Wyeast 1056 vs Wyeast 1272

I recently brewed a Dark IPA.

PM Recipe

5 lbs American Two-Row
4 lbs Light DME
1 lb Carafa III
1 lb Crystal 60L

1.75 oz Chinook 60 min
2.00 oz Amarillo 10 min
1.5 oz Simcoe 10 min

I split the batch in half and fermented 2.5 gallons with Wyeast 1056 and the other 2.5 gallons with Wyeast 1272. Fermented in the 60°F-65°F range. Remained in primary for 66 days (kinda long, I got busy)

I bottled this batch earlier in the week and could REALLY taste a difference between samples.

The 1056 fermented to 1.017 while the 1272 finished at 1.022.

1056 had a stronger citrus hop presence (very grapefruit like) and the 1272 had more body and what I perceived as a very different hop characteristic.

I will often brew a beer for the first time and try a few different yeast strains to then determine which I like better. This seems to have produced two very different beers. They won't be carbed up until Christmas so I'll post back then with an update.

On a side note: I found this recipe on HBT under a thread "Best of Show Dark IPA" (or something like it). I wanted to PM the guy and thank him for the recipe but I can't find the thread. I used the search but nothing showed up. So if you are that guy and you are reading this, Thanks Bud!

Nice work. I too have done split batches with these two yeasts (WLP051 equivalent), and 1056/001/S05 does tend to finish 3-5 pts lower. I think the fruity esters produced by the 1272/051 really complement citrusy American hops, almost intensifying their character.

greenbirds said:

Nice work. I too have done split batches with these two yeasts (WLP051 equivalent), and 1056/001/S05 does tend to finish 3-5 pts lower. I think the fruity esters produced by the 1272/051 really complement citrusy American hops, almost intensifying their character.

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I really felt that I could detect the hops in the 1056 batch more than in the 1272. Again, this was on bottle day. Often I feel that my beers are much different once they are carbed and cold.

I love how flocculant 1272 is. I refuse to use 1056 anymore... if I get a recipe that demands american yeast, 1272 it is.

I found 1056 had a crisper hop character, while 1272 was a little rounder to me. Strange because that's also how I'd describe the difference in malt character...

1272 is great if you're like me and want to get your beers in the keg as quickly as possible.

kanzimonson said:

I love how flocculant 1272 is. I refuse to use 1056 anymore... if I get a recipe that demands american yeast, 1272 it is.

I found 1056 had a crisper hop character, while 1272 was a little rounder to me. Strange because that's also how I'd describe the difference in malt character...

1272 is great if you're like me and want to get your beers in the keg as quickly as possible.

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I gave 1272 a try because the guys at my LHBS despise 1056. I am not sure how you can hate a yeast so much but when ever I told them I was using 1056 for something, they would cringe as if I kicked a puppy or squeezed my grain bag.

I hate it because I think I'm pretty sensitive to yeast bite. I hate that flavor so much.

Also it's like the blandest strain ever, but I can understand why some people like this. Personally, I use 1968 for most of my ales because it's crazy malty, a little sweeter, and hella flocculant.

EDIT: And yes I realize I could use gelatin and such to get rid of the 1056 yeast, but my point still remains about its light, clean flavor. I can get my 1968 beers from grain to glass in 10 days or less.