Has anyone tried this yeast? I'm talking about the out of date packets for sale on the HomeBrew Company website (http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/danstar-abbaye-belgian-ale-yeast-11g-best-before-1017-p-2987.html)
I brewed a Belgian Strong Ale a few weeks ago and it finished with a nasty fusel alcohol taste. I pitched three packets of hydrated yeast (I didn't realise it was out of date when I purchased it :-\ ) so there was plenty of yeast cells in there.
I thought no more about it until this evening when a friend contacted me to say that a Belgian chocolate stout that he fermented with the same yeast has a fusel alcohol taste and aroma too.
I've never had this from any other beer that I've made so I'm guessing that it is down to the yeast and it's age.
Has anyone else had any similar experiences?
Yes. Used it once before and was underwhelmed.
Sounds like my experience with a number of dry Belgian yeasts, and certainly anything not 100% on date. Apart from wits and generic saisons I think liquid is better for Belgians.
To be fair the yeast did well with attenuation so I wouldn't rule out using dried yeast again. There was another Belgian Strong (same recipe) that was fermented with Safbrew BE-256 and it turned out quite well.
Next iteration will certainly be fermented with liquid yeast.
Thanks for the feedback.
The last version of byo, recommends this yeast in the recipe section.
I have used this yeast on a Belgian single. It turned out really well. Very happy with results, had it to a meet last week and it was received very well.
Plenty of Belgian character, I have always used liquid yeast for my Belgians, but will definitely use this again.
I used 1 pack in a 1060 og brew for 22 litres. No off flavours.