Fast Beer

[brewinhard]

Just an FYI for you. Yeast choice is crucial. I have been working (on about generation 5) with WY PC Thames Valley II strain that came out earlier this winter IIRC. Every single average gravity beer (under 1.060) I have done with it has fully fermented out, krausen going back into the beer, pretty much in 24 hrs. That strain is by far, the fastest fermenting strain I have EVER worked with. I still, of course, leave the beer in the fermenter to condition appropriately, but my God, it is a crazy strain.

Even fermenting down at 60F, it still fermented in one day.

[NateBrews]

Holy crap, I should get me some of that. So if it is done chugging through the ferment in a day, is it cleaned up in 2? Have you taken daily samples to see what the progression is like or do you just leave it in there to suck up all the schmoo for a while before you try it?

[brewinhard]

I rarely take more than one hydrometer sample, and instead usually leave the beers in the fermenter for 12-14 days prior to cold crashing and kegging. I have not taken any samples after the krausen has dropped on this one, but now that you got me thinking about it, I might take one on the next time I brew with this. Maybe 2-3 days after krausen drops just to see how fast it cleans up after itself.
FWIW, I just kegged a 1.054 ESB today 9 days after brewing it. It tasted great with no off-flavors from diacetyl or acetaldehyde.

[NateBrews]

That is pretty cool. I wonder if I could turn around stuff in the 1.044 range in maybe 4 days with that yeast.

In contrast, the RoggenLager (rye pilsner) that I made is still chugging along after 7 days with an OG of 1.036. I checked it yesterday and it still had 6 points to go...

[brewinhard]

That is surprising for such a low gravity lager. By day 7 on my moderate gravity lagers (1.050-1.060), I am usually already bumping up the temps to reach a diacetyl rest.

I would bet a 7 day turnaround on an ordinary bitter would not be out of question with the Thames II strain.

[NateBrews]

It was at 50F for the first 4 day and then I started it marching up 2F/day and I'll keep going up until I get to probably 64 or so. It seems to be going a little slow. The yeast packs were a bit on the older side, so even with the starter maybe they are still being a bit lazy.

I'm sure you could. I can turn out a bitter in 7 days using 1968 London ESB. That usually takes 3 days or so to ferment out and then another couple to clean up and a couple to carb in the keg.