Author: Marshall Schott

Self described yeast wrangler, Jeff Mello, and I first met at the 2016 Homebrew Con in Baltimore, MD during the Milk The Funk meet-up. I’d heard of him before and knew he was behind Bootleg Biology, a unique yeast lab known for culturing locally sourced microbes for use in the production of beer, primarily of the funky, sour, and Saison sort. After discussing some of the more surprising exBEERiment results, Jeff shared with me some of his plans for Bootleg Biology including the upcoming release of the Mad Fermentationist Saison blend, which they were collaborating with Michael Tonsmeire on.

Cut to a year later, Jeff and I were hanging out at the 2017 Homebrew Con in Minneapolis, MN and the idea of a similar collaboration with Brülosophy came up. Over the following months, we discussed ideas for what type of yeast would best represent Brülosophy. At one point, I mentioned that my ideal yeast would be supremely versatile, capable of fermenting clean cool fermented lagers as well as warm fermented ales. Jeff and his crew set to the task of developing a blend they thought would hit this mark and eventually contacted me to say they’d come up with something special, a blend that would work great in myriad clean styles.

We discussed ideas for testing the Brülosophy Blend out and figured the best option, given its versatile nature, would be to have each contributor brew a different style then have tasters evaluate the beers. Of course, I didn’t want them to be too biased, so I told them we’d all be receiving different yeasts and that we’d rely on the data to determine which one to go with.

Sorry, guys, I did it for science.

In total, 6 of us brewed different beer styles generally accepted to be clean. When they were ready, we had tasters who were made only aware of the intended style evaluate them. What follows are some details of each beer brewed, survey results, and the brewer’s personal impressions.

New England IPA | Brian Hall

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5.5 gal 60 min 68.8 IBUs 3.5 SRM 1.053 1.013 5.2 % Actuals 1.053 1.013 5.2 % Fermentables Name Amount % Pale Malt (2 Row) US 8 lbs 72.73 Wheat, Flaked 3 lbs 27.27 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Warrior 9 g 60 min Boil Pellet 14.3 El Dorado 30 g 5 min Boil Pellet 14.3 Citra 25 g 5 min Boil Pellet 12 Centennial 20 g 5 min Boil Pellet 10.6 Citra 30 g 20 min Aroma Pellet 12 Centennial 20 g 20 min Aroma Pellet 10.6 El Dorado 20 g 20 min Aroma Pellet 14.3 El Dorado 30 g 3 days Dry Hop Pellet 14.3 Centennial 27 g 3 days Dry Hop Pellet 10.6 Citra 27 g 3 days Dry Hop Pellet 12 Lemondrop 44 g 2 days Dry Hop Pellet 6 Centennial 34 g 2 days Dry Hop Pellet 10.6 Citra 34 g 2 days Dry Hop Pellet 12 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Ca 126 | Mg 0 | Na 0 | SO4 118 | Cl 135 Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. In total, 6 of the 24 participants who evaluated Brian’s NEIPA reported detecting the following off-flavors.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Brian’s Impressions: The NEIPA I brewed for this project was solid, albeit a bit cleaner and crisper than I generally perceive versions made using common NEIPA yeast strains like Imperial Yeast’s A38 Juice. However, looking at the data, I’m not convinced a blind panel of tasters would be able to tell a difference. While the beer fermented with the Brülosophy Blend definitely came out much clearer than most of the NEIPA I brew, it did maintain some haze, which I tend to think was due to the huge hopping rate. Furthermore, whereas I tend to get a character from NEIPA fermented with other common strains that’s more yeast-hop balanced, this particular beer really showcased the hops, another indication of the overall clean nature of the Brülosophy Blend.

British Brown Ale | Jason Cipriani

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5.5 gal 60 min 17.6 IBUs 22.5 SRM 1.054 1.014 5.3 % Actuals 1.054 1.008 6.0 % Fermentables Name Amount % Pale Malt, Maris Otter 8 lbs 84.21 Biscuit Malt 6 oz 3.95 Chocolate Malt 6 oz 3.95 Special B Malt 6 oz 3.95 Special Roast 6 oz 3.95 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Styrian Goldings 43 g 60 min Boil Pellet 3.2 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Brown Balanced in Bru’n Water Spreadsheet Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. Not a single participant noted any off-flavors in Jason’s Brown Ale.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Jason’s Impressions: When it was settled that I’d be brewing a Brown Ale for this Brülosophy Blend beer, I knew exactly what recipe to go with, one I’ve brewed many times in the past using the popular Fullers yeast strain. I was surprised to find the beer fermented with the Brülosophy Blend had a much cleaner flavor profile that seemed to accentuate the roasted malt character compared to the original recipe. In the end, both my wife and I actually preferred this version of my Brown Ale over the original, I’m excited to see how the Brülosophy Blend does in other tried-and-true recipes of mine!

