WLP007 failed me, twice.

[danielbt]

I can't use this strain on a big beer, apparently.

The first time I used WLP007 for a big beer was an Imp Stout. I added a OG 1.102 wort (yeast nutrient added at 10m till end of boil) onto a cake left from a Dark Mild, then oxygenated with pure O2.

Fermentation took off quickly, but fell off a cliff after a few days. After three weeks, gravity was at 1.040. Fermentation temp during this was ~65F, dropping down to 63F for short times.

I roused the yeast, hoping it had just flocc'ed too soon. Three weeks later, it was 1.038. Roused again; three weeks later: 1.037. Temp during all of this ranged from 65F to 67F.

Pitched a pack of Nottingham and wrapped a heating pad around the fermenter to keep temps at 68F-69F, and that finally finished the beer off at 1.022 after two weeks.

I assumed that was a fluke, so I tried WLP007 again. This time with a strong Scotch (OG 1.103), and after five weeks, my FG was 1.035. Temp was pretty consistently 67F-68F, which is right in the middle of the suggested temperature range.

Lesson learned: use Nottingham as my English yeast for big beers.

I've seen other people get good results, and White Lab's site claims WPL007 should be good up to 12% ABV. I can't get it to break ~9%, even with tons of fermentables left.

Is the temperature range suggested by White Labs a little on the low side for this yeast? Anyone have good results at ~70F?

 

[daksin]

Are you using a starter? Depending on the age/storage of your yeast, you're probably massively underpitching. A pack of dry yeast will have way more cells than a vial of liquid- you need to use a starter. Thousands of people are very happy with WLP007- it finishes fast, ferments out dry, and flocs hard when it's done.

 

[GrogNerd]

Are you using a starter? Depending on the age/storage of your yeast, you're probably massively underpitching. A pack of dry yeast will have way more cells than a vial of liquid- you need to use a starter. Thousands of people are very happy with WLP007- it finishes fast, ferments out dry, and flocs hard when it's done.

OP says first try was onto a cake, so I don't think underpitch is the problem

have not tried 007, but I did pitch 005 (single vial, very fresh) into a 2.5 gallon barley wine at 1.090 and 20 days later it went into secondary at 1.020.

 

[tre9er]

When you say "even with plenty of fermentables", can you elaborate? What were the recipes, procedures, mash temps, etc?

 

[danielbt]

Are you using a starter? Depending on the age/storage of your yeast, you're probably massively underpitching.

As I said, the first batch was pitched on to a cake. The second batch used a 2L starter. Underpitching is not the issue.

When you say "even with plenty of fermentables", can you elaborate? What were the recipes, procedures, mash temps, etc?

Enough fermentables for Nottingham to eat, but not WLP007, which suggests the recipe and mash temp are not issues. At least, not for the Imp Stout.

The strong Scotch was mashed at 152F. The ingredients (from memory, so not exact):

18lbs Golden Promise
1lb C60
1lb C120

I got good efficiency, ~80%, plus or minus a percent or two.

I think the most likely culprit is fermentation temp, with the range suggested by White Labs being a bit too low for bigger beers. WLP007 worked just fine for the Mild at 63F-65F, but let me down for the bigger beer.

 

[tre9er]

Strange. Might want to try ramping it up gradually after lag phase is over, maybe a half a degree per day or so. Still, if you warmed and swirled, I'd think that wasn't the issue. I've not had issues with beers up to nearly 9% using WLP500 (belgian) or even US-05 repitches.