# Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley Ale



## Aces High (31/8/12)

I accidently picked up a wyeast 1275 from the brewstore instead of a 1272. ( really need to check those wyeast packs better before heading to the counter)

Im making quite a hoppy beer on the weekend its somewhere between an APA & an IPA which tastes great with the usual 1272. 

Does anyone have any experience with this yeast? I didn't find much in the way of reviews when i searched.


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## Phoney (31/8/12)

It's English ale yeast. I've used it before, it's good. Not sure how it will work with your American ale though.


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## dicko (31/8/12)

Aces High said:


> I accidently picked up a wyeast 1275 from the brewstore instead of a 1272. ( really need to check those wyeast packs better before heading to the counter)
> 
> Im making quite a hoppy beer on the weekend its somewhere between an APA & an IPA which tastes great with the usual 1272.
> 
> Does anyone have any experience with this yeast? I didn't find much in the way of reviews when i searched.



I'd use it, you it will give you a bigger malt profile, and it attenuates well, it is one of my favourite yeasts.

Cheers


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## sean_0 (31/8/12)

My experience with it is that it can give a harsh minerally character to very pale beers. If you have even a small amount of darker malts (crystal, victory etc) this isn't so much of a problem, and actually becomes quite nice. I have a feeling that water chemistry is more important with it than for some other yeasts - you can get a very harsh hop flavour if your sulphate levels are too low. It does attenuate really well.

I actually did the same thing as you - picked up 1275 instead of 1272, and I ended up using it and repitching it a good few times, though I still have mixed feelings about it (basically the last beer I made with it was disappointing but the rest were pretty good).


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## Aces High (31/8/12)

sean_0 said:


> My experience with it is that it can give a harsh minerally character to very pale beers. If you have even a small amount of darker malts (crystal, victory etc) this isn't so much of a problem, and actually becomes quite nice.




Ive got ale, wheat & cara amber in there


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## sean_0 (31/8/12)

Hmmm, if I was in your position, I think I'd do what I could to get my hands on some Wy1272 or even a packet of US05 or something. Save the 1275 for a nice copper English bitter later on. This is only what I would do - you might find you really like what the Thames Valley brings to the table.

Shame you're not closer to me cos I have a great big jar of washed 1272 I could share with you.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

I am currently brewing an Old Ale (1.062) with this yeast and I am a little concerned. I was expecting AA around 72-76%, but mine is only down to 1.020 on day 7.

I fermented at 20C from day 1 through 5, then upped it to 22C. T'was a single infusion 68C mash, could that be the key here?

Surely it can't be done, as I (or Brewmate, rather) calculate this to be 67-68% AA.

Surely with my intentionally higher temps it couldn't have gone to sleep? Rouse? Rack? Add some simple sugars? Wait?

As always, advice will be most appreciated.

Cheers

Phil


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## mje1980 (13/4/13)

Does the old ale have a lot of crystal malt??. I'd definitely rouse the crap out of it and see if that helps.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

Sorry mate, here's the grain bill, about 10% Crystal.


[SIZE=9.96037pt]Grain Bill[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]----------------[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]4.800 kg Pale Ale Malt (75.95%)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]0.635 kg Crystal 120 (10.05%)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]0.635 kg Wheat Malt (10.05%)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]0.125 kg Black Malt (1.98%)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9.96037pt]0.125 kg Chocolate (1.98%)[/SIZE]


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

mje1980 said:


> I'd definitely rouse the crap out of it and see if that helps.


Eeeek!

Pretty paranoid about opening the FV at this point. Do you mean with a spoon or just a rocking?


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## mje1980 (13/4/13)

Rock it side to side or round n round, don't need to open it mate. It'll be fine. I open mine to top crop often, with no ill effects. I don't even get an airtight seal on my fermentor.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

It's weird, it went off like a rocket, no lagging and fermented furiously for 4 days, which is the time frame for most of mine.

Might bring it out of the fridge and give it a kick in the guts, but is there ANY chance at all that the high mash temp, higher OG and decent whack of Crystal could be making this the actual FG?

