Mangrove Jack's Dry Yeasts? Who's used them?

Update on Newcastle Dark:
Took a gravity reading today, only got 62% apparent attenuation, but the robust porter I tossed it in was pretty heavy on roast and caramel malts. However, great, smooth flavor, roast is balanced, and there is a bit of a ripe plum ester. I'll update again once its been in the bottle for a bit.

 

I have used the Newcastle, Workhorse and West Coast and with all my attenuation was a bit on the low side, with only 1 of the 5 beers I have brewed using them hitting my expected FG of 1.010. While there are many other factors that play into FG (Mash temp, Aeration, etc...) I have only had a problem hitting FG with these yeasts. I would definitely try 1 or 2 of them out and see how they work for you but for me I will likely just stick with 04, 05 or Danstar when using dry yeast.

 

Not really an update, more of a confirmation:
The Newcastle Dark is a low attenuating, medium-hard floccing, fast yeast that delivers a smooth roastiness and mouthfeel with some dark fruit esters. I'd definitely recommend it for dark milds and sweet stouts.

 

Just bottled the saison I brewed with the Belgian ale strain. Went from 1.054 to 1.001. Layers of fruity esters, notably melon. Great mouthfeel, that could be the 20% wheat malt, it doesn't feel thin either way. No noticeable alcohol. A bit of a peppery bite. Slight tartness. I'll update in a bit once it's fully carbed.

Also, the first cider that I did with the cider strain is almost fully clear at 3 weeks. Fartiness (you cidermakers know what I'm talking about) ended about a week ago. Probably will bottle it next week.

 

Wow. That Belgian strain sounds really promising. I'm currently enjoying a saision made with Belle Saison, but melon? Count me among the curious.

 

Bottled the cider today. That yeast doesn't waste any time. Crystal clear at 4 weeks (I'm used to it taking around 6-8). I did use pectin enzyme per manufacturer's instructions, as always. There is still a touch of sulphur that I expect to clean up in the bottle. I ferment ciders dry, so they always taste like apple-y white wine to some extent, but there is a bit more of the fruit left than normal. As always, I'll post back once it carbs up.

 

Update on Belgian Ale and Cider:
Belgian Ale is dope for a saison. Easy, carefree ferment. Reminds me of 3711, but a bit more forceful in aroma and flavor, even when fermented in the low 70s. Manufacturer recommends temps of 80+, so it may morph into something different. Lots of citrus, just a touch of bubblegum, a little background earthiness, and some peppery spice as well. Also, dry as hell, I wouldn't be afraid to add a touch of honey malt or some crystal. Not thin-bodied, though. They say that it is good for any Belgian style, but I don't really see it, just a bit too expressive as a saison yeast.

Cider yeast is also a winner, so far. Produced a clear cider the fastest of the cider yeasts I've used, and was enjoyable once carbed, without having to wait too long. I may have to do a side-by-side-by-side with wyeast and white labs next year with the same orchards cider blend to determine the best one. I'll see what it ages into, but I think that is more about the raw cider than it is the yeast.

Also, bottled a beer with the Burton Union strain today. Don't want to go too into the flavor until it has carbed a bit, couldn't really separate it from the hops too well, as I have never used mosaic before, but the beer tasted pretty good, if green. However, this yeast floccs really weird. It's like big, chunky boogers in a pile, not a well defined cake. Kinda upsetting, the GF was pretty hesitant about tasting it.

 

Nope, I currently get my cider raw from an orchard that grows varieties specifically to go into ciders. Some of them are interesting as hand fruit, but most are a bit too tannic, tart, hard, mealy, or some combination. Nice thing about being near Appalachia.

Also, that Homebrewtalk thread is far too fucking huge. I remember looking at it when I first started making ciders a few years ago and gave up around page 8.

 

Anyone try the M-07 British Ale? Equivalent strain in WY or WL?

 

This one looks in triguing, do report back on how it comes out. I think I can get this locally and will have to try it.

