Anyone ever use Whitelabs 051 California Ale V?

My buddy works at a LHBS that's not so local. It's about 50 miles away. He gets me 30% off so when he's coming to town he brings me supplies. I asked for a vial of WL 001 and he accidently brought me 051 (California V). I've never used the yeast but reading the bio it makes me wonder what's up with it.

Here's the page from White Labs.

"From Northern California. This strain is more fruity than WLP001, and slightly more flocculent. Attenuation is lower, resulting in a fuller bodied beer than with WLP001."

Anyone had success or have notes about this yeast?

I used this yeast in an MO/Amarillo SMaSH. Note that it was an old vial, so I made a starter from it. Didn't attenuate well, I think it stopped at 1.021 or somewhere close and had this god awful taste to it. With this beer being a SMaSH the only thing I could come up with was the yeast. I read reviews were people said it put off a lot of sulfur, I would definately have to agree. The beer was undrinkable and I had to dump it.

This is just my experience with it.

chefchris said:

I used this yeast in an MO/Amarillo SMaSH. Note that it was an old vial, so I made a starter from it. Didn't attenuate well, I think it stopped at 1.021 or somewhere close and had this god awful taste to it. With this beer being a SMaSH the only thing I could come up with was the yeast. I read reviews were people said it put off a lot of sulfur, I would definately have to agree. The beer was undrinkable and I had to dump it.

This is just my experience with it.

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I just put the starter in the fridge and it smelled really sulfury. Starters always smell funky and you can't really trust the smell test with starters but I think I'm doing an IPA with it tomorrow and hopefully it'll be great.

Never used it, but i have heard it gives off fruity tones.

I've done IPAs with it and liked the results. The fruity notes go well with PNW hopping.

It's the strain Anchor uses for Liberty, their IPA, so I would expect great things if it's handled well. I have a vial in my refridgerator that I'm planning to use for an Amber ale.

I used it in a batch of Centennial Blonde, my first all-grain. It REEKED during fermentation though. My sisters' text to me at the time: "Your beer is making the closet smell like rotting eggs." But it turned out plenty tasty.

There's speculation that Bell's ale yeast is Wyeast 1272 / WLP051. I don't know for sure that that's true, but I suspect it is.

I've been using cultured Bell's ale yeast for my past several IPAs and it does impart a little bit of a fruity flavor that I like in IPAs. Haven't noticed any sulfur during fermentation.

Anyway, my point in posting this is that if WLP051 / Wy1272 is in fact the same yeast as Bell's ale yeast, I wouldn't hesitate to use it (if you like a fruity note in whatever it is you're brewing).

I use it for my APAs. I like it, it produces a fuller body than 001, but without the amount of esters you would expect from english or other strains with lesser attenuation. It is a good idea to let it ferment in a location far from your daily whereabouts, though, as it can throw off a lot of sulphuric smells (think the day after binge drinking hefes). I have never had any problems with sulphur after finished fermentation

This strain I have used for APA, Blonde, Irish Red, and Cream Ale. It's fairly clean at 66*F, and a lot more flocculant than WLP001. A good general purpose clean ale yeast.

I have used California Ale White Labs 051 quite a few times with very nice results. It is great with a mild hops like Fuggle. I am using it again now for a couple of batches of ale.

I bought this strain today from Morebeer Concord as a backup for my Summit IPA today in case the French ale yeast that i've put through two batches already isn't up for a third.

A buddy of mine used it in an Irish red and it turned out Great!

I just brewed an Oberon clone (from this thread, though I wussed out and didn't do the decoction ) yesterday with it. I have high hopes ... if it comes out good I'm hoping to re-use this yeast on a bunch of other beers. If it is the Bell's strain it can't be too bad!

I'll post results if people want...

Palefire said:

I just brewed an Oberon clone (from this thread, though I wussed out and didn't do the decoction ) yesterday with it. I have high hopes ... if it comes out good I'm hoping to re-use this yeast on a bunch of other beers. If it is the Bell's strain it can't be too bad!

I'll post results if people want...

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very interested. I love the oberon but not enough to risk decoction....yet

MeanGreen said:

very interested. I love the oberon but not enough to risk decoction....yet

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yeah, i just added 0.5lbs of Munich to the recipe as is. figured that'd get me close, especially since there's some controversy about whether or not decoction on a beer like this is actually noticeable. think denny conn did some experiments in that direction.

i figure if it comes out pretty close to Oberon, I'll be happy, especially I'm on the west coast and don't have any actual Oberon to compare it to!

