WLP 833, What Are You?!

[Rambleon]

So, three weeks ago I brewed up a bock and used WLP German Bock Lager for no other reason than it was calling my name. OG was 1.074 and I made a huge starter, something like five liters (whatever mrmalty said to do). I pitched it at about 58-60 degrees and cooled it to 50-52 degrees where it's been holding for the three weeks. At two weeks the gravity was 1.035 and today (3 weeks) it's at 1.024. I've talked with some folks who say this is a fast fermenting yeast but obviously that's not my situation. I think the FG is supposed to be 1.018 but I'm starting to wonder if this yeast is going to get me there. Any experience with 833? Should I bump up the temp a bit to finish it out? (the pic is from today)

 

[foyboy]

I have made 3 dopplebocks with it before and it is anything but fast. You should be bringing the temp up a few degrees for a few days about 10degrees for a few days to rest and then let it slowly go back down to lager temp.
I have a question for you ,when I used it I did 5 gal batches and used two vials of yeast but this week I am doing a larger batch of Celebrator 1.074 so am doing 2---2 liter starters then stepping them both up. 1 on the stirplate for a day --one chilling for a day then adding more wort .BUT after chilling starter #1 and decanting to find that yeast volume didn't really grow much at all.Now I don't know if it just packed down solid when I chilled it but man it barely grew ! What ya think?

 

[SpeedYellow]

Something went wrong here. I recently made a batch with WLP 833 (OG=1.064) also using a huge starter per yeastcalc / mr malty. Fermented at 48-49F and was done in 8 days (FG 1.019), which is typical for my lagers. Possible problems:

1. You really should pitch a couple degrees below desired fermentation temp. That's best practice AFAIK. Remember- yeast do NOT like to be chilled. I pitched straight from the fridge into 46F wort.

2. Did you aerate well?

I'd also suggest a good long diacetyl rest. I somehow got a d-bomb, which was either because I didn't aerate enough (I think my air lines froze up midway through) or the 2-day d-rest wasn't long enough. Fortunately the batch was saved by setting the keg on its side at 65F for 2 weeks.

 

[Rambleon]

Something went wrong here. I recently made a batch with WLP 833 (OG=1.064) also using a huge starter per yeastcalc / mr malty. Fermented at 48-49F and was done in 8 days (FG 1.019), which is typical for my lagers. Possible problems:

1. You really should pitch a couple degrees below desired fermentation temp. That's best practice AFAIK. Remember- yeast do NOT like to be chilled. I pitched straight from the fridge into 46F wort.

2. Did you aerate well?

I'd also suggest a good long diacetyl rest. I somehow got a d-bomb, which was either because I didn't aerate enough (I think my air lines froze up midway through) or the 2-day d-rest wasn't long enough. Fortunately the batch was saved by setting the keg on its side at 65F for 2 weeks.

Well I have to aerate by shaking it wildly. I'm sure at 1.074 it wasn't enough. For all of my fermentation flaws it has gotten within 4 points of the anticipated FG so hats off to this yeast. I tasted the hydrometer sample and didn't get any buttery/butterscotchy flavors but just to be safe I bumped the temp up to 62 where I plan to leave it for at least a week. I've always heard d-rests should be a couple days max but it sounds like you've had positive results going longer.

 

[Rambleon]

I have made 3 dopplebocks with it before and it is anything but fast. You should be bringing the temp up a few degrees for a few days about 10degrees for a few days to rest and then let it slowly go back down to lager temp.
I have a question for you ,when I used it I did 5 gal batches and used two vials of yeast but this week I am doing a larger batch of Celebrator 1.074 so am doing 2---2 liter starters then stepping them both up. 1 on the stirplate for a day --one chilling for a day then adding more wort .BUT after chilling starter #1 and decanting to find that yeast volume didn't really grow much at all.Now I don't know if it just packed down solid when I chilled it but man it barely grew ! What ya think?

I found that chilling for one day wasn't quite long enough to get it to flocculate out. I let it sit 2.5 days before decanting and I had a bit more yeast than the day prior. Still not as much as I expected, though. Went I dumped more starter wort on it and threw it back on the plate it went crazy and I actually had beer pouring out of the flask.

 

[SpeedYellow]

... I've always heard d-rests should be a couple days max but it sounds like you've had positive results going longer.

It doesn't make any sense to say a d-rest should last no longer than "X" days. I just can't fathom any basis for that claim. Let's say you do a 2-week d-rest... so what? The yeast are done and started floccing out, it's not like they're suddenly going to autolyze or something in that 2 wks. By far, the bigger problem is too short a d-rest.

That said, my 2-wk d-rest was just a last ditch hail-mary (that worked). Not something I'd normally do since there's usually no reason.