Intense pear flavor from WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast IPA

[Houndstooth]

Has anyone ever gotten intense pear flavors using this yeast? I'll post the full recipe below, but the basics are that we brewed an IPA using this yeast, and after 2 weeks of primary and 2 weeks of secondary, the first tasting was just a huge blast of canned-pear flavor. We know apple and pear are supposed to be present with this yeast, but this was way beyond what we expected, and it interferes with the hop aroma and flavor.

We've used this yeast before in many batches and never had this issue. I know it's not esters from fermenting too high, because the fermentors were kept in a chest freezer that's set to come on anytime the thermometer that sits directly in the wort gets near the top end of the yeast's range. In fact, due to extremely cold weather, the fermentation temp probably never got above the mid-60s, even during peak primary. We hit our terminal gravity, although it took a week or so longer than usual. Our hops are definitely citrusy, but not anything that's far beyond what we've successfully used before. I haven't found any other accounts of this phenomenon.

So, here's the full recipe. Any thoughts on where this came from would be greatly appreciated.

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: American IPA
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 10 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 11.2 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.050
Efficiency: 75% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.056
Final Gravity: 1.016
ABV (standard): 5.33%
IBU (tinseth): 83.8
SRM (morey): 6.19

FERMENTABLES:
16.25 lb - American - Pale 2-Row (78.3%)
2.5 lb - American - Munich - Light 10L (12%)
0.75 lb - American - Caramel / Crystal 30L (3.6%)
0.5 lb - American - Wheat (2.4%)
0.5 lb - Flaked Oats (2.4%)
0.25 lb - German - Acidulated Malt (1.2%)

HOPS:
0.4 oz - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: First Wort, IBU: 6.89
3 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 24.26
3 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Boil for 15 min, IBU: 28.21
1.6 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 185 °F, IBU: 4.12
1.6 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 185 °F, IBU: 6.09
1.6 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 185 °F, IBU: 4.79
1.6 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 185 °F, IBU: 5.27
1.6 oz - Sterling, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.7, Use: Whirlpool for 15 min at 185 °F, IBU: 4.17
0.8 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Dry Hop for 6 days
0.8 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 6 days
0.8 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Dry Hop for 6 days
0.8 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 6 days
0.8 oz - Sterling, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.7, Use: Dry Hop for 6 days
0.8 oz - Amarillo, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.6, Use: Dry Hop for 3 days
0.8 oz - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 12.7, Use: Dry Hop for 3 days
0.8 oz - Centennial, Type: Pellet, AA: 10, Use: Dry Hop for 3 days
0.8 oz - Citra, Type: Pellet, AA: 11, Use: Dry Hop for 3 days
0.8 oz - Sterling, Type: Pellet, AA: 8.7, Use: Dry Hop for 3 days

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Infusion, Temp: 150 F, Time: 75 min, Amount: 26 qt
2) Fly Sparge, Temp: 170 F, Time: 60 min, Amount: 26 qt, Hybrid
Starting Mash Thickness: 1.25 qt/lb

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp - Irish Moss, Time: 15 min, Type: Fining, Use: Boil
7 g - Gypsum, Time: 0 min, Type: Water Agt, Use: Other
2 tsp - Yeast Nutrient, Time: 15 min, Type: Other, Use: Other

YEAST:
White Labs - Burton Ale Yeast WLP023
Starter: Yes
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 72%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 68 - 73 F
Fermentation Temp: 68 F
Pitch Rate: 1.0 (M cells / ml / deg P)

PRIMING:
Method: CO2
Amount: 2-2.5 volumes

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: DC High SO4
Ca2: 105
Mg2: 7
Na: 21
Cl: 34
SO4: 211
HCO3: 64
Water Notes:
Adding 7 oz gypsum to jack up SO4 from the standard 52ppm for better hop bitterness and dryness, making it a "harder" water profile.

 

[emsroth]

I’m sorry to see no one reply in 5 years!

I have an older pouch of WLP023 and after even a 3Lstarter it would only be 0.50 M/mL/P which has me worried.

I had a really bad experience with WLP033 Klassic with under-aeration.

I’ve used this yeast a couple of times. I’ve only ever had positive experiences. It worked great in a clean/clear IPA. It worked well in a hazy IPA (what I’m brewing tomorrow).

Have you had any updates on your experiences?

 

[IslandLizard]

I have an older pouch of WLP023 and after even a 3Lstarter it would only be 0.50 M/mL/P which has me worried.

If it's that old, you need to do a step starter.
I'd start with 1 liter of 1.020 wort, and stir until the color becomes significantly lighter. That could take a few days, even as long as a week!
Then either add a liter of 1.070 wort (so you get 2 liters of about 1.040 in total), or cold crash, decant, and add 2 liters of 1.040 wort.
You may have to step up again to get your pitchable cell count and save some out for another brew.