Grupo Modelo's Victoria which has been brewed in Mexico since 1865 but is not sold here in the US. I used White Labs 940 Mexican Lager yeast and the beer came out fantastic. I brought some to a homebrewers gathering at Miller Park in Milwaukee last weekend and some of the brewers there said they thought it had a truly Mexican profile to it... almost as if the 940 were actually Modelo's yeast (which it may be...). I used all Hersbrucker hops, some Vienna, some regular pale malt, a small amount of corn, some Belgian CaraVienne and a pinch of black malt. The keg is almost empty but I plan to make another batch of this beer this week. Your experiment sounds interesting, but I can't comment on either yeast... haven't used them. Cheers.Ps. How did you formulate your recipe to be "Mexican"? Corn? A lower ABV or lighter body? It would appear that a Vienna from MX would be a lighter version than one from Europe, in my experience. Cheers.