Has anyone used wlp800 for a steam beer?

[catdaddy66]

I love California common beer (steam beer) and usually have some on hand but as I'm rebuilding my pipeline, I intend to make a batch very soon. I normally use authentic ingredients like northern brewer hops and San Francisco lager yeast (wlp810).

I recently acquired wlp800, German lager yeast, and am thinking about substituting it for what I normally use. Is this yeast capable of doing the job or should I stick with SF lager?

Quite the conundrum, I know...

 

[harry_the_face]

It will work but it will most likely Not taste like a steam beer. WLP 800 is a pilsner yeast intended to be fermented between 50-55 deg while the 810 is for 55-65 deg. If you used the 800 at the higher temp to gain the flavors of a steam I'm not sure it would taste good. Do it as an experiment but I would ferment in the 50-55 deg range with the 800.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Although WLP800 is sold as a Czech pilsner yeast (allegedly from Urquell), DNA analysis has shown that it's actually a cold-tolerant ale yeast, so it should be quite happy at warmer temperatures. Indeed, over on the warm-fermented lager thread, Miraculix has just finished a warm-fermented WLP800 lager and reckons it's his best yet. So don't expect too many other people to have experience of doing it, but try it and it should work well.

 

[Comfort_Zone]

WLP800 is a fairly forgiving yeast. I say go for it!

 

[Miraculix]

Although WLP800 is sold as a Czech pilsner yeast (allegedly from Urquell), DNA analysis has shown that it's actually a cold-tolerant ale yeast, so it should be quite happy at warmer temperatures. Indeed, over on the warm-fermented lager thread, Miraculix has just finished a warm-fermented WLP800 lager and reckons it's his best yet. So don't expect too many other people to have experience of doing it, but try it and it should work well.

That is correct. I fermented the same wort with two different yeasts at the same time, one with wlp800 and one with mangrove jack california lager. I sampled the Wlp 800 first and it has beaten all previous warm fermented lager yeasts I tested. It was fairly clean but tasted slightly ale-ish (but really subtle). It really works out well at uncontrolled room temperature.

I just recently tried the california lager version and it was even a bit cleaner, so I now prefer this one but again, the wlp will work very well at room temperature. Although you probably won't get the typical "off flavours" which make steam beer a steam beer.

Actually... the original steam beer was a barley only beer fermented with top fermenting German wheat beer yeast, but that is another topic.

 

[catdaddy66]

My steam beer that I fermented at 58°-60° was bottled today. OG was 1.046 and FG was 1.011 for 4.6% abv. Very nice fruitiness then some malt finished with mild to moderate bitterness. Hello!!

Very good imo... Better than expected I must say! This may be a house selection in the future. I will be back with tasting notes in 10-14 days.

 

[Miraculix]

My steam beer that I fermented at 58°-60° was bottled today. OG was 1.046 and FG was 1.011 for 4.6% abv. Very nice fruitiness then some malt finished with mild to moderate bitterness. Hello!!

Very good imo... Better than expected I must say! This may be a house selection in the future. I will be back with tasting notes in 10-14 days.

Sounds great! You might want to try mj California lager as a comparison. Better copulation (hahaha nice auto correct, I meant to write flocculation) and a bit cleaner at room temp. And it is dry yeast for your convenience

 

[catdaddy66]

Sounds great! You might want to try mj California lager as a comparison. Better copulation (hahaha nice auto correct, I meant to write flocculation) and a bit cleaner at room temp. And it is dry yeast for your convenience

Have never used MJ products before, but I use the San Francisco lager yeast wlp810 in my California common.

I have harvested and washed yeast and now have 22 strains available. I have 5 lager strains but have only made 3(!) lagers before! I have some work to do.

 

[dmtaylor]

I've got a maibock going right now with S-189 at 61 F. I should know in another week or two if it's tasty. I'll bet it is.