Imperial A38 Juice yeast

[braindead]

Just come across this in the UK
Any feedback on it?

 

[Gentlemans_Ale]

I just finished an IPA with it - I'd say it is close to 1318 with lower flocculation

 

[braindead]

Just ordered a 1318 then my LHBS contacted me telling me he just had this delivered, but not heard much about it

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Just come across this in the UK
Any feedback on it?

Can't comment on it specifically - I've only recently seen it in the UK, the Malt Miller have just started stocking Imperial. However my first impression is that their "ordinary" yeasts at least are pretty "me too" - I think the only unique one they've got is Joystick (allegedly = Pacman, a Chico mutant from Rogue that Wyeast briefly sold as a PC strain).

So then the obvious ways they've tried to distinguish themselves (neither of which benefit me) are by being organic, if that's important to you, and by having more cells, 200 billion per pack, which will help the 10 galllon crowd and those doing high-gravity stuff and lagers who don't want to do starters. Whereas for NEIPAs you want to stress the yeast by underpitching a bit.

Set against that, they're coming into the UK at 30-40% more than Wyeast/White Labs. So they don't really work for me, it feels like they'll only be a bit of a niche thing but maybe I'm thinking too much of my own requirements. I know I'm not completely normal...

 

[day_trippr]

I have 10 gallons of Julius clone a handful of days from completing carbonation that was split between 1318 and A38.
Right behind that is another 10 gallons of another neipa that I also split from ranched 1318 and A38.
Looking forward to deciding which strain will be my go-to for this style.

I'll add that 1318 was the clear winner over Conan in an earlier split batch competition here. It left the brew just a scosche too dry...

Cheers! ("Iron Yeast" competition )

 

[braindead]

Let me know the outcome of your taste test

 

[killian]

Does anyone have any idea of the original source of this strain?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Does anyone have any idea of the original source of this strain?

Supposedly it's the same as Wyeast 1318 London Ale III, which is everybody's new favourite for NEIPAs. The origins of 1318 are rather hazy, everyone says it's Boddington's, but a) that's 200 miles from London and b) they seem to have had various problems with their yeasts, particularly in the 1980s, and their original strain is probably lost. I've not seen a convincing origin, there's one theory that they replaced their old yeast with one bought in from Courage of London.

 

[jlinz]

Just ordered this yeast to try my first NEIPA. Anyone have a good recipe?

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, having split 10 gallons of Julius clone - and another 10 gallons of my own neipa recipe - between 1318 and a38, I have yet to pick a favorite, they are that similar. If in fact they are derived from a shared source I would not be surprised...

Cheers!

 

[kingmatt]

I just brewed my standard NEIPA recipe with it and it finished higher than I was expecting/hoping for. I only ended up getting around 71% attenuation which isn't terrible for the style, but I doubt I'll use it again.

 

[jlinz]

Do you folks use a starter for this yeast or just pour it in out of the package?

 

[day_trippr]

I always do over-built starters so I can save some for propagation. Helps ease the cost - a lot...

Cheers!

 

[jlinz]

I always do over-built starters so I can save some for propagation. Helps ease the cost - a lot...

Cheers!

Me too. But I'm just wondering if things are different with this one. The package claims that just pouring it in is sufficient. Perhaps the esters are desirable in an NEIPA?

 

[day_trippr]

Imperial purportedly puts twice the cells in their can/pouch as their competitors and can indeed be direct-pitched if the volume/gravity is compatible (which would be pretty near any 5 gallon batch aside from double imperial stouts)...

Cheers!

 

[jlinz]

Well, I made a starter and this yeast was a beast! It took my 1.062 NEIPA down to 1.010 when I was expecting 1.016 because of the adjuncts.

 

[Seth Miller]

Have a Hazy session NEPA working with this yeast now. 1st time with this yeast as I've been a Wyeast user for years. Dry hopped at about 3 days into fermentation. Went to do a 2nd dry hop addition at 7 days and still have a nice krausen going. Is this normal for this yeast? Waiting for my 2nd dry hop additition but wanted to wait for the yeast to drop. Any feedback would be helpful. Cheers!

