WLP 860 Munich Helles

[tiggy]

Getting ready to start my first series of lagers: Helles, Dunkel, and a Vienna. Original plan was to use WLP833, but the LHBS was out. Ended up with WLP 860 instead.

I know this is a "platinum strain" with limited release. However, there doesn't appear to be much information out there about it at all. Google only turns up a handful of threads from 2012.

Any advice on how to best handle this yeast? Otherwise I'm planning a 50 degree primary ferment and using the Brülosophy lager method.

 

[beersk]

Heard this is a really great lager strain. I'd go Helles, Vienna, then Dunkel if it were me though. Lightest to darkest, ya know? Make a step up starter, 2qt, let it go for a few days, shaking every time you walk by. Then crash it over night, do a 3qt starter to dump on the decanted yeast slurry. Let it go another few days, crash it and pitch it into the helles wort. You should be golden!

 

[tiggy]

I've got a stirplate so the current plan is to start with a 1L starter, spin it for 48 hours, crash for 24, decant and repeat. Yeastcalc suggests this should be sufficient.

Once the Helles done, looking to split the slurry and do the Vienna and Munich concurrently. If I don't have a second carboy free, I'll definitely do the Vienna first!

 

[chitowngator]

I've used WLP860 in all five of my lagers so I'm by no means an expert. The Helles and Dortmunder I entered into a competition didn't win any awards, but both time received comments on having a nice clean ferment. I pitched at 48F and once it reached about 10 points above final gravity brought the temperature up to 55F.

I'm hopeful that the Maibock I just bottled will do better...

 

[beersk]

I've got a stirplate so the current plan is to start with a 1L starter, spin it for 48 hours, crash for 24, decant and repeat. Yeastcalc suggests this should be sufficient.

Once the Helles done, looking to split the slurry and do the Vienna and Munich concurrently. If I don't have a second carboy free, I'll definitely do the Vienna first!

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck. I love German lagers. It's about all I brew these days. :rockin:

 

[tiggy]

Since there's not a lot of info out there about this yeast, may as well put my experience out there.

One thing I did find was that WLP860 was a vigorous fermenter and I can confirm that. The starter blew the foam plug out of my Erlenmeyer flask in about 12 hours. Haven't had a yeast do that since the 3787! Even with a couple drops of FermCap in the step-up, I still have a nice inch of krausen.

The consistency is also a bit odd: similar to that of half-dried paint. It DID NOT want to come out of the vial. It also plated itself to the bottom of the flask while cold crashing, making it very easy to decant.

 

[gometz]

My favorite lager yeast by far. I've made helles with WLP860, 830, and 833, 860 was the best no question. Not sure about the brulosophy lager method though, never tried that.

 

[skw]

My first brew with WLP860 turned out very delicious. No diacetyl, no sulfur that I could tell. "Munich Helles" is a very appropriate name for it. This yeast is definitely a keeper. Thankfully, I saved some of it in saline from the original vial, so I will still have some once winter (aka lager season) comes around. I think this one and the Anchor strain will become my house lager yeasts.

FWIW, my recipe was:
92% Pilsener Malt, 8% CaraHell (Weyermann)
11P OG
Bittering: Pacific Gem @ 60 min
Aroma: Centennial and Columbus @ Flameout, at a ~3:1 ratio
IBUs roughly in the 30s, hard to tell because the hops wasn't very fresh and I don't use a wort chiller.

I will have to try it with a more to style recipe.