American Porter | Matt Del Fiacco

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5 gal 60 min 40.9 IBUs 36.4 SRM 1.058 1.018 5.4 % Actuals 1.058 1.019 5.1 % Fermentables Name Amount % Swaen©Ale 10.625 lbs 86.73 Crystal, Medium (Simpsons) 10 oz 5.1 Black (Patent) Malt 8 oz 4.08 Pale Chocolate Malt 8 oz 4.08 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Magnum 19.8 g 60 min Boil Pellet 12 Cascade 29 g 15 min Boil Pellet 5.5 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Ca 50 | Mg 5 | Na 8 | SO4 36 | Cl 80 Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. In total, 3 of the 15 participants who evaluated Matt’s American Porter reported detecting the same oxidation off-flavor.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Matt’s Impressions: I really enjoyed this American Porter! It poured almost black with ruby highlights. In the aroma I mostly perceived a smooth roast character with small amounts of chocolate and sweetness, less caramel than I had hoped, but good nonetheless. The flavor was marked by more of that caramel sweetness I was aiming for but with none of the chocolate notes I enjoyed in the aroma. At 1.019 FG, this Porter had a full body that I really enjoyed, though it may have been a bit too sweet for some palates. Having mashed as warm as I did (156°F/69°C), the attenuation isn’t very surprising, and in future batches fermented with the Brülosophy Blend, I’ll bring the mash temperature down a bit. Regardless, the beer was clean and smooth with all the characteristics I expect in an American Porter, I had no problems drinking it all up!

Hoppy Blonde Ale | Ray Found

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5.5 gal 60 min 55.7 IBUs 5.8 SRM 1.049 1.012 4.8 % Actuals 1.049 1.012 4.8 % Fermentables Name Amount % Pale Ale Malt, Northwestern (Great Western) 9.75 lbs 98.73 Honey Malt 2 oz 1.27 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Magnum 6 g 60 min Boil Pellet 12.1 Citra 30 g 20 min Boil Pellet 12 Amarillo 40 g 5 min Boil Pellet 8.5 Citra 40 g 5 min Boil Pellet 12 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Yellow Bitter in Bru’n Water Spreadsheet Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. In total, only 1 of the 8 participants who evaluated Ray’s Hoppy Blonde Ale reported detecting an acetaldehyde off-flavor.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Ray’s Impressions: I make this Hoppy Blonde Ale quite frequently as it is easy to drink, light, refreshing, and works as well while working in the yard or garage as it does alongside a hearty meal. The combination of Citra and Amarillo hops lends a distinctly fruity character, coupled with a balanced hoppy finish. Even without a dry hop, the beer is quite aromatic and has been nicknamed “Six Pint Citramarillo” because if you open the tap just once, you’re coming back at least 5 more times. I perceived this particular version fermented with Bootleg’s Brülosophy Blend as being a bit crisper and drier than previous batches fermented with San Diego Super Yeast, almost like a Kölsch or an Altbier but with the fruity American hop character. This crispness seemed to bring out a slightly sharper bitterness, which certainly wasn’t unpleasant, though it’s something I’ll take into consideration when using the Brülosophy Blend in the future.

German Pilsner – Cool Ferment | Jake Huolihan

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5.5 gal 60 min 36.7 IBUs 3.6 SRM 1.052 1.014 5.0 % Actuals 1.052 1.014 5.0 % Fermentables Name Amount % Weyermann Pilsner Malt 9.75 lbs 81.25 Carafoam 1.25 lbs 10.42 Acid Malt 1 lbs 8.33 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Saaz 45 g 60 min Boil Pellet 1.4 Hallertau Magnum 15 g 60 min Boil Pellet 14 Saaz 35 g 20 min Boil Pellet 1.4 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Ca 54 | Mg 2 | Na 46 | SO4 45 | Cl 55 Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. Of the 22 participants who evaluated Jake’s cool fermented German Pilsner, 1 reported perceiving astringent and metallic off-flavors while another taster reported detecting diacetyl.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Jake’s Impressions: The traditional German Pilsner I fermented with the Brülosophy Blend tasted very much like the Pilsners I’ve made using single strain lager yeasts. I perceived a floral and fruity hoppiness, which I’ve come to associate with the character I get out of Czech Saaz, balanced well by a crackery malt flavor. While the yeast blend got out of the way enough to let the other ingredients shine, nothing in the beer was overpowering, exactly how I expect a deliciously clean and crisp German Pilsner to be. Moreover, not knowing the origin of the yeasts in the Brülosophy Blend left me a little anxious about how it might perform at the cooler fermentation temperature, but ultimately it did just as well as other lager strains I’ve used. Exciting stuff!