 

[jlinz]

Have a Hazy session NEPA working with this yeast now. 1st time with this yeast as I've been a Wyeast user for years. Dry hopped at about 3 days into fermentation. Went to do a 2nd dry hop addition at 7 days and still have a nice krausen going. Is this normal for this yeast? Waiting for my 2nd dry hop additition but wanted to wait for the yeast to drop. Any feedback would be helpful. Cheers!

Yes, I recall that it took awhile for the krauzen to drop. RDWHAHB!

 

[Seth Miller]

Yes, I recall that it took awhile for the krauzen to drop. RDWHAHB!

Thanks jlinz for the reminder! Forget to relax sometimes....

 

[day_trippr]

I was banging A38 against 1318 through multiple split batches and came to the conclusion they are the same strain.
Rather than keep ranching both of them I dropped the A38...

Cheers!

 

[Shenanigans]

Anybody know the alc. tolerance of this strain?
I would like to use it for a wheat wine with a OG of 1.100 SG so it should end up in the 10% range.

Thanks.

 

[FranklinsBeerTower]

Sorry to necro this thread, but thought it might be better than starting a new one.

Anyone have experience with A38 fermenting slowly? 1.065 OG and fermented for 9 days at 65F. I took a gravity reading while dry hopping on day 9 and was surprised to see the beer only down to ~1.036. Now, I'm certainly not expecting fermentation to be complete at this stage (I usually let me beer sit in the primary for 2.5-3 weeks), but I would have expected more attentuation after 9 days. I had oxygenated the wort thoroughly and have used other Imperial strains in the past, and they always rip through wort in a matter of a few days (A01, for example).

I ramped up the temp up to 70F and bubbling resumed, so maybe this pitch is just happier at a slightly warmer temp. Curious for others' input/experiences.

 

[day_trippr]

I never found any difference in how A38 and 1318 run. I would agree your A38 pitch is lethargic vs a prototypical London III fermentation. Did you do a starter? Perhaps your yeast was damaged in transit.

 

[FranklinsBeerTower]

I didn't make a starter, but I have skipped the starter with Imperial strains in the past without issue. I'm going to keep the temp at ~70F and ride it out. I'll report back in a couple weeks.

 

[tracer bullet]

they always rip through wort in a matter of a few days

Did the fermentation look aggressive? If so maybe it's something like the ingredients or mash schedule. If not then agreed the yeast may have lost a lot of viable cells and will have to putz along until done.

 

[FranklinsBeerTower]

Did the fermentation look aggressive? If so maybe it's something like the ingredients or mash schedule. If not then agreed the yeast may have lost a lot of viable cells and will have to putz along until done.

Early fermentation looked vigorous, but I would note that I didn't get the massive krausen that many A38 brewers describe. Overall pretty tame fermentation, but nothing that immediately signaled an issue to me.

 

[FranklinsBeerTower]

As an update - raising the temperature and rousing the yeast by swirling my fermenter seemed to do the trick. Hit FG of 1.016 on my NEIPA. Going forward, I'm going to be sure to give A38 extra oxygen when pitching and keep the temp closer to 69 ish while fermenting.

 

[crazyjake19]

As an update - raising the temperature and rousing the yeast by swirling my fermenter seemed to do the trick. Hit FG of 1.016 on my NEIPA. Going forward, I'm going to be sure to give A38 extra oxygen when pitching and keep the temp closer to 69 ish while fermenting.

With both A38 and 1318, I've had great results with proper oxygenation and a healthy starter, even chilled and decanted. The British/Hazy strains tend to require more oxygen than clean ale strains, and I've found that to be very true in my own experience with them.

 

[CthulhuBrew33]

I ramped up the temp up to 70F and bubbling resumed, so maybe this pitch is just happier at a slightly warmer temp. Curious for others' input/experiences.

that should help. i actually find this strain really like warmer temps and a little oxygen. i let mine go up to 75F and never lower than 65F. ive always had nice healthy and vigorous ferments to the point ive had to use blowoff tubes on several cause of all the activity!
also i find that at these warmer temps it really puts out a lot more of those juicy citrus notes i tend to really enjoy in an NEIPA

 

[CthulhuBrew33]

Just actually kegged up a Double Dry-Hopped NEPale Ale with spelt, oats, and rye in the grain bill using this yeast! got her down to 1.014 from 1.062 and just said Eff it! i doubt this batch is gonna get lower than that so i just decided to keg it. its been in for 15 days, dry hopped at day 4 and day 6!