BTW, there's still plenty of yeast in suspension if the hydrometer samples are anything to go by.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

Okay, so I tried swirling. This batch didn't boil off the usual amount, so I got about 23.5 litres in the cube, resulting in a VERY full FV. It was hitting the cling wrap and splashing a fair bit. So in the end, I have had to trust in my sanitation skills and roused the cake with a heavily starsanned spoon. I will allow it to sit in room temps for the rest of the arvo (~26C) and see what happens.

If anyone else would like to add anything, don't be shy!


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## mje1980 (13/4/13)

Phillo said:


> It's weird, it went off like a rocket, no lagging and fermented furiously for 4 days, which is the time frame for most of mine.
> 
> Might bring it out of the fridge and give it a kick in the guts, but is there ANY chance at all that the high mash temp, higher OG and decent whack of Crystal could be making this the actual FG?
> 
> BTW, there's still plenty of yeast in suspension if the hydrometer samples are anything to go by.


Yes it's possible, 10% crystal and a high mash temp could do that. 1.020 seems a bit high, but if it stays the same after all that rousing, it just might be done. You've stirred it, so leave it a few more days and see. If no change its done.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

Cool. I'm not due to CC until Wednesday, but can leave it later if need be. Glad I learned patience at some point!

Cheers for the help mate.

Phil


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## Bribie G (13/4/13)

How's your thermometer? If you actually mashed nearer to 70° that would definitely do it. I used to deliberately mash milds at that temp and they often finished at 1022.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

That's actually a bloody good question. I have a couple. If I put them both in a glass of water and they both read the same, would it stand to reason that they'd both be unlikely to be out by the exact same amount?

Maybe I'm not keeping the thermometer in the mash long enough for it to stabilise?

Food for thought, thanks Bribie! :beerbang:


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## kubba (13/4/13)

I had the same problem with this yeast with my current batch. I only use cans and started at 1044. It went ballistic at 18 degrees for about 4 days and then died down a bit. I figured it would be done on the 7th day but it was still at 1022. Strange! I bumped the temp up to 20 degrees and now we are on day 11 and its at 1013. The krausen was the biggest I've ever had with it just coming up into the air lock. I figured the yeast had blasted its way through the brew but I was wrong.

Anyway, it got there in the end with me only increasing the temp a couple of degrees. No stirring or shaking.


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## Phillo (13/4/13)

Good to know it's not just me. Cheers Kubba.


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## Phillo (14/4/13)

Bribie G said:


> How's your thermometer? If you actually mashed nearer to 70° that would definitely do it. I used to deliberately mash milds at that temp and they often finished at 1022.


Hey Bribie you were spot on mate. Chucked my mashing thermometer in a glass of water with my old plastic thermometer, and my new one was reading 1C lower than the old one. Meaning I mashed at 69 rather than 68. To me that's getting a bit too high. I was actually thinking 68 was pushing it for what I wanted even.

Thanks bud.

Phil


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## Dxxxx (14/4/13)

I've also had this yeast stop at around 1.022, bumping the temp up a bit and a little stir started it again.


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## TidalPete (14/4/13)

The lack of enough initial (And afterwards) aeration could well be causing your problems Phillo.
Find it hard to agree (With apologies to Bribie :icon_cheers: ) that one deg c disparity at that high mash temp could be the culprit..


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## Adr_0 (14/4/13)

Did you have a decent yeast starter?


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## TheWiggman (29/12/15)

I brewed a 'spring beer' based on an existing recipe to try this yeast out and to use up some oldish Nelson Sauvin. Nothing clever about it, recipe approximate only.

3.2 kg JW ale
0.8 kg Munich I

Mash at 65°C with usual steps

50:50 Fuggles and Nelson Sauvin at 60 mins
35g Nelson Sauvin in cube

IBU ~25
OG 1.046 (a bit high), anticipated FG around 1.012

I pitched the yeast at 19°C and it chewed down to 1.011 apparently (according to hydrometer) in about 4 days but had a thick layer of creamy yeast on the top still. I took it out of the fridge for another brew and left it at ambient (24-28°C) and it's slowly bubbling away about every minute. Early samples are typically English and while the hops are still there, I feel they're appropriately muted. The flavours are predominately citrus to the point of tasting like oranges.


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