Danstar London ESB Dry Ale Yeast - Anyone use it yet?

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50quidsoundboy said:
The advertisements for this yeast (in the UK at least) contained an endorsement from John Keeling (of Fullers) so it seems clear that they're positioning this as a Wy1968 / WLP002 replacement, even though they're not saying it directly.
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50quidsoundboy said:
The advertisements for this yeast (in the UK at least) contained an endorsement from John Keeling (of Fullers) so it seems clear that they're positioning this as a Wy1968 / WLP002 replacement, even though they're not saying it directly.
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Definitely didn't know that and that certainly makes the impression of being something like a dry 1968. With some of their other yeasts having names like Munich, West Coast Ale, Nottingham, Windsor....it's hard to tell if they're marketing terms to give an idea of what styles they're for or something more particular.
 
IkeKrizzule said:
2 weeks in and now properly carbed. The ESB I made with this finished quite high at 1.018, and suffers a bit due to that sweetness. It does have some nice berry fruit esters. I mashed a bit higher, around 154, so I would try it again with a lower mash and see what that does.
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Thanks for the update.
Have you made this recipe before, or have you had any experience with the WLP002/WY1968 strains? I am trying to see if this Danstar strain attenuates less than the usual liquid strains to.

I may be going for an ESB to try it out vs an oatmeal stout so that I can let the flavor contribution from the yeast come through.

Thanks again
 
I brewed a Robust Porter today. 1.062 og. I pitched @66 and I'm going to ferment @ 68. I pitched 4 hours ago and already have activity in the airlock. I'm hoping it ferments down to 1.016.
 
Samaral said:
I brewed a Robust Porter today. 1.062 og. I pitched @66 and I'm going to ferment @ 68. I pitched 4 hours ago and already have activity in the airlock. I'm hoping it ferments down to 1.016.
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Alright! Keep us updated with the FG! What did you mash it at?
 
FVillatoro said:
Thanks for the update.

Have you made this recipe before, or have you had any experience with the WLP002/WY1968 strains? I am trying to see if this Danstar strain attenuates less than the usual liquid strains to.



I may be going for an ESB to try it out vs an oatmeal stout so that I can let the flavor contribution from the yeast come through.



Thanks again
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Not this exact recipe, but I've done a similar beer with 1968 that finished more in the 1.014 range.
 
How's the flocculation of this yeast? Recently available near me, I've been looking for a new English yeast with moderate attenuation that doesn't leave beer as fruity as Windsor..
 
I am using this for the first time in a Coopers Real Ale kit (partial mash). Rehydrated it at 40C, as per my usual practice (higher than what Danstar recommends), and it already had 3mm of krausen five hours later. Fermented at 21C. Next morning (~18 hours) it was climbing out of the airlock. At the 28 hour point I checked it again: airlock had stopped and krausen was subsiding. Wow! Will take a hydrometer reading when I get a chance.

Cheers!
 
Used this 2 weeks ago in a porter recipe, 1.068 OG mashed at 153 :
9lb Maris Otter
1lb Brown Malt
1lb Munich
1lb Caramel 60
1lb Carahell
12 oz Chocolate.
1 pack of Danstar London ESB rehydrated as per instructions.

Quite a lot of unfermentables in there, it fermented like a bomb the first 36 hours, took right off and managed to kraeusen out of my 6.5 gal fermenter at 68F. Then flocced right out and stopped bubbling. Measured gravity after 3 days, 1.024, no airlock activity. Decided to raise temps up, went as high as 77, stirred to get it back up in suspension, didn't restart fermentation, still at 1.024 two weeks later. The beer is quite sweet, I just pitched a good chunk of a US-05 yeast cake on it to try and get it to finish. Will update, but not impressed right now.
 
Boise1024 said:
Used this 2 weeks ago in a porter recipe, 1.068 OG mashed at 153 :
9lb Maris Otter
1lb Brown Malt
1lb Munich
1lb Caramel 60
1lb Carahell
12 oz Chocolate.
1 pack of Danstar London ESB rehydrated as per instructions.

