Wyeast 1217-PC West Coast IPA source?

[gbarron]

First, has anyone tried this yeast yet and, if so, can you relate your experience?

Second, does anyone have any educated guesses as to the source brewery? I've seen it speculated to be the Green Flash yeast, but not sure if that is a blind guess.

I was at GABF last weekend and asked the Wyeast rep about the source. He said, "I don't know... I can't say." And kind of laughed, so I'm guessing he was under some sort of gag order.

 

[djavatar]

I'm wondering about the source as well.

 

[oconnorshomebrew]

Never tried it. I'd be interested to see how it differs from other West Coast originating yeasts like 1056 and 1272.

 

[govner1]

I picked up a pkg yesterday @ my LHBS. I'm going to try it in an IPA recipe I've done numerous times so I'll have feedback in a few weeks.

 

[gbarron]

Great, please post back later with results, govner1. I'm picking up a package at my LHBS next weekend and will probably brew an IPA or DIPA with it soon after.

The Wyeast guy told me it is very clean like 1056 if fermented cool, but more flocculant and attenuative than 1056.

 

[mdweil]

I used this yeast this weekend. Pitched it Sunday afternoon and it was gassing when I checked it Monday morning. Now it is Tuesday and it has already stopped gassing. This seems odd to me. The temp is 70F. Any clues why it has stopped so quickly?

 

[mdweil]

The gassing has completely stopped after less than 48 hrs. I've never experienced this before. I rarely make IPAs. Is this normal?

 

[djavatar]

Did you check the gravity?

 

[mdweil]

Do I want to open the fermenter this soon? Should I wait a few more days since it has only been three since I pitched the yeast? Is 72F too warm to pitch this yeast? Is 70F too warm for fermentation?

 

[bzwyatt]

What do you mean by 'gassing'? I guess you can't see the wort/beer? What kind of fermentor is it? What airlock is on it?

 

[mdweil]

When I say gassing, I mean bubbling in the air lock. I used a standard white 6 gallon bucket with a bubbler air lock.

 

[bzwyatt]

Ok. It wouldn't be a big deal to take the lid off, but you could wait too, it is not likely that it is done fermenting. Could it be leaking? Was the gravity of your wort really low?

I'd just wait longer, at least a week, before opening it and taking a look or getting a sample.

But if it is one of your first batches, you could open it up to check it out and see what it looks like at 2 days.

 

[mdweil]

The OG was 1.052.

It could be leaking, I got the bucker from a friend who used to brew so I'm not 100% on the seal.

I used to brew years ago but I've been living overseas and just got back into this again so I feel like a newbie all over again.

I'll wait until it has been one week and then check the gravity. Should I transfer it to a secondary then if the gravity has dropped?

 

[govner1]

Great, please post back later with results, govner1. I'm picking up a package at my LHBS next weekend and will probably brew an IPA or DIPA with it soon after.

The Wyeast guy told me it is very clean like 1056 if fermented cool, but more flocculant and attenuative than 1056.

I brewed my Whole Hop Columbus IPA yesterday. The OG came in at 1.060. I pitched w/ the WY1217 @ 68 & oxygenated. Really vigorous activity after about 12 hours w/ almost 2" krausen.

 

[gbarron]

Made a west coast-style IPA yesterday, similar to the RR Blind Pig recipe found in Mitch Steele's IPA book. OG was about 1.063. I pitched a 1.5L starter of this Wyeast 1217 around 2pm and had some light airlock activity by 11pm that night. There was a couple of inches of krausen this morning and I had to attach a blowoff tube. Fermenting around 66 degrees.

 

[LoloMT7]

Subbed

Any results Govner1 or have you taken a SG I'm curious as to how it finished? I'm thinking of trying this strain soon.

 

[HollisBT]

Anybody else getting STRONG fermentation smells from this yeast?

I have a batch of pale ale going with this right now, and it is producing some of the strongest fermentation odors I have ever experienced... Not necessarily bad smells, slightly sulfuric but not overly, just very strong... The krausen that has made it into my blow off jar smells great though.

 

[gbarron]

Day four of fermentation with this. I removed the blow off tube last night and attached an airlock. Still very active fermentation, but the krausen had fallen back enough to no longer require the blow off. Also letting it warm up a bit to my basement's ambient temp (66-68) to help it finish off as low as I can get it.

