Wyeast 1332 (Northwest Ale) - should be retired

I just want to express my recently acquired disdain for this yeast. I will never use it again. I used it in 2 different beers over the last 6 months - a blonde and an APA. It imparts a harsh tartness to the beer, and it gets worse as the beer ages.

I do have a new-found appreciation for 1056.

Dude, I'll jump on that bandwagon with you! I hate the tartness of that stuff.

Hear, hear!

While it isn't my favorite strain, I do enjoy it in APA/IPA's where you want more character than just plain old 1056. I've used it 6 times now and I've never got much tartness from it, although I ferment cool around 62F. It ferments fast and clean with good maltiness, and it flocculates way better than any American strain.

I wouldn't mind seeing them drop it if they put (1882) in its place.

Ah, well i used the recommended range which is considerably warmer. i imagine the results would be different if i fermented cooler...but now i want no hint of that yeast in my beer.

never used the 1882, looks quite nice

I fermented 1332 at 62 and still hated it.

lol

yeah, i have all these pale ales in bottles - what i've been doing is pouring into a glass, taking a sip or two, then dumping it...NO GOOD! 1332 can take a hike

Wow, I haven't seen this much hate for a yeast since I last bashed on S-04. To each their own.

Funny enough, I've never had an issue with 1332 but I can't say the same for 1450. Haven't figured out how to make anything but cloudy and yeasty beer with that one.

bierhaus15 said:

Wow, I haven't seen this much hate for a yeast since I last bashed on S-04. To each their own.

Funny enough, I've never had an issue with 1332 but I can't say the same for 1450. Haven't figured out how to make anything but cloudy and yeasty beer with that one.

Click to expand...

1450 is a Fantastic yeast! Although it does need time, gelatin, or a cold crash after fermentation is complete to get it totally clear. IMO its totally worth it

I can't say that I've used 1332, but I think the exact same thing about the tartness of Notty, although it works well in a dry stout.

I've actually had good luck with 1332...creates a fairly big mouthfeel even with a smaller beer. Never had any pronounced tartness. I like 1450 as well, but I agree it takes a long time to clear.

I just tapped my keg of APA made with wy1332 today and again it has done a fantastic job. Very clean and lightly malty with no tartness. Cleared very well too, even with a ton of dryhopping. One thing I will say, is I think this is one yeast that does best fermented cool and racking to a secondary helps the yeast settle out.

Curious of the grain bill and hops for those who experience the tartness

Just made an APA with it and don't get the tartness...it was nice to have something different than 1056

i was a big fan of it in my IPA which fermented warm ~70 with no tartness - will def use this strain again

I've used it in an APA and my house amber. Frankly I perceive the yeast as a flaw. With the Chico strain they taste as good as any I can buy but with 1332 they taste like some first time mr beer brewers stuff.

Malticulous said:

I've used it in an APA and my house amber. Frankly I perceive the yeast as a flaw. With the Chico strain they taste as good as any I can buy but with 1332 they taste like some first time mr beer brewers stuff.

Click to expand...

Agreed.

Sorry for resurrecting this thread - just wanted to post my own experience with this yeast without starting another thread.

I just kegged an amber ale that was fermented with this yeast. The verdict is still out as to whether or not I like the flavor of it, although the resulting beer at least smells good.

That being said, from my first experience with it, Northwest Ale yeast is a messy fermenter - very vigorous with a big kraeusen, and when fermentation was over, it left a very thick, gummy layer of yeast on top.

It doesn't seem like an easy yeast to work with. Unless the resulting beer is outstanding, I probably won't opt to use it again. American Ale II seems to offer the yeast character that I'm looking for and is easy to work with.

An update to the previous post.

So I've started drinking the amber ale that I referenced in the previous post, and my first sips of this beer brought a huge smile to my face.

This beer totally reminds me of one of the first beers I ever brewed about four years ago. No beer that I have brewed since has reminded me of that beer. I remember being so happy with that beer from four years ago. It was also an amber ale, but it was from a kit (extract w/ specialty grains). Provided with that kit was a package of dry Munton's Ale yeast.

Both this beer and that beer from four years ago have a very distinct, tangy, fruity, candy-like sweetness that I remember describing four years ago as reminding me of the candy Skittles.

Anyway, it's interesting that others in this thread have mentioned that the Northwest Ale strain reminds them of extract kits. Perhaps there is some credence to those claims. I know that there are plenty of citations online that the Northwest Ale yeast strain is from Hale's in Seattle ... but did Hale's obtain this yeast from Munton's (or do they at least have the same source)?

Jason

Hey Jason, glad your amber is giving you some nostalgic joy. What you think of the results is all that matters. As for the origins of 1332, I have no idea.. I only know what we've talked about, it's from the PNW via England.

I have kept my word in the OP and haven't touched 1332

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

All nostalgia set aside, I don't think I'll be using 1332 often in the future. It's such a sloppy fermenter, and I anticipate that it would overpower just about anything lighter than an amber ale. I'm sure 1332 could work in an English Bitter (I'll look out for Gales HSB), though.

I'll probably go back to AA II 1272 next time for this recipe.

As to why Wyeast doesn't retire it, I have no insight into how their business works, but I guess I'd speculate that they have an account that buys large quantities of it?

Jason

jsmith32 said:

As to why Wyeast doesn't retire it, I have no insight into how their business works, but I guess I'd speculate that they have an account that buys large quantities of it?

Click to expand...

Funny. There are a lot of breweries that use this yeast and some win awards every year at the GABF. Just because a few people can't brew good beer with it, doesn't mean its a crap yeast...

Agreed, that's kind of what I was saying. My knock against it had nothing to do with the resulting beer, just that it was difficult to work with - for me. And I'm sure other brewers are better equipped than I am and might actually be happy with its fermenting characteristics (with the layer of yeast remaining on top after fermentation, it seems like it would be really easy to scoop that up and reuse it).

Jason