Ryat66
Well-Known Member
I found this thread because I've experienced exactly what others have with both variants of this strain, 1968/WLP002. I have simply given up on trying to bottle with it until I find a solution, my most recent experience was with an oatmeal stout. It was mashed at 153F, started at 62F and allowed to rise to 65F, beginning on day 4 it was raised 2F per day to 72F and held for 10 days. I waited until day 16 to take a gravity sample at which time was 1.018, my expected final gravity. I waited until day 21 and took another sample which was also 1.018 and packaged on day 22. Using Beersmith's priming calculator, I primed to 2.3 vols using 5.1 gallons and 72F as my temperature. After allowing the bottles to sit in a closet on the 1st floor of my home at 69F (we never change the thermostat) for three weeks, I decided to open one to check the carbonation, it pushed solid foam for three minutes and I was left with 1/2 beer, what was left tasted great. I assume chilling will tame this but obviously I'm probably somewhere over 3 vols already and risking some glass bombs; I didn't think to measure gravity on that one because I was so torqued.
As I've read through the 4 pages of this thread it occurred to me that maybe this strain just isn't suited for what we as home brewers attempt to do with it. Maybe it prefers open fermentation or a Burton Union System but I am not a yeast expert so I don't know. Like others on here, I have driven myself mad thinking the cause was infection, I wouldn't know how as I've brewed with some downright pigs and they don't have some of the problems that I have had. I recently brewed with a guy that swore StarSan works better if you rinse the foam off...I was just like "wut..."
Anyway, I definitely think this is related to this strain but have no idea how to fix it at this point.
Are there any decent alternatives to this strain? How about WLP007 or does it attenuate too much? Or what about an oatmeal stout with Cali ale, 1056/WLP001? Too dry?
As I've read through the 4 pages of this thread it occurred to me that maybe this strain just isn't suited for what we as home brewers attempt to do with it. Maybe it prefers open fermentation or a Burton Union System but I am not a yeast expert so I don't know. Like others on here, I have driven myself mad thinking the cause was infection, I wouldn't know how as I've brewed with some downright pigs and they don't have some of the problems that I have had. I recently brewed with a guy that swore StarSan works better if you rinse the foam off...I was just like "wut..."
Anyway, I definitely think this is related to this strain but have no idea how to fix it at this point.
Are there any decent alternatives to this strain? How about WLP007 or does it attenuate too much? Or what about an oatmeal stout with Cali ale, 1056/WLP001? Too dry?