Not super-impressed by WLP090

[MrSnacks]

Brewed an IPA recently using WLP090, 80% Pale Ale, 5% Crystal 20, 15% sugar, half a pound of carapils. Mashed at 150, pitched 2L starter of 90 and the beer turned out.. ok.

There's a strange almost caramel sweetness to it that I wouldn't have expected with that little crystal, the hop profile is rather muted compared to the small batch I split off and fermented with WLP644, the final gravity is somewhat high given the sugar, and it's taking forever to carb.

It's a fine beer but it's really nothing special. I've made this recipe before with WLP007 and enjoyed it much more. Anyone else not thrilled by 090?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

15% sugar?

 

[BreezyBrew]

How do you aerate? That strain needs a lot of 02.

 

[MrSnacks]

15% sugar?

Double-checked my recipe notes, it's actually 11% sucrose, not 15%.

How do you aerate? That strain needs a lot of 02.

Hm, that's interesting.. Lots of 02 to attenuate properly you mean?

 

[BreezyBrew]

Double-checked my recipe notes, it's actually 11% sucrose, not 15%.
Hm, that's interesting.. Lots of 02 to attenuate properly you mean?

Yeah. And that does sound like too much sugar to me too.

What was the age on the yeast? What temp did you ferment at? What was the FG?

 

[MrSnacks]

Yeah. And that does sound like too much sugar to me too.

What was the age on the yeast? What temp did you ferment at? What was the FG?

Nah, certain Belgian beers go up to 40% of the bill from simple sugars. 10-11% is nothing, and it's certainly not going to negatively affect attenuation.

In any case, it's definitely the yeast because the flavors I'm concerned with are not detectable in an identical beer with different yeast. I made an 8 gallon batch and split 5.5 into WLP090 and 2.5 into WLP644.

I'll have to check my notes for yeast freshness but yeast starter was 3 days on the plate, 24 hours cold-crashing.

 

[daksin]

How do you aerate? That strain needs a lot of 02.

THIS so hard. WLP090 needs oxygen to perform, more than other clean strains. Highly flocculent yeast need the most oxygen (see: WLP002 and other English yeasts)- you won't get the super fast clean ferment or the hard floc without it.

 

[kanzimonson]

THIS so hard. WLP090 needs oxygen to perform, more than other clean strains. Highly flocculent yeast need the most oxygen (see: WLP002 and other English yeasts)- you won't get the super fast clean ferment or the hard floc without it.

Do you have a source on this - not saying I do or don't believe you, I'd just like some more information since I use 002 in most of my beers. I've always understood oxygen to be related to growth, and while attenuation can be increased by higher cell counts and healthier yeast, I haven't heard anything about the relationship with flocculation.

 

[BreezyBrew]

Do you have a source on this - not saying I do or don't believe you, I'd just like some more information since I use 002 in most of my beers. I've always understood oxygen to be related to growth, and while attenuation can be increased by higher cell counts and healthier yeast, I haven't heard anything about the relationship with flocculation.

White & Zainasheff - Yeast, page 226. Very flocculant yeast strains tend to have a high oxygen demand (White Labs observations).

 

[kanzimonson]

White & Zainasheff - Yeast, page 226. Very flocculant yeast strains tend to have a high oxygen demand (White Labs observations).

Thanks! Guess it's time to reread that...

So now the question I have to ask myself is "Since I like the way my beers taste, do I make adjustments?"

 

[MrSnacks]

White & Zainasheff - Yeast, page 226. Very flocculant yeast strains tend to have a high oxygen demand (White Labs observations).

That's super-interesting, thanks! I've never had problems with WLP007 but I've had some messy S04 and WLP002 batches before. Wonder how much that contributed.

 

[daksin]

White & Zainasheff - Yeast, page 226. Very flocculant yeast strains tend to have a high oxygen demand (White Labs observations).

This guy knows what's up. Thanks for covering for me!

 

[BigFloyd]

That strain needs plenty of O2 (as mentioned) plus precise temp control. It apparently has a very narrow sweet spot in the 65-67*F range.