WLP029 = not good for IPAs

[badmajon]

I just tasted the IPA I made last night with this yeast, and I think 029 (german ale/kolsch) was just the wrong kind of yeast- super clean, no malt, waay too much hop flavor. I fermented at 59 degrees, and it took almost 5 days to finish.

If not for the hops, this would be a decent lager-like ale, but the IBUs (in the 60s) have no malt flavor to balance them out. I ended up throwing in about 6 oz of maltodextrine to give it some balance. Now it's barely drinkable, instead of downright gross.

You live, you learn... S05 is still my favorite yeast for IPAs.

 

[PseudoChef]

Funny - that's the exact reason why I dislike S-05 for hoppy beers. It attenuates way too much (>80%) for me, stripping all the malt and leaving thin, hop beer. I haven't used 029, but have used 2565 several times and find it gives a nice malt character with those subtle vinous esters that play into a hop profile well.

 

[Laikacosmonaut]

What's worse? Accidentally adding maltodextrin instead of corn sugar to your IPA.

Guilty as charged...

 

[badmajon]

you mean you primed with maltodextrin? yikes

 

[Steelers77]

I used this Kolsch yeast in a summer ale with about 39IBU a little wheat and a low mash temp to dry it out and I thought it worked great, very refreshing. I could see a lack of malt putting your IPA out of balance but that why we do this, to experiment and learn about ingredients and to make/learn more about beer.

 

[Laikacosmonaut]

you mean you primed with maltodextrin? yikes

Na, I would have caught it if I was using it to prime (can't miss that lump-o-malto). I was making Pliny Clone and used ~10oz of maltodextrin instead of the ~10oz of corn sugar in the boil. White powder is white powder to me... lol.

I'm still suffering through my double-thick milkshake IPA... Worst part is, it would have been damn good if not for that mistake, haha.

 

[badhabit]

I use 029 on Kolsch only now...not even Alts. IMO 036 is way better on Alts because it accents the malt bill much better. I do love the 029 for Kolsch, clean, light and just a hint of a floral aftertaste!

 

[thegerm]

I use 029 on Kolsch only now...not even Alts. IMO 036 is way better on Alts because it accents the malt bill much better. I do love the 029 for Kolsch, clean, light and just a hint of a floral aftertaste!

dammit. I am using 029 to ferment a munich dunkel recipe right now in the low 60s. sounds like I should have used this 036 strain instead.

 

[Beezer94]

Poor subject line choice. Now people are going to search and see the subject and not brew an awesome IPA with 029. WLP029 is great for hoppy beers. If you were going for English IPA where there is little to no hop flavor/aroma then yes it is a bad choice, but it is a high attenuating yeast where the descriptor clearly says it enhances hop character.

From White Labs:

WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast
From a small brewpub in Cologne, Germany, this yeast works great in Kölsch and Alt style beers. Good for light beers like blond and honey. Accentuates hop flavors, similar to WLP001. The slight sulfur produced during fermentation will disappear with age and leave a super clean, lager like ale.
Attenuation: 72-78%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-69°F
(18-21°C)
Does not ferment well less than 62°F(17°C), unless during active fermentation.
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium

 

[badmajon]

yeah dude, it does accentuate hop flavors, it just doesn't bring the malt flavor up enough to balance it out and make it taste good. that's what I think.

 

[PorterIdontknowher]

yeah dude, it does accentuate hop flavors, it just doesn't bring the malt flavor up enough to balance it out and make it taste good. that's what I think.

Yo dude... so your grain bill for your IPA didn't balance the hops out given the characteristics of the yeast.

If you want more malt, raise mash temps, add some more light crystal, use something like Maris Otter instead of 2-row, a couple of pounds of Vienna... many options... each will adjust the flavor

WLP029 = not good for IPAs is in your opinion, for the grain bill that you used.

I've made some really tasty pale ales and an IPA with 029.

I'm a little confused though: You tasted this at bottling and proclaimed it gross? I'm assuming this because you said you dumped 6oz of malto in it... Green, uncarbed IPAs can taste a lot thinner and more out of balance.