In terms of fermentation aroma, I think it is pretty strong but not necessarily unusually so. Sulfur, yeasty, bready - pretty typical primary fermentation smells to me. So far so good.

I will probably rack this to secondary for dry hopping in 7-10 days and then wash the yeast to try it out in a double IPA in a few weeks.

 

[govner1]

Mine's still in primary. I'm moving it to secondary & dry hopping on Saturday. Overall it fermented well and has dropped out well.
I'll give you the SG numbers on Saturday.

 

[LoloMT7]

Mine's still in primary. I'm moving it to secondary & dry hopping on Saturday. Overall it fermented well and has dropped out well.
I'll give you the SG numbers on Saturday.

Thanks I might just pick some up afterwork and get a starter going

 

[bluelakebrewing]

I spoke to a BSG rep yesterday at my brewery and he hinted that the west coast IPA strain is from a very popular San Diego based brewery. Based on the yeast specs and his hints I am led to believe this strain is from Stone. But again- that is just word on the street.

 

[govner1]

I just racked mine to secondary. Very clear & SG was 1.014. Right on target w/ recipe. Dry hopped w/ 1 oz of whole leaf Columbus hops.
Sample was very tasty!

 

[crhall41]

Great, please post back later with results, govner1. I'm picking up a package at my LHBS next weekend and will probably brew an IPA or DIPA with it soon after.

The Wyeast guy told me it is very clean like 1056 if fermented cool, but more flocculant and attenuative than 1056.

I dropped 1217 in my black IPA last night (1.086 OG so 2 packs with 1.1 L starter for 20 hrs) and it started going nuts within 8-10 hours (65F). The lid on my 5 gal plastic fermenter is bulging like I have never seen 1056 do. The 1217 is definitely more flocculant than 1056. I am very interested to see where the gravity ends up on this one.

 

[SandstoneCityBrew]

http://chopandbrew.com/2013/11/21/chop-brew-episode-16-wyeast-1217-west-coast-ipa/

Chop and Brew just posted an episode about this yeast strain on the 21st.

 

[crhall41]

I spoke to a BSG rep yesterday at my brewery and he hinted that the west coast IPA strain is from a very popular San Diego based brewery. Based on the yeast specs and his hints I am led to believe this strain is from Stone. But again- that is just word on the street.

Interesting in that my black IPA in my fermenter right now is a clone of their Sublimely Self Righteous ale.

I had to go in offensive mode and pop the top to add some fermcapS hoping it will help this late in the game (stupidly forgot to add at the start). I have lost about a 1/2 gallon of my wort/beer to blow off

 

[BreezyBrew]

http://chopandbrew.com/2013/11/21/chop-brew-episode-16-wyeast-1217-west-coast-ipa/

Chop and Brew just posted an episode about this yeast strain on the 21st.

Thanks for the link. It's sounds like the yeast is more malty than 1056 or 05, but that's really the only differentiator I got from the episode. Would have liked to know if it added any fruitiness. I like the fact that it accentuated the malt character and was a better flocculator. I would def try it.

 

[gbarron]

Moved my IPA to secondary this past weekend after twelve days of primary fermentation. Gravity started at 1.063 and was at 1.012 at transfer, a couple of points lower than what I was anticipating but that is fine. The yeast flocced out well and it was pretty clear. Sample was fairly dry, very clean, flavors mostly of citrusy hops and slight minerals (I treated my water to accentuate the hoppiness). Sort of reminiscent of IPA's I've made with WLP007. Added dry hops to the secondary and will probably keg it after Thanksgiving.

I pitched about half of the yeast cake onto a DIPA (1.081 OG, mashed about 147-8) I brewed the same day. Fermentation was quite active within 8-12 hours and is still going strong today at 66-67 degrees. Hoping to get this one down to the low teens FG but we'll see.

I washed the rest of the yeast cake and put it away for use later this winter assuming I like these two beers.

Thanks for the Chop & Brew link. The Wyeast rep is the guy I spoke with at GABF so it is interesting to hear further from him on this yeast.

 

[HollisBT]

I dropped 1217 in my black IPA last night (1.086 OG so 2 packs with 1.1 L starter for 20 hrs) and it started going nuts within 8-10 hours (65F). The lid on my 5 gal plastic fermenter is bulging like I have never seen 1056 do. The 1217 is definitely more flocculant than 1056. I am very interested to see where the gravity ends up on this one.

I am making an assumption based on context here...

But I don't think you are using the word flocculation correctly.