German Pilsner – Warm Ferment | Marshall Schott

Recipe Details Batch Size Boil Time IBU SRM Est. OG Est. FG ABV 5.5 gal 60 min 32.7 IBUs 4.5 SRM 1.049 1.013 4.6 % Actuals 1.049 1.01 5.1 % Fermentables Name Amount % Lager Malt (Muntons) 9.5 lbs 95 Vienna Malt 8 oz 5 Hops Name Amount Time Use Form Alpha % Magnum 11 g 60 min First Wort Pellet 11.2 Perle 11 g 25 min Boil Pellet 8 Hallertauer Mittelfrueh 80 g 10 min Boil Pellet 2.4 Yeast Name Lab Attenuation Temperature Brülosophy Blend Bootleg Biology 73% 46°F - 70°F Notes Water Profile: Ca 70 | Mg 1 | Na 10 | SO4 84 | Cl 62 Download Download this recipe's BeerXML file

Tasters were asked to rate how hoppy, malty, and dry the beer was on a 0 to 5 scale where 0 meant “not at all” and 5 meant “extremely.”

Provided a list of common hop, malt, and yeast/fermentation descriptors, tasters were then instructed to select the one they perceived as being strongest in the beer for each ingredient.

Next, tasters were asked whether they perceived any off-flavors in the beer and, if so, to identify the off-flavors detected. Not a single participant noted any off-flavors in my warm fermented German Pilsner.

Participants then rated the degree to which they felt the beer matched the intended style on a 0 to 5 scale.

Finally, tasters were asked to rate how much they enjoyed the beer on a 0 to 5 scale.

Marshall’s Impressions: I make a lot of German Pilsner, it’s one of my favorite styles, and over the years I’ve used a wide variety of yeasts to produce some pretty tasty examples. This particular version fermented with the Brülosophy Blend at ale temperature had all the character I expect from a good German Pilsner– light crackery malt flavor with a floral and spicy noble hop character that goes down super easy. I loved this beer and had difficulty keeping my hands off of it before I was finished collecting data. My good friend, Tim, who drinks every beer I brew, told me this might be his favorite so far, and the comments from participants were also very positive. As far as fermentation performance, the yeast acted exactly like all of my ale fermentations in that it took off quickly, finished quickly, and was ready to keg within a couple weeks. One thing I did notice is that the beer maintained a very slight haze despite fining with gelatin, nothing terrible, just not as clear as commercial filtered examples. Meh, the flavor more than made up for this!

| CONCLUSIONS |

I think it’s fair to say we accomplished our goal of producing a yeast blend that can successfully be used to ferment a variety of clean beer styles of high quality. Our lack of awareness about the source of the yeasts used in the Brülosophy Blend not only made this project exciting for us as brewers, who are usually much more informed of what’s going on, but I like to think it also reduced our bias when evaluating the beers ourselves.

For those interested in trying the Brülosophy Blend, it is available to pre-order on the Bootleg Biology website through March 11, after which it won’t be around again until their next run.

Based on our collective experiences with the Brülosophy Blend, we compiled a list of thoughts and tips we thought might be helpful to other users of this yeast:

It seems to attenuate fairly well, particularly with simple grists mashed at the lower end of the temperature range, thus brewers may wish to mash a little higher in such situations.

Perhaps due in part to the higher attenuation, the bitterness in beers fermented with the Brülosophy Blend may be accentuated a bit more than with other strains. While perfectly appropriate for some styles, others may benefit from a simple adjustment to the bittering hop addition.

Given how generally clean the blend ferments, it seems unlikely to contribute much in the way of any other character, allowing the malt and hops to be more pronounced. Consider this when using using the Brülosophy Blend for styles known for having some yeast character such as English ale, perhaps adjusting for the expected esters with hops. This blend is not recommended for styles with high yeast character such as Hefeweizen, Witbier, and Saison.

When using this blend for hazy NEIPA, it does seem to drop clearer than other strains typically used for this style, thus if appearance is what your after, other adjustments may need to be made. That said, the overall flocculation of the blend seems to fit in the medium range, so the use of fining agents such as Whirlfloc and gelatin may assist in beer clarity.

All in all, we’re really excited about the Brülosophy Blend and look forward to hearing how others experience this uniquely versatile blend in their brewing!

If you have any thoughts or questions about the Brülosophy Blend, please do not hesitate to leave them in the comments section below!

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