Safbrew BE-256 Dry Brewing Yeast 11.5 grams

These packets have a 3 years shelf life, which is why they're great for homebrewing since you can keep a decent inventory of yeast and not have to worry about viability as much. Well the 4 x packets I ordered had only 30 days left before they expired. They were essentially cleaning out old inventory and tried to pass it off as new. I don't know anyone who would be able to use 4 of these in one month. I learned my lesson and wont be purchasing from these suppliers again unless I can verify the manufacture date.

So far this is my favorite yeast for homebrewing. I used it instead of a mead yeast to make a version of the traditional Ethiopian honey wine T'ej, and it came out tasting great, with subtle taste undertones. Also it kept going until I reached 10 % alcohol. I can hardly wait to use some of this BE-256 on some kind of Belgian recipe, what it is intended for, and so I bought another just weeks ago.

There are many varieties of liquid and dry yeast. The advantage of liquid varieties is that they're more numerous and can produce beers that are more to a particular style. The disadvantage is that liquid yeast has a relatively short shelf life. If you buy it and don't use it for a while, many of the cells will die off and you may not have enough viable yeast cells to ferment your beer property (or at all). Dry yeast doesn't offer as many varieties, but lasts much longer and generally provides more viable cells per packet.I brew beer on average 1-2 times per month. Often I can plan this out in advance and have a suitable liquid yeast on hand. Sometimes, plans will change and I find myself with time to do a new batch unexpectedly. That's when these dry yeast packets are great. I can whip up the wort and grab a packet of dry yeast to ferment it with.I've done several styles with Safbrew Abbaye yeast. I've done a dubbel, a couple of tripels, a quad, a table ale, and one or two other Belgian styles. While I think I've gotten a little more of the signature Belgian flavors with some of the dry yeasts I've used, I've never gotten a bad beer from Safbrew Abbaye... so I never hesitate to use it. It works.I've used it both as a "sprinkle on the wort while dry" yeast and rehydrated. I can't say that I see a significant difference in the beer with either approach. Both seem to work fine.It's not necessary to do this, but I often add yeast nutrient and pure oxygen (through diffuser stone) into my wort before pitching. I feel that I get a lot better fermentation and results from this in general. Your experience may vary.Some recommendations based on reading and experience (there is a great book on the subject from Stan Heironymous called "Brew Like a Monk" available from Amazon). First, many Belgian brewers do not control the temperature at which their beer ferments. This lets the yeast do what it will, and seems to generate more of the signature Belgian yeast flavors. Fermenting at the upper end of the yeast's temperature range (if you're going to control temperature) will do that too. Slightly underpitching the yeast (adding less than a full dose, so that it's mildly stressed as it ferments) can increase flavor production, too... just don't underpitch too much or it may not ferment completely (or could pick up a wild yeast infection or bacterial infection that sours the beer).Bottom line: This is one of my favorite go-to yeasts for Belgian brewing. It works well, generates good beer, and lasts a long time on the shelf.

I use this yeast in my Russian Imperial Stout. I've made three batches so far with no problems. This yeast is designed for high gravity beers. My Starting OG is usually in the 1.090's and normally ends up in the mid to upper teens, 1.015 - 1.018.

This yeast ate all the sugar in my Wort and made the Wort into beer. how dare it eat all the sugar!!!!!!

I used this yeast in both a plum cider and a bread. Worked like a champ in both with lovely flavor and activity.

Used this with a Mr Beer LME. Make Amercan Beer Great Again. Sure could tell the difference. Nut Brown Ale.

Over all good happy with flavor