WLP002 English Ale yeast.. I like this stuff

bigjoe · 12-21-2009, 03:39 AM

I was going to put this under product reviews, but didn't really see a place for it.

As the subject states I like WLP002 English Ale Yeast.
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp002.html

It flocculates like crazy. A bit less attenuative than WLP001 Cal Ale yeast, but I like emphasis on the sweetness, even with a hoppy beer. Cal Ale is decent, but too me takes a while to clean it self up more so than Eng Ale

The first beer I brewed with it was an Amer Brown. I liked it and thought it might be a good yeast to try in an APA, and an Amber. Again I like the sweetness it leaves behind. The malt plays off the hops nicely. I just brewed a brown again today.

The Amber I brewed last weekend is crystal clear already, and has a fairly clean taste already. It amazes me everytime how clear it drops.

One thing to note for anyone who has not used it. Its looks different in the vial, starter, and fermenter. It almost has a curd like look in the vial. In the starter and ferementer it tends to clump together and almost looks like wet paper floating around after being roused. By the way I rouse this yeast multiple times each day to make sure it attenuates well. I read to do that somewhere. I'm not sure its needed but its worked so far, so I'm not going to stop now.

**JonK331** · 12-21-2009, 05:17 PM

If you like that try safale-04.

**StunnedMonkey** · 12-21-2009, 05:30 PM

The best part of 002 is how it plops out of the vial in a big lump. I made a starter from it just this morning. None of this waiting around for the dregs to slowly drip into the flask. It just plops out clean in one lump like the best turd you've ever had. It's awesome stuff.

Cregar · 12-21-2009, 05:42 PM

I love the stuff too. I use it in my house ESB.

**greenbirds** · 12-21-2009, 05:43 PM

+1 for this yeast strain. Did a delicious job when I brewed the Moose Drool clone, great malt aroma and just the right amount of residual sweetness. I have brewed brown ales and porters with S-04 and I think the flavor profile is very different. Always get a bready-type aroma that I don't really care for.

PseudoChef · 12-21-2009, 06:21 PM

I too, love this yeast. I usually have 2-3 day fermentations with it. Needs 1-2 extra days to clean up some diacetyl, but for turn around time it almost can't be beat.

**Doog_Si_Reeb** · 12-21-2009, 08:12 PM

Is that the same strain as Wyeast 1968? 1968 looks like curdled milk the way it clumps together. It also falls out very quickly and occasionally needs to be re-roused.

**Brew-boy** · 12-21-2009, 08:20 PM

This is my house English yeast, love the stuff.

Houblon · 12-21-2009, 08:59 PM

Its good stuff, have you tried Burton Ale yeast?

http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp023.html

Packed with character is an understatement.
Makes a awesome IPA and Barleywine that will age oh so well....

bigjoe · 12-21-2009, 09:38 PM

Definately a diacetyl rest is a good idea, but even with that it still cleans up quick as someone mentioned.2-3 days and the active fermentation is complete.

I try to rouse it quite a lot. My last Brown had a touch of diacetyl. I fermented cool then crash cooled to soon. I think the cool fermentation didn't help the diacetyl much. It still cleaned up but took a month in the keg. The last 2 gallons were fantastic. I get just over 70% attenuation each time I use it.

EDIT:
Anyone ever notice slight fusel?

Haven't tried wlp023 yet.

I've had brown's brewed with 1056 at my Homebrew club and I've liked them. I like the wlp002 much better though and that's the only yeast I've used to brew my brown.

http://www.mrmalty.com/yeast.htm says wlp002 and wyeast1968 are the same.