WLP002 English Ale = very high flocculation?

[MikeBTexas]

White Labs English Ale WLP002 This is a classic ESB strain that originated from one of England's largest independent breweries. Flocculation: Very High Is there any special attention I need to give when using this yeast with the flocculation being so high? I'm brewing an English Pale Ale.

 

[Hammy71]

Nope, stuff looks like a snow globe when fermenting. In the vial it looks like cottage cheese. It will settle out quick. No worries.

 

[BigFloyd]

Is there any special attention I need to give when using this yeast with the flocculation being so high?

Yep. With this strain, you have to watch and control your fermentation temperature profile very carefully to keep it from dropping out prematurely.

It's fine to start it around 63-64*F for the first few days, but when it begins to slow, you've got to start bumping the temp up a bit at a time until you get into the 68-70*F range for the last 5-7 days to finish. That also serves to give it a diacetyl rest which this strain often needs.

If you don't raise the temp, or if the beer sees a drop in temp later in the ferment (say, into the lower 60's), the yeast will drop out and form the firmest cake you've ever seen. Once it's down, you will have a heck of a time trying to rouse it by swirling.

 

[PRE66_6TART]

It's funny, but the exact scenario that BigFloyd just described happened to me recently. I used 002 on three beers and had no way to raise the temp towards the end, so they stayed at 63. I thought they were done and bottled, but they all came out a little over carbonated, so I think they dropped out early and then woke up again in the bottle.

 

[MikeBTexas]

Thanks for the info