Anyone use WLP #080- Cream Ale Yeast?

[TimBrewz]

Hey brewers- I just decided to brew a cream ale (which is just 7 lbs pilsner and 8oz Carahell and Saaz hops) and I usually go with Wyeast 1056, but decided to try this Cream Ale Yeast Blend from White Labs. It's a blend of ale and lager yeasts (According to MoreBeer.com,Homebrewers have speculated it is a blend of the WLP029 Kolsch, WLP001 Cal Ale, & WLP810 San Francisco Lager but has never been proven.)
Attenuation: 75-80%
Flocculation: Medium
Fermentation Temperature: 65-70F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium High

I brewed this on Tuesday June 24 and it took off pretty good. The fermometer reads 67f- so its right there for optimal temp.My beer is low gravity (1.041) and it looks to be almost done in the primary. I will give another week before racking to 2ndary.

I can't find any reviews or talk of this yeast anywhere-so anyone out there use it? I will post with a review when the beer is done.

Cheers, Tim

 

[DeathBrewer]

i made a cream ale fermented at 65F. it was one of the best beers i've ever made, according to many of my friends. here's the recipe:

Cream Ale

A ProMash Recipe Report

BJCP Style and Style Guidelines
-------------------------------

06-A Light Hyrbid Beer, Cream Ale

Min OG: 1.042 Max OG: 1.055
Min IBU: 15 Max IBU: 20
Min Clr: 25 Max Clr: 5 Color in SRM, Lovibond

Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.50 Wort Size (Gal): 5.50
Total Grain (Lbs): 9.50
Anticipated OG: 1.046 Plato: 11.52
Anticipated SRM: 3.5
Anticipated IBU: 16.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73 %
Wort Boil Time: 60 Minutes


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
47.4 4.50 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) America 1.036 2
21.1 2.00 lbs. Pilsener Germany 1.038 2
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Corn (Maize) America 1.040 1
10.5 1.00 lbs. Flaked Soft White Wheat America 1.034 2
5.3 0.50 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8
5.3 0.50 lbs. Vienna Malt Germany 1.037 3

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Fuggle Pellet 4.75 10.6 60 min.
0.25 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.60 4.0 60 min.
0.50 oz. Saazer Pellet 3.60 1.3 5 min.


Yeast
-----
White Labs WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend

 

[TimBrewz]

Thanks for the quick reply and recipe! Well your "best beer ever" seems to take some of my worry away

Was it very lager-like?

 

[DeathBrewer]

very, very clean. i've used the cream ale blend a few other times and it is always nice and clear, crisp and clean. it ferments fast and flocculates very well.

don't you worry at all

 

[Tonedef131]

I didn't even know that yeast existed when I did my cream ale a couple months back. I might try using it next time I make one since it sounds like a winner.

 

[TimBrewz]

Hey, I just tried a sample from the hydrometer (not quite down to terminal gravity), but-wow that is very nice! It is clean and lets the pilsner malt come through nicely. The Saaz hops are well showcased but rightfully subdued for the style. Another week and I will be a happy drinker!

 

[ChrisS]

I did a cream ale that was very well liked by many who tried it, maybe this will give it just a bit of oomph.

 

[BrewDoc_Md]

I made an extract version of DB's cream ale that came out wonderful! It's been in the keg for a couple weeks and is a favorite of my friends. It's super clear (color of a Heineken), flavorful, and crisp. Great head retention. I fermented with Nottingham yeast ~68-72 degrees. Definitely one I need to brew again soon.

 

[DeathBrewer]

glad do hear it, doc! i'm going to be posting that recipe (along with a partial mash version) in the database soon.

the only thing really different in your recipe was the hops. i think i advised hallertauer instead of fuggle/saaz. i've made it that way and it's a wonderful beer, but there is something about the fuggle/saaz mix that is just fantastic! damnit, i gotta make this beer again, it's summer!

cream ales, everyone! CAREAAMM AAAAYYLLLEEES!!!!!

 

[themox]

sorry to dredge up an old thread. i'm considering using this soon also. was a diacetyl rest needed?

 

[shadows69]

I used it in fact have a cream ale on tap with that yeast now. Treat to yeast as you would any other ale yeast (1056, s0-5). Very clean yeast.