 

[Pappers_]

I like using Edinburgh for IPAs, because it lets the malt come through without suppressing the hop flavors and aromas. Fermented in the low 60s, it gives a clean flavor profile.

http://www.singingboysbrewing.com/Short-Nights-IPA.html

 

[daveooph131]

I use WLP029 exclusively on IPA's / Pale Ales. It is by far my favorite yeast to work with. I ferment about 62-64 degress for four weeks, then keg and carb. This yeast always clears up nicely providing a bright beer and allows the hops to shine.

I love hops and it is def. at its hoppiest at five weeks. However, at 6 weeks I would put my IPA up against commercial IPA's I like. There is a really good balance between hop and malts.

I use marris otter to make it a little maliter and add some honey malt / crystal malt.

I would say not the yeast, may just be the recipe or your beer could be green still.

 

[QuercusMax]

I know this is a zombie thread, but I wanted to post in here to say that I am also in the WLP029-loving camp for IPAs. This summer I made a super-hoppy IPA (12oz hops total in 5 gallons), using WLP029.

I used a 50-50 mix of Pilsner and Pale Ale malt, with a little Munich, C60, and Wheat malt, plus a pound of Jaggery (Indian palm sugar). The hops really popped, and there was enough malt flavor in there to make it really delicious.

 

[BrewNow]

After finding out Victory used Kolsch on a couple of their IPAs (and rumored to use in Dirt Wolf) I did a test batch using 029 back on April 13th. My grist was super simple - 2-row and a dash (1.8%) of de-bittered black for SRM contribution. Lots of amarillo, chinook and some columbus.

My tasting notes mention very clean fermentation profile; the hops really popped; a tad 'baby crap' aroma that I thought came from the de-bittered. I'll give it another go in Feb/Mar 2015.

 

[QuercusMax]

I've noticed that I get a little bit of sulfur in the aroma from my brews with 029, but it usually dissipates within 30 seconds or so after pouring. Could that be part of what you experienced?

 

[MrSnacks]

Couldn't disagree more with the premise of this thread. WLP029 might be the best yeast for a really dry, hoppy IPA.

 

[QuercusMax]

Unfortunately if you google for "WLP029 IPA" this is the first result that comes up, and folks who don't read further than that might be put off. Maybe we can bribe the mods to change the title.

 

[kh54s10]

As already stated getting the correct balance is a combination of the malts hops and yeast used. A higher attenuating yeast will either need more malts or less hops to be in balance.

Yeast is just one ingredient in a recipe. If you don't work with it correctly you will not get the results desired!

 

[stpug]

You could always start a new thread titled:

WLP029 = Perfect for IPAs

My experience has been very good with WLP029 for pale ales as well, aside from a long clearing period but otherwise very nice strain all around.

 

[QuercusMax]

It's also really nice for apple cider, or at least that's what my Best of Show trophy tells me. The apple/white grape esters go really well with a medium-sweet cider.

Brulosopher says makes an amazing lager when fermented in the mid-50s, even for malty beers like Marzen. I'm drinking a delicious rice cream ale right now.

It is really a great all around yeast.

 

[Gavin C]

Planning an IPA next week.

Think I'll try WLP029 and ferment it in the low 60's.

Got some in the fridge from when I made a Kolsch.

Interesting range of opinions in this old thread.

 

[emsroth]

Do you have to cold condition/lager the beer in order to get a good flavor with these IPAs? I don't want to brew a dry-hopped IPA and sit on it for a month before it's good. I'm thinking about giving Wlp028 a try because it also ferments clean and cool but flocculates well.

 

[Duffman870727]

I'm only 3.5 weeks into a pale ale (skewed NEIPA style) ferment with this yeast, and I am not happy so far. I must disclose the issue might be viability/vitality of the yeast I used, a 10 month old slurry jar put into a 500 mL starter, then 1L starter before going into the brew (thought I was covering my bases to crop up old yeast). Ferment didn't kick off for 48 hrs (bad sign for a liquid starter) and gravity was 1.020 after 2 weeks, 1.013 @ 3 weeks. The sample clarified greatly between week 2-3, but the aroma I am hit with is an intensely solventy, slightly sulphery, green appleness that is just gross. Beer shows no other signs of contamination, so I think this was just a bad ferment (huge underpitch?), temp was around 60F. The wort was so deliciously fruity going from kettle to carboy, I am intensely disappointed. If it was my mistake trying to rejuvenate old yeast, I own it, I will be sitting on this beer for a few weeks to see if it cleans up. I planned a nice dry hop addition and this should have been a great hoppy beer.