Palefire, how'd that Oberon clone come out?

I have the AHS Fat Tire clone bubbling away with this yeast, trying to decide what to do next with the cake?

Wow, old thread! Yeah, the Oberon clone came out great. The cascades I was using were pretty old, so I didn't get that citrus-y punch from the dry hop, but otherwise it was a fine, fine beer.

I'm a big fan of this yeast. I've since used it on lots of other beers and it's always come through. As people say, it's fruitier than WLP001, and doesn't attenuate quite as much (though you can just mash a little lower if you want), but I really love the character it gives. The fruitiness really starts to come out after 2 months or so.

Really, any American-style beer will be fine to pitch the slurry into. I've made APAs, IPAs, American Browns, and even an Arrogant Bastard clone with it, and they've all been excellent. (The AB clone might have even been the best!)

Palefire said:

Wow, old thread! Yeah, the Oberon clone came out great. The cascades I was using were pretty old, so I didn't get that citrus-y punch from the dry hop, but otherwise it was a fine, fine beer.

I'm a big fan of this yeast. I've since used it on lots of other beers and it's always come through. As people say, it's fruitier than WLP001, and doesn't attenuate quite as much (though you can just mash a little lower if you want), but I really love the character it gives. The fruitiness really starts to come out after 2 months or so.

Really, any American-style beer will be fine to pitch the slurry into. I've made APAs, IPAs, American Browns, and even an Arrogant Bastard clone with it, and they've all been excellent. (The AB clone might have even been the best!)

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It's 103 here in Austin, my normally cool under the stairs closet is even a bit warm, prob fermenting in the 70-72 range, any thoughts on what this will do with this yeast? It's bubbling away, throwing off the sulphur (I've experienced this before with this yeast) but not sure what to expect with the temps....

I brew with this all the time in the 75 f range...I live in az so it's hard to keep it much cooler than that. Great combo with Citra hops. I have a lawnmower beer that is loaded with Citra and magnums that uses this yeast. Great stuff yo

I don't honestly know - I've never fermented it that high. My guess is that 70-72 (wort temp, not ambient) should be fine. Let us know how it comes out!

Thanks guys! I'll let you know how it comes out

Never used this yeast but thinking about using it for (my first) American Wheat/WPA. Stole the malt bill and hop schedule (adding Amarillo) from the Lemon-Lime Hef on the recipe forum...erased the lime ade

55% 2 Row
35% White Wheat
10% Vienna
Amarillo @ FWH and 60 min
Motueka @ 40 and 20 min
Sorachi @ 20 and 5 min
Possibly some fruit zest @ 5 min
small amount combination of the 3 hops at flameout (or perhaps a short dry hop)
Total IBUs 30...IBU/GU .52...3-SRM

Would this yeast work well with this type of brew guys??? What would be a good mash temp and fermentation temp. I was thinking 152-154F mash and a 68F ferment???

I love WLP001 and 002, just ready for something different. At a glance, it sounds like the fruitiness and added body would be good for this brew.

Rick500 said:

There's speculation that Bell's ale yeast is Wyeast 1272 / WLP051. I don't know for sure that that's true, but I suspect it is.

I've been using cultured Bell's ale yeast for my past several IPAs and it does impart a little bit of a fruity flavor that I like in IPAs. Haven't noticed any sulfur during fermentation.

Anyway, my point in posting this is that if WLP051 / Wy1272 is in fact the same yeast as Bell's ale yeast, I wouldn't hesitate to use it (if you like a fruity note in whatever it is you're brewing).

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I know this thread is about 8 years old, but I'm currently fermenting an APA that I made with 2-row, 100% Centennial hops, and WLP051... I pulled a sample yesterday because I was checking to see if fermentation has finished (it pretty much is), and I'll be damned if it doesn't taste EXACTLY like a lighter version of Bell's Two Hearted.

I have done a few Two Hearted Clone recipes, but they never came out as cloned. I'm beginning to suspect that if I'd used WLP051 and not WLP001 that they may have been spot on.

Starting to think this may be my go-to IPA/APA yeast. Going to use it again for sure!