Fermentis SafAle BE-256
Fermentis · ale · Dry
Fermentis' Belgian abbey strain — fast, highly flocculent and fruity without the clove. POF-negative, so it gives Belgian ester character with none of the phenolic spice, finishing dry enough for Duvel-style blondes and strong ales.
2 brews
About
An active dry brewer's yeast recommended for Belgian-style beers, particularly abbey styles. BE-256 ferments fast and drops bright thanks to high flocculation, producing a warm, fruity, aromatic profile. Critically it is POF-negative — it will not throw the clove/pepper phenolics that many Belgian strains do — so the character reads as ripe fruit and gentle alcohol rather than spice. That makes it the strain of choice when you want Belgian expression underneath hops or a pale, dry, effervescent blonde, rather than a spicy saison or witbier.
Specs
- Attenuation
- 82–86%
- Flocculation
- High (Fermentis rate sedimentation as "fast")
- Temperature
- 18–26°C
- Optimal
- Start 20–21°C and free-rise toward 26°C for fruity, unstressed esters
- Alcohol tolerance
- 11% ABV
- Ferment time
- 7–14 days
- Pitch rate
- 50–80 g/hL — use the top of the range on high-gravity worts (2 packets for a strong 23 L batch)
- Form
- Dry
Recipe pairing
- Grains
- Pilsner base with wheat for head; takes a heavy sugar addition without thinning out
- Hops
- Saaz and Styrian Goldings for classic Belgian; POF-negative character leaves room for modern aroma hops in Belgian IPA
- Adjuncts
- Dextrose or clear candi sugar — pushes the finish dry while lifting ABV without body
- Suited to
- Belgian Blonde Ale, Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Tripel, Belgian Golden Strong Ale, Belgian IPA
Brewing tips
- POF-negative — no clove or pepper. Reach for it when you want Belgian fruit without phenolic spice; use BE-134 or a saison strain if you do want the spice.
- Pitch warm around 24–25°C for dispersal, then settle to a 20–21°C start and let it free-rise over 2–3 days. Rushing the ramp makes the esters read hot and solventy instead of fruity.
- Ester intensity scales with both wort gravity and fermentation temperature — a stronger, warmer ferment gives markedly more banana and pear.
- Fermentis put the ideal ceiling at 26°C. Working up to 26–27°C is common practice on Belgian strong ales, but don't push beyond it.
- High flocculation means it drops hard and early — rouse or hold temperature up at the tail if gravity stalls short of target.
- Fermentis recommend cropping the yeast after fermentation to preserve the aromatic character across generations.
Handling & storage
- Rehydration
- Sprinkle dry onto wort at 24–25°C for good dispersal, or rehydrate 15–30 min at ~27°C.
- Storage
- 2–8°C; room temperature acceptable short-term.
- Shelf life
- ~36 months from production; check the date code.