It IS a German ale yeast. It's just not a very good one, for any style. I think the drying process hurts it. Maybe if it is repitched over and over it will improve. I won't be trying that.
I don't know, my results may have been different from some because I did run the K-97 with lager fermentation temps and cold conditioning time.
Maybe the later batches' taste benefited from yeast doing well for so long, but I recall the second keg from the first batch had improved with age as well. You seem to be a yeast expert, so perhaps folks should trust your judgement on that.
Seems to me there was more dead yeast solids produced by this yeast than usual when run for multable brews, not a deal killer, but a pain if one does not have a bottom dump on primary fermentor.
Anyway, this is a pint from last batch in the K-97 series; batch #189, brewed 10/1/23. 10 gallon, 3V.
Trying to learn how to photograph beer, Which is better picture? ;]
Goes down like a lager like ale, or an ale like lager, pretty tastey.
10 # Bestmalz pils
5# Viking Sahti blend (basically a two row w a bit of biscuit and caramel malt mixed in, pre ground) ordering mistake ;]
2.5# Rye malt
1# flaked corn
1.2 OZ N brewer, FW
1.2 OZ Spatz, 30 min into boil.
K-97 in fermentor, solids dumped, approx 1 liter yeast cake beer.
Feremtented around 59F, natually carbed w timed spunding, cold crashed at 32F until searved.