 

[HollisBT]

I racked a pale ale using 1217 into secondary the other day, very nice flavors and good attenuation. Was fairly pleased with it.

 

[crhall41]

I am making an assumption based on context here...

But I don't think you are using the word flocculation correctly.

Your correct - I meant that the yeast was very active and produced a lot of foam. much more than 1056

 

[LoloMT7]

Lots of foam in my IPA fermenting with 1217 right now also

 

[Xtynct]

OK, if no one else want's to say it. gbarron talked to Micheal Dawson!!!

I'm so jealous!!!
I was homebrew raised on on the NB instructionals and Brewing TV. gbarron you should check out the episodes.

 

[govner1]

I just racked mine to secondary. Very clear & SG was 1.014. Right on target w/ recipe. Dry hopped w/ 1 oz of whole leaf Columbus hops. Sample was very tasty!

I moved to a keg for conditioning on 11/28. Sample was very clear & tasty. It should be easy in 10-12 days. It will have to wait for a spot in my kegerator which is full (3 kegs) plus three in line.

 

[govner1]

I was so pleased w/ my initial brew w/ this that I'm doing a Foothills Hoppyum clone tomorrow.

 

[TungstenBeer]

Going to brew a low gravity pale ale with this next weekend for the purpose of harvesting and re-using in higher gravity IPAs in the future. I love dry beers so the attenuation attracts me to this one bigtime.

I'll subscribe & report back in a few weeks when I keg.

 

[BreezyBrew]

You guys know how long this yeast will be available?

Is it good for higher gravity ales, say like WLP 007?

 

[TimelessCynic]

You guys know how long this yeast will be available? Is it good for higher gravity ales, say like WLP 007?

Not sure how long it will be available. I just finished fermenting a Maris otter citra smash with it. 1.060 OG. The yeast took off like crazy. In 24 hours my blow off tube was bubbling non stop and spitting krausen into the pot of water i use at the end of the blow off tube. The wort temp went from 19C to 24C

I'll take a gravity reading later today to see how well it attenuated.

 

[gbarron]

The info sheet I picked up on this yeast said it is available Oct-Dec. So I'm guessing if you want some, you should order it online or through your LHBS now before it is gone.

As far as use in higher gravity beers, the jury is still out on that, at least in my homebrewery. The info sheet states it has alcohol tolerance to 10% ABV. As I stated above, I pitched part of a yeast cake of WY1217 from an IPA into a 1.081 OG DIPA on 11/23. I took a gravity reading on it a few days ago and it was only down to 1.020. This is despite mashing very low (148 or so) and using a pound of dextrose as an adjunct. I oxygenated well, so I'm hoping it will still get down another 5 points or so, but I'm starting to doubt it. I roused the fermenter and moved it to a warmer area a couple of days ago, so we shall see.

I think it might have got a little too chilly for it over Thanksgiving. My basement ambient temp dropped to the low 60's for several days while we were out of town. Although the info put out by Wyeast states the temp range for the yeast is 62-74 F. Sample tasted great, but I want it to finish drier. I may toss some San Diego Super Strain in there if it does not get any lower.

 

[BreezyBrew]

The info sheet I picked up on this yeast said it is available Oct-Dec.

As far as use in higher gravity beers, the jury is still out on that, at least in my homebrewery. The info sheet states it has alcohol tolerance to 10% ABV. As I stated above, I pitched part of a yeast cake of WY1217 from an IPA into a 1.081 OG DIPA on 11/23. I took a gravity reading on it a few days ago and it was only down to 1.020. This is despite mashing very low (148 or so) and using a pound of dextrose as an adjunct. I oxygenated well, so I'm hoping it will still get down another 5 points or so, but I'm starting to doubt it. I roused the fermenter and moved it to a warmer area a couple of days ago, so we shall see.

I think it might have got a little too chilly for it over Thanksgiving. My basement ambient temp dropped to the low 60's for several days while we were out of town. Although the info put out by Wyeast states the temp range for the yeast is 62-74 F. Sample tasted great, but I want it to finish drier. I may toss some San Diego Super Strain in there if it does not get any lower.

Great information! Thanks!

 

[TimelessCynic]

I'll take a gravity reading later today to see how well it attenuated.

1.060 OG 1.009 FG

85% attenuation?

I had a taste of the Maris otter citra smash. I can't wait to dry hop this one.

I Like this yeast strain thus far.