ESB yeast for English IPA?

[Piotr]

I wonder if I can use Fullers strain (Wyeast ESB) to ferment English IPA, or is it totally unapriopriate?

 

[llazy_llama]

After checking the Wyeast website to get product info, and referencing that with the BJCP style guidelines, I think you'll be true to style, assuming you're using appropriate hops and grain.

That being said, the BJCP style guidelines have nothing to do with making delicious beer. If you're trying to enter a contest, you'll be fine. If you're trying to make a delicious beer to enjoy at home, you'll be 100% golden. Enjoy that beer!

 

[llazy_llama]

Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth but this character should not be too high.

Just watch out for that. Too much alcohol warmth might disqualify your beer from the category. To quote the BJCP style guidelines:

Some smooth alcohol warming can and should be sensed in stronger (but not all) versions.

Then again, most of that alcohol warmth should come from your recipe, fermentation temps, and the age of your beer. All in all, the yeast strain should be just fine for the style.

 

[Beerrific]

Only thing I would worry about is not finishing low enough. The Fullers yeast is a fairly low attenuating yeast and, in general, you would want you IPA to finish fairly low. If you do decide to go this route, you can help it dry out by mashing on the low side, oxygenate your wort well, and pitch the proper amount of yeast.

 

[ajf]

In my opinion, that yeast doesn't attenuate well enough for an IPA. I'd try the Wyeast 1028 which attenuates better and was supposedly the yeast used for Worthington White Shield (one of the best commercial English IPA's before it was discontinued).

-a.

 

[Piotr]

Thank you for all your tips. I just made one IPA on Jamil recipe, on Wyeast 1028 fermented in 68F.
Beer is OK, but rather dull, lacking esters and those "english flavours". I am considering fermenting next batch warmer, 70-72F of possibly changing the yeast strain.

 

[ajf]

Yes, the 1028 is very different than the ESB. I don't have much experience with Wyeast, but White Labs produces WLP 007 and WLP 023, both of which I've used in IPA's successfully, and both of which produce some definate "English flavours". I don't know if you can get White Labs in Poland.

I've just checked mrmalty and find he says that WLP 007 = Wyeast 1098, and WLP 023 = Wyeast 1275. The 007 may be similar to 1098, but the 023's that I have used are very different than the 1275

-a.

 

[Nugent]

I used Wyeast 1318 for my English IPA. Came out fruity, but not what I would describe as sweet. I was looking for the maltiness that I got, but perhaps a bit too fruity.

I'll try something different next time - maybe 1099 and mash at a bit of a lower temp. (say 149F to 151F).

I also used a bastardized version of Jamil's recipe.