OVHA Chat

Dwayne gave me some Belgian Fantome yeast last year that resulted in a wonderful trippel. The yeast is fruity and attenuated well. Norrick was kind enough to give me a vial of it recently. Not sure what generation it was but it looked older. I'm trying to revive it this week. I'm going to probably end up with about 1000 ML of slurry and I've only got 5 or 6 vials to store them in so if someone is interested in taking a vial, let me know. Dwayne and Chris, you guys are obviously the first to be offered if you want some. After that, I'll try to help out anyone else that wants some. You will just need to bring over a sterilized vial to hold around 10 ML. I hope to have it all done by Sunday. Just let me know if you are interested.

I'd like to get some. The tripel you brought to one of the meetings with it was excellent.

First stage growth looked great last night. Shouldn't be a problem at all re-sparking this one up. I'll try it out on a 9% weekend after next myself before trying a 10.

Up to 4L and it is growing like crazy. John, do you have my number? I'm going to let it chill for a couple days to decant down. Sunday is probably best to grab it if you can.

I'll give you a call tonight Jimmy.

Jimmy, if you can spare some, I'd like to get a vial. Would it be good for just about any Belgian-style ale? Thanks.

By Belgian standards yes. By American's judging Belgian beers, it depends. Saison's and Golden Strongs are described by American judging categories as spicy for instance. You just can't, or at least I don't believe you should, put Belgian brewing into such narrowly defined classifications. Take the incredible 11% tripel for instance from Kasteel. One of hundreds of examples I'm sure. It's good shit, brew it till you bleed.

Don't forget the "speciality" category holding such Christmas beers as Noel.

SON OF A!!!!!!

Well I have your tubes ready along with a bunch of beer chilling for the meeting. Only problem is, I may be out now. If I don't show, sorry. I'll have to catch you later.

sirgiovanni wrote:SON OF A!!! Only problem is, I may be out now. If I don't show, sorry. I'll have to catch you later.

It's OK just to send your beer to the meeting.

Do you guys notice any wild bugs in your Fantome yeast? I ask because I made a saison last year, half with Dupont and half with Fantome. The Fantome chewed through the wort in about five days, taking it down to 1.001. It also developed a slight funky/dirty note (bretty) later in the keg. I was told that Fantome has some wild bugs in all of their beers?

BTW - just for comparison, the Dupont beer was fan-freakin-tastic if you ever want to try culturing that yeast.

John you are a bastard, I love that in you.

Justin, I have read that as well but I'm wondering if they follow Orval's lead in adding to the secondary. The tripel I made the first round was very clean. It was an attenuation monster, but clean. If I remember, it finished 9.2% at 1.011 or so. It did not age more than 2 months so I'm not sure if it could have developed but absolutely zero trace of brett at 2 months. I'll let you know if something changes with this crop.

[quote="sirgiovanni"]John you are a bastard,quote]
Got to be me!
If you didn't make great beer....well you wouldn't be missed at the meetings. But you bring great beer for many to taste that otherwise wouldn't know what to shoot for in crafting excellent beer. I'd like to try some more of that Zinfindel braggot. That was damn good stuff.

I appreciate the nice words, I go to drink your beers among the others as well! I had a 10% blond and the 11.6 Zinfandel honey ale chilling. It's all ready except for the fact that I can't be there. I'm going to have a capacity issue now for the meeting growlers.

And I am sorry about not getting the yeast vials to you all.
Let me know if you want to pick them up sooner than next meeting.

I'm guessing that at the next meeting, I'll be bringing quite a bit of beer, lol.
10 Blond
11.6 Zin
6.2 Dubbel
9 Imperial Espresso Stout

Not a problem Jim. Hopefully we'll see you in May. We'll all come thirsty!