 

[brutus09]

I've been fermenting an orange vanilla cream ale with this yeast for a week. I kept it at 60-62F for the first 4 days, then to 63-65F for the last 3 days. I'll be fermenting this for two more weeks at 55F degrees, before kegging and carbing at 40F.

It's my first time using this yeast, but I'm hoping that keeping it at the colder range will produce a very crisp, refreshing cream ale.

 

[funnycreature]

Ha, I'm glad someone else revived this thread. Has anyone experience with this yeast regarding reuse or freezing? My concern about making a larger culture and then freezing it is that I will most likely have selected for one of the yeast strains thus brought imbalance to the mix...

 

[shadows69]

Been reusing this yeast for a year canning jars in the fridge...no problems.

 

[funnycreature]

Been reusing this yeast for a year canning jars in the fridge...no problems.

Thanks! Might order this yeast then instead of trying to mix my own blend.

 

[TexasBrew88]

I just bottled a simple cream ale with this yeast. Started it at 55° F, let temp rise 2°/day til it hit 70, left it on the cake to clean up its byproducts for another 10 days, and now there's a darn tasty beer carbing up. Crystal clear, and fairly lagerish. Definitely going to try this with other recipes, just not sure what yet.

 

[TimBrewz]

I made maybe my best ever IPA and IIPA with a re-pitches of this yeast from a blonde ale that I fermented in the low 60s. The "IPAs" are super balanced and crisp, maybe more of an "IPL"? As stated before, this yeast seems to move towards the CA lager characteristics the more its reused and/or is fermented at the lower end of the range. I will surely use this blend again, in series. Blonde>IPA>IIPA.

 

[LesIsMore]

Thought I'd revive an old thread instead of starting a new one. I brewed a cream ale with this last weekend and when I took a gravity reading, got sulfur like the description on White Labs web site mentions. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with this. Does the sulfur go away? Is this something I should cold crash and lager for a bit?

 

[seanybubbles]

Never had any sulfur with this yeast. I found it did a great job. Better results than using us-05, which is a great yeast as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[TimBrewz]

Thought I'd revive an old thread instead of starting a new one. I brewed a cream ale with this last weekend and when I took a gravity reading, got sulfur like the description on White Labs web site mentions. I was just wondering if anyone had experience with this. Does the sulfur go away? Is this something I should cold crash and lager for a bit?

The sulfur will dissipate. Just leave in primary a bit longer. Lagering will give you a cleaner beer if you are not happy with the current results.

 

[LesIsMore]

Thanks. I'll give it some more time.

 

[dcuccia]

Thanks. I'll give it some more time.

Necro-post, but about to pitch this yeast into a cream ale tonight, and also wondering how the sulfur dissipated with time. Assume it's better to ferment on the cold side (low 60's) and then cold crash before bottling to avoid as much sulfur production from the lager yeast in the first place.

 

[dcuccia]

Just to update - cream ale was fantastic out of the gate, no perceptible sulfur for me. Fermented at 65 for 3 weeks (1.5 week primary, 1.5 weeks secondary) and bottle conditioned for two weeks.

 

[Sheik_Yerbuti]

Just to update - cream ale was fantastic out of the gate, no perceptible sulfur for me. Fermented at 65 for 3 weeks (1.5 week primary, 1.5 weeks secondary) and bottle conditioned for two weeks.

dcuccia, Did you crash before bottling? If so, how did you ensure the yeast was active afterwards to condition successfully?

Thanks,
SB

 

[dcuccia]

dcuccia, Did you crash before bottling? If so, how did you ensure the yeast was active afterwards to condition successfully?

Thanks,
SB

I didn't crash this time. I'm relatively new to homebrewing, but FWIW I've done it for a couple other batches and haven't personally had any problems with conditioning a lower gravity beer like this. Usually set conditioning temp to ~70F and it's carbonated in 3-4 days (obviously depends on yeast).

 

[rudager999]

Very very happy with this yeast. I made a 15% corn cream ale with it that was delectable. I let it sit on the trub for 5 weeks and fermented a bit high ~70 F room temp. The beer came out super clear with subtle notes of corn almost like fruit and flowers in the fresh beer (two weeks in bottle). As it ages it takes on more of the lager character. Its a shame I threw out the cake, I honestly didn't think it would turn out that good. Folks that have tried it now understand my obsession with home brewing.