Wyeast London 1968 ESB - Heady Topper Clone

Hello All,

This is my 1st post, so please be civil. I began heavily homebrewing during this past spring (2013). I've always been a lover of craft beer, but it wasn't until my 1st can of Heady Topper that something changed. IPAs have always been my favorite style of beer, and once I tasted that beer, I knew it was time to try to create my own. Since May 2013, I have brew 13 beers (Mostly IPAs), and all of them have been in search of the flavors I found within that beer. I have brewed 5 attempted clone brews of the Heady, and all of them have been drastically similar:

•1 Brew with Wyeast 1056 - Hops stand out, too clean tasting, no fruity flavor
•2 Brewed with WLP001 - Hops stand out, more malty, little fruity flavor
•2 Brewed with Wyeast 1968 - F&@$ing Awesome! Hops stand out, FRUITY!

Besides the yeast, the only difference was with an ounce or two or dry hopping hops. For example, I used 1oz. Ahtanum in place of 1oz. Amarillo in dry hopping. I know this can impart very different flavors, but with all of the other aromatically-pummeling hop additions, these alterations were negligible.

I've noticed that my hop additions don't make as much as a difference as the yeast. Also, I'm WELL AWARE that I should be using CONAN yeast to produce an authentic Heady Topper. However, I've brewed 5, and the London 1968 yeast has been far superior!!!

Are there any other yeasts that will produce an IPA like this, while still being able to produce such a wide range of other beers? I keep trying new yeasts in this same recipe, but none compare to the 1968...I've attached a crude version of the recipe. Please let me know your thoughts (Especially if you're an IPA enthusiast).

Cheers!
Sam

Nice! Love Heady! Have you tried the clone recipe that was in the October Brew Your Own yet? I am making that this month! Their version uses WLP013 English Ale yeast, has a few hop changes and uses turbinado sugar instead. I know the BYO version is floating around the forums.

This recipe was a variation on a BYO magazine recipe that I had found online. I've since been in search of a good CONAN yeast clone, but I have never tried WLP013. Originally when I used the London 1968 ESB, it was a total risk that ended up tasting great. I'd love to hear how the WLP013 works out. After brewing 5 Heady clones, I've noticed that a yeast that imparts the most fruity ale flavor does the best.

I've used 1968 for ESBs and loved it, and now will have to try it in an IPA, thanks ! And holy crap that's a pile of hops!

My house yeast is ESB1968 London Ale. I use it for everything including hard cider. It has a very malt forward yeast profile. I realize it isn't perfect for all styles, but the $8.00 I would spend on a new, different yeast every batch adds up. Today I spent $19.85 on 10 pounds Canadian Pale Ale Malt, 8 pounds of 2-Row, 1 pound of Brown Malt, 1 pound of Crystal 80, and 10 ounces of Chocolate Malt. Just a hair under $1.00 per pound of grain, and the Canadian Pale Ale Malt is $0.25 more per pound.

sambuckens said:

Are there any other yeasts that will produce an IPA like this, while still being able to produce such a wide range of other beers?

Click to expand...

Wyeast 1272 comes to mind.

I'm interested to hear more about other British Ale Yeasts...Wyeast 1272 sounds like it adds to the citrusy notes.

Ultimately, I would say that I'm looking for an an English-style ale yeast that is extremely floral upfront, then slightly bitter and sugar-tangy towards the end.

The London ESB 1968 has given me this profile when I've brewed dry double IPAs...I just want to know it there is a style to match what I'm looking for besides the 1968.

Thanks for your tip re wyeast 1968. My son and I followed the BYO recipe with the exception of the yeast and followed your suggestion. Besides viewing a fermentation that reminded me of a very active aquarium, we created one tasty IPA and have received nothing but rave reviews. Will definitely brew this winner again.

Theyeastbay.com sells conan under the name Vermont yeast

sambuckens said:

This recipe was a variation on a BYO magazine recipe that I had found online. I've since been in search of a good CONAN yeast clone, but I have never tried WLP013. Originally when I used the London 1968 ESB, it was a total risk that ended up tasting great. I'd love to hear how the WLP013 works out. After brewing 5 Heady clones, I've noticed that a yeast that imparts the most fruity ale flavor does the best.

Click to expand...

Sorry was just going through old threads and realized I never got back to you on how WLP013 worked out for Heady clone! Will say that while it was not Heady, it was a great DIPA and everyone loved it. Did not have the same dankness as Heady and got a lot of citrus mixed with piney aromas and was definitely a hop bomb to drink. I did feel that there was little harshness in the finish, but nobody else noted that.

Had one issue, where I brewed in late January on a 19 degree day in Mass, did not get my hoses out for wort chiller. I thought it was so cold that the beer would chill quickly, but it did not. So the ton of whirlpool hops sat in hot wort longer than they should have, which brings out more bitterness than aroma, so that could have lead to my perceived harshness.