Quite a lot of unfermentables in there, it fermented like a bomb the first 36 hours, took right off and managed to kraeusen out of my 6.5 gal fermenter at 68F. Then flocced right out and stopped bubbling. Measured gravity after 3 days, 1.024, no airlock activity. Decided to raise temps up, went as high as 77, stirred to get it back up in suspension, didn't restart fermentation, still at 1.024 two weeks later. The beer is quite sweet, I just pitched a good chunk of a US-05 yeast cake on it to try and get it to finish. Will update, but not impressed right now.
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That is about a 63% apparent attenuation then. I don't think that we have seen attenuation past 66% yet (3 users here who gave FG numbers).

This seems similar to the Windsor yeast, and the ManGrove jacks Dark Ale (Imperial) English yeast - also a low attenuator.

So far this strain is not looking like the Fullers one... And doesn't seem to drop like a rock.

We'll see what it tastes like once carbed and conditioned.

Keep those reports coming fellas! :mug:
 
FVillatoro said:
That is about a 63% apparent attenuation then. I don't think that we have seen attenuation past 66% yet (3 users here who gave FG numbers).

This seems similar to the Windsor yeast, and the ManGrove jacks Dark Ale (Imperial) English yeast - also a low attenuator.

So far this strain is not looking like the Fullers one... And doesn't seem to drop like a rock.

We'll see what it tastes like once carbed and conditioned.

Keep those reports coming fellas! :mug:
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Considering that, like Windsor, it does not ferment maltotriose, we probably should not expect much higher attenuation. That is part of the reason I added turbinado sugar and dextrose to my recipe. This would not prevent me from using it again, provided the esters are nice. For me it is all about the esters.
 
Looks like if you want decent attenuation then mash in the low 140s and/or use sugar. Could be great for a lot of old british recipes tbf, that use a lot of simple sugars. Depends on how it tastes as well of course and how well it clears - not looking good on that front though
 
I had a vague memory, from reading old brewing books, that Lellemand had a London Ale strain in the past. I checked the online version of Palmer's "How to Brew" and sure enough, there it was:

http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/yeast/yeast-strains/dry-yeast-strains

I wonder if they have just reintroduced their old London strain, thinking there is now more of a market for it? Only thing is that Palmer said the old one had, "Medium-high attenuation and flocculation." Anyone remember using the old Lellemand London Ale yeast? I might try writing Lellemand and asking them, just for kicks.
 
Just took a gravity reading. It is day 4. Gravity is 1.019; OG was 1.055. Sample tastes pretty good. BTW, I did write to Lellemand to ask whether this is the same yeast as their old London Ale yeast. I will report back when they get back to me.
 
I was at a new (to me) home brew store and to pick up some ingredients and check them out. Saw they had this yeast, remembered this thread, so picked some out. Brewing this week with it.

But not making an ESB, just a simple 5 gallon low ABV batch to create a starter for a high ABV..

9 lbs pale 2 Row
2 Lbs Vienna
Centennial hops: .5 60min .5 45min .5 30min .5 15 min .33flameout .5 oz HBC-438 hops at flameout
dry hopping with .33 Centennial at 3 days prior.
dry hopping with .5 hbc-438 at 5 days prior

Will report back on how, if at all, different it is than us safAle us-05
 
kristiismean said:
I was at a new (to me) home brew store and to pick up some ingredients and check them out. Saw they had this yeast, remembered this thread, so picked some out. Brewing this week with it.

But not making an ESB, just a simple 5 gallon low ABV batch to create a starter for a high ABV..

9 lbs pale 2 Row
2 Lbs Vienna
Centennial hops: .5 60min .5 45min .5 30min .5 15 min .33flameout .5 oz HBC-438 hops at flameout
dry hopping with .33 Centennial at 3 days prior.
dry hopping with .5 hbc-438 at 5 days prior

Will report back on how, if at all, different it is than us safAle us-05
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Nice! What mashing temp will you use? I'm thinking of making a brown ale soon with this yeast, but mashing in the 140s to see if attenuation goes past 66% without using adjuncts.
 
I was thing 145 single infusion. (which messes with my head, since I think mash 152-154)

fermenting at 66 ambient.

wondering if I should bring that down to 60 for the first week (since my kegerator will be empty) thoughts on this?

