Fermentis SafAle™ K-97 Yeast

I like that this ale yeast was a slower fermenter. It petered out when the ethanol content reached about 6%, but there was still sugar left to ferment. Would buy again, but for a lower OG ale.

I recently used this dry yeast for my first attempt at a Kolsch. One packet was fine for 1.048 OG. Fermented at 63F for about 12 days including as diacetyl rest up to 69F. Then cold crashed into upper 30s. Lagered it for 2 weeks and tasted. Still a bit green, so left it another week. Turned out really good. I recommend this yeast.

I pitched this in an American wheat beer of 1.044 and had signs of fermentation in 4 hours. I don't have temp control and it got up into the 70s. The gravity sample at a week was 1.010 and tasted good.

There is a lot of conflicting information about this yeast on various beer sites. If fermented at 62 degrees for 3 weeks and then cold crashed to 35 degrees for 1 week, it is at least as good as any liquid German ale yeast I've tried. It finishes crisp, with no kolsch flavors, and it certainly is not reminiscent of a typical Belgium brew. While taking a little longer to ferment, this is my go to German ale yeast. High fermentation problems may be the cause of the off flavors noted by some brewers. OG 1.048, finished at 1.008 in 2 weeks.