 

Alright, the second beer I've brewed with the Burton Union strain is carbed up, so here's what I think of it. The beer is a SMaSH blonde ale, Simpson's golden promise/mosaic. Too much late hop character for BJCP, but I wanted a beer that I would actually drink.

This yeast doesn't flocc very well. So, add finings, cold crash, whatever if you want clear beer. Definitely has some esters, I would say red apple or pear. Delivers a very soft mouthfeel. Attenuates well enough if you treat it correctly (mash regiment/pitch rate/oxygen).

I don't know that this would be a regular player in my rotation. The pomme-fruit esters don't really do it for me. It might work nicely in an easy drinking, malt forward type thing for the fall. Probably be really good for a change of pace to do a Scottish 80/- or an Octoberfest with this yeast if you're not looking to enter it in any competitions.

 

According to the description on RebelBrewer, it's supposed to be close to wlp007. Bottled my Export India Porter that used it today, but there is too much going on in that beer to really give any sort of review. Attenuation was about where I expected it to be given the grain bill and mash temp. Nothing was off on it. Didn't clear as well as I remember wlp007 doing.

 

Going off on a tangent, if you'l recall, US-05 was once called US-56, until Wyeast cried trademark foul (actually, I felt that was good for Fermentis, since it was a tacit acknowledgement that it was eerily similar to 1056). I'm wondering if the name 'M-07' will suffer a similar fate.

 

After several months aging, the original cider I made with the Mangrove Jack's Cider yeast just doesn't "pop". It's like all of the components of a quality dry cider are there: the fruit, acidity, and tannins, but they just don't mesh well and make for an appetizing drink. It has definitely fallen apart over time. A similar cider using the same base sweet cider and the white labs cider yeast is much more palatable, although the sulphur has not faded in that one. I've got an "Imperial" cider using the MJ yeast in secondary w/ bourbon soaked oak right now, but if it isn't awesome after a bit in bottles, I'll pass on this stuff for ciders in the future.

The weizenbock that's fermenting currently using the bavarian wheat yeast, however, is blowing off all kinds of wonderful aromas. More green apple than banana at the moment. We'll see how it turns out. If it continues in this manner throughout, I might try it in a cider next season, as well as a munich II/dark wheat/caramel wheat/choc. wheat dunkelweiss.

The belgian strain is definitely gonna see a good amount of action this summer. I've really like what it brought to the couple of parties it was invited to at this point over belle saison.

 

Have used a number of the Mangrove Jack's yeast so far - only had one issue with low attenuation with the Newcastle Dark - only finished at 1.018- but was also my first time for a partial mash. Gave a great Brown Ale, a little sweet.

Used West Coast in a Dark IPA dropped from 1.08 to 1.018 in about a week. Used the West Coast in a Pale Ale and the Bavarian Wheat in a Honey Berry Wheat to good results.
Used the Workhorse in Kolsch that was outstanding - crisp,clean. (first place hybrid in St. Louis MicroFest)

Getting ready to bottle a English Summer Ale using Burton Union yeast, dropped from 1.05 to 1.013 in less than 6 days.

One think I have noticed in switch vs. other dry yeast - little slower to see airlock activity and not as vigorous, but it is definitely doing the job based on Sp Gr checks. I do not rehydrate. Aerate, pitch on top and let it go. If you use Beer Smith - check number of packets suggested for dry yeast - have used two on more than one occasion for Sp Gr over 1.05 for 5.5 gallon batches (anything finish at 6% or higher seems it will need 2 packs)

 

I've been using the M-44 for almost everything lately. I've done IPA's, PA's, brown ale, and a KBS kinda sorta clone that's awesome. Currently I have it fermenting in a imperial IPA.

The homebrew shop that I go to said m-44 is dry PacMan yeast.

 

I've got a beer going right now with the Workhorse.

I fermented around 62 degrees, and it is very lager like. It's taking forever to finish out, it was down to 1.014 after ten days, and I'm still getting a little activity (It's now sitting at room temperature in hopes it gets down another 4 points or more).

 

Anyone have any idea the alcohol tolerance of Workhorse? I do not see it listed on their site.