San Diego Super Yeast Wlp090

[Spiesy]

It's an amazing yeast, and well deserved of the name "super yeast". My yeast of choice for a hop-forward American Pale or IPA.

Currently got an Aussie Ale that's just hitting its strap after a week of crash chilling, great clarity and only a couple of pints in.

 

[Cocko]

I like it because it does all it can do but mainly because when pitching it you can say "Its Sooooppppeeerrrr Yeeeaaaaast"


Knome sayin.

 

[Dips Me Lid]

Haha, gotta love giving the yeast a g-up when you pitch them.

 

[Truman42]

I used this yeast in a Janets brown ale clone. It was only a month old and I made a 2 litre starter 24 hrs before pitching. It took almost 48 hrs to fire up and took a good 5 days to ferment just chugging along slowly but surely. So not sure whats so super about it.

 

[Spiesy]

I used this yeast in a Janets brown ale clone. It was only a month old and I made a 2 litre starter 24 hrs before pitching. It took almost 48 hrs to fire up and took a good 5 days to ferment just chugging along slowly but surely. So not sure whats so super about it.

Your findings do seem at odds with everyone else I've spoken to and every experience I've had with this yeast - and I've used it maybe 10 times.
Maybe worth another try, mate.

Was your yeast fresh? Any idea how many live cells you would have pitched? What was your wort volume? Ferment temp?

 

[Bribie G]

That's something that's always puzzled me about Whitelabs - I almost always use Wyeast and once the pack has swelled I do a fairly brief starter with say 500ml of wort, just to get the thing kicked off for 24 hours, then pitch it.

In the case of WLP, there's no "swelling / proving" phase so is there some sort of formula for starters based on their date of manufacture?

 

[2much2spend]

Brewers friend recommends to do a starter on almost any yeast unless it's really fresh, I use the calc on this site and it's never failed me since. Apparently it is supported by Chris white.
Wlp090 is really good I've used it a lot and with the correct starter it pulls down to the same gravity on every brew.

PS. I did do starters with wyeasts too! But I think the shops or suppliers in AU just seem to keep getting old smack packs.

 

[Spiesy]

That's something that's always puzzled me about Whitelabs - I almost always use Wyeast and once the pack has swelled I do a fairly brief starter with say 500ml of wort, just to get the thing kicked off for 24 hours, then pitch it.

In the case of WLP, there's no "swelling / proving" phase so is there some sort of formula for starters based on their date of manufacture?

When using online yeast viability calculators, I haven't seen one that specifies White Labs or Wyeast.
Which is kind of odd, seeing as though they both have different best before periods (until PurePitch becomes available).

This is one of my favourite calculators

 

[Spiesy]

But I think the shops or suppliers in AU just seem to keep getting old smack packs.

Doubt it.

Shipments take 4-days to arrive from Wyeast or White Labs, door to door.

We have personally taken receipt of yeast that was only manufactured the week before. I'd imagine the same would apply to other retailers.

 

[Truman42]

Your findings do seem at odds with everyone else I've spoken to and every experience I've had with this yeast - and I've used it maybe 10 times.
Maybe worth another try, mate.

Was your yeast fresh? Any idea how many live cells you would have pitched? What was your wort volume? Ferment temp?

Wort volume was 19 litres ferment temp was 19C and the yeast was packaged less than a month. Cant remember viable cells but I put it all in yeast calc and a 2 litre starter was more than enough cells.

 

[Spiesy]

Wort volume was 19 litres ferment temp was 19C and the yeast was packaged less than a month. Cant remember viable cells but I put it all in yeast calc and a 2 litre starter was more than enough cells.

Weird. That should have smashed out a solid ferment for you.

 

[Yob]

I've used it a few times, not had a bad experience but I'd have to say on par with others I've used, neither worse nor better, it's clean, drops nicely and let's hops come through without stripping the malt base..

But so do other ale yeasts like 1272, 1217, Greenbelt, 099, etc,

While I do like the yeast, I camt say it's stand out, but it's good to have it banked

 

[2much2spend]

Doubt it.

Shipments take 4-days to arrive from Wyeast or White Labs, door to door.

We have personally taken receipt of yeast that was only manufactured the week before. I'd imagine the same would apply to other retailers.

It's funny that you can still go into big HBS and they are selling puffed smack packs along side the others.
Some newer shops I've purchased from are really good with yeast storage!
That makes me happy

 

[Bribie G]

I used this yeast in a Janets brown ale clone. It was only a month old and I made a 2 litre starter 24 hrs before pitching. It took almost 48 hrs to fire up and took a good 5 days to ferment just chugging along slowly but surely. So not sure whats so super about it.

I brewed up an emergency American Wheat last week to bottle off and take to QLD. I started the San Diego a couple of days in advance and it bred up nicely in the starter bottle. I'd counted on the yeast going ballistic and being able to bottle yesterday.

This morning, after 6 days of fairly sluggish activity and a lot of swirling and rousing of the FV (at 19 degrees) it's only down to 1020 from the original 1053.
Later today I'll be repitching with a couple of left over packs of Coopers Kit, (ed: and raise to 24 degrees) just to get it to attenuate. I'd say the flavours are pretty well locked in so no harm I hope.

Very disappointed, might have to go to Dans on the way North for my supplies.

San Diego Sluggard Yeast.

 

[Mardoo]

Weird. I did a Janet's Brown up around 9% and SDSY smashed it in three and a half days.

 

[2much2spend]

Weird. I did a Janet's Brown up around 9% and SDSY smashed it in three and a half days.

it has been an impressive workhourse for me too!

 

[Spiesy]

I've never had an issue with it.

 

[Cocko]

when pitching it you can say "Its Sooooppppeeerrrr Yeeeaaaaast"

^
Hello?

 

[Fents]

^
Hello?

^
Is it me you're looking for?

 

[Bribie G]

The Coopers kit yeast did the trick, finally have a reasonable krausen but too late for Xmas, I'll just put it in CC for ten days when it's dropped and head for Dans at Coffs on the way up to QLD.

Wyeast from now on, never had any problems with the green pack.