Thinking 3 weeks primary, Then there will be a Dark IPA put right on on top of the yeast cake. , still putting that recipe together...
 
kristiismean said:
I was thing 145 single infusion. (which messes with my head, since I think mash 152-154)

fermenting at 66 ambient.

wondering if I should bring that down to 60 for the first week (since my kegerator will be empty) thoughts on this?

Thinking 3 weeks primary, Then there will be a Dark IPA put right on on top of the yeast cake. , still putting that recipe together...
Click to expand...

I personally like to ferment WLP002 (although it's probably not this strain), at 66-68 for stouts/browns/porters so that I can get those delicious fruity esters.
If I were brewing a Pale ale I would ferment at the low end of the recommended temp range to keep some esters on check.

The higher temp would promote better attenuation too.
 
ukulele01 said:
I had a vague memory, from reading old brewing books, that Lellemand had a London Ale strain in the past. I checked the online version of Palmer's "How to Brew" and sure enough, there it was:

http://howtobrew.com/book/section-1/yeast/yeast-strains/dry-yeast-strains

I wonder if they have just reintroduced their old London strain, thinking there is now more of a market for it? Only thing is that Palmer said the old one had, "Medium-high attenuation and flocculation." Anyone remember using the old Lellemand London Ale yeast? I might try writing Lellemand and asking them, just for kicks.
Click to expand...

I heard back from Lellemand that it is indeed the same yeast.

Cheers!
 
I remember that, now that you mention it. I remember being bummed that they pulled the strain which seemed to fill a void in the dry yeast market. I hope it turns out to be something better than S-04 and Windsor for british styles - hard to beat dry yeast convenience.
 
ukulele01 said:
I heard back from Lellemand that it is indeed the same yeast.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Sir, thank you so much for getting that information for us - VERY MUCH appreciated!

As for the yeast, I feel that by them adding the "ESB" to the name, they wanted to make us believe that it's the Fullers/WLP002/WY1968 strain - at the very least associate it.

I'm a bit disappointed to be honest, as a dry strain of that yeast would have been all kinds of great, and probably a big hit and would sell well.

However, I'm stuck with these 5 packs so I'll go for that brown ale soon.
 
I'd love to keep some on hand & to compare w/ the Wyeast London ESB I normally use but no one locally or online has it in stock.
I've inquired w/Llalemand & am awaiting a reply as to availability.
 
You're welcome!

"London ESB Ale" is a Wyeast trademark. Do you suppose Wyeast will sue Lellemand?

If this yeast does indeed let "the delicacies of the malt and hop aromas shine through" and delivers some nice esters, as promised, I will be very happy, since I find S-04 and Nottingham too clean, and the esters of Windsor unpleasant. It does not really bother me that the attenuation rate appears to be on the low side; I like a full-bodied ale.

Speaking of Windsor, I wonder why Lellemand discontinued this yeast instead of Windsor, back in the day. Do you suppose Windsor was a better seller?

Cheers!
 
And what about Danstar Manchester ale? They pulled that one at the same time as London.
 
mike_g08 here, posting under another alias on my home PC.....

Anyway, I didn't use either back then. From what I recall reading, I think they were decent yeasts.

I'd welcome Manchester back on the market, another dry english option...

If you want to read on some of this old stuff, rec.crafts.brewing is a good place to search,
 
Someone found these comments about this yeast on that Google group...

My favourite dry yeast. Sad to see it go. It makes an excellent Ordinary Bitter, being rather fruity. Great for porter too.

My experience: I started out with Munton's dry and there was something in the flavor profile I didn't like. Switched to Danstar London: an excellent ale yeast IMO... As far as 1098 goes, it makes nice beer, but I wonder if I couldn't get the same results from Danstar London.

Having said that, I wouldn't get Nottingham anywhere near my English ales--no esters at all! I'd rather use Danstar London which is my favorite dry ale yeast.

Danstar makes London dry ale yeast too (mildly attenuative and slighty estery).

I'll probably use my last packet of London Friday in an
all-Fuggle Best Bitter. I'll miss that stuff >- sob!

http://www.homebrewinguk.com/post/new-danstar-dried-yeast-london-esb-8229420?pid=1293730992
 
So for the purpose of software since Brewers Friend does not show this yeast on the drop down, which yeast should I choose?
 

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