Wlp802 Yeast

[Jase]

Hi There,

I put on a ESB Fresh Wort - Pilsner, with some WLP802 yeast, on Sunday. My first Pilsner.

I put the fermenter in a large rectangular bucket, with some water, iced PET bottles and a damp towel. Have managed to keep the temperature down to 10-12 degrees, in the garage.

The brew is starting to develop a krausen, and bubble in the airlock once every couple of minutes. I have a two piece airlock, so when I remove the top half to have a look and smell, the smell is quite overpowering, it's smells, well disgusting, very ordinary.

I'm not worried, as it'll take a while to ferment, but out of curiousity, is this due to the yeast strain?

Cheers,
Jase

 

[mikem108]

Making Pilsner is a stinky business, I opened my brew fridge after a few days fementation and nearly puked, these odours disipate with time , hence the lagering process you need to go through.

 

[kbekus]

Isn't it something to do with those lager yeasts, that they produce a sulphurous (rotten egg) smell?

 

[dreamboat]

Spot on Kbekus, the yeast puts out what is generally referred to "sulphery" aromas.


ie, it stinks


dreamboat

 

[Doc]

Jase,

I also find that the WLP802 yeast is slow to really get started too.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Bobby]

it does start slow but i have noticed after about 6or 7 days its really gets moving, fermenting more vigourously and putting out abit more heat.

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Lager yeast fermenting at lager temperatures produces Di Methyl Sulphide (DMS) which degrades to Hydrogen Sulphide or rotten egg gas.

Some weeks lagering will remove all traces of DMS

Jovial Monk

 

[sluggerdog]

Just wondering what peoples thoughts would be on using this yeast in a german pilsner or european lager style brew?

I'm probably going to try it anyway really soon (the weekend) but wondered if anyone has any feedback on this.

Cheers!

 

[DJR]

Just wondering what peoples thoughts would be on using this yeast in a german pilsner or european lager style brew?

I'm probably going to try it anyway really soon (the weekend) but wondered if anyone has any feedback on this.

Cheers!

Would probably be fine, it's quite clean, just watch your temperature as it likes to throw a bit of green apple and esters above 12C. Personally i'd be using 34/70 or something, but i've used it's cousin WLP800 in a German Pilsner and it was all good.

 

[sluggerdog]

Thanks, the only reason I'm going to use it as I have it on hand so saves buying some more.

Will ferment around 9/10C and see how things go.

Cheers!

 

[DJR]

Slugger, did it turn out OK?

Just discovered something when i was doing a 3L starter of this yeast for my Boh Pils - fermented at room temperature (24-28C) this strain gets a bit strange, starts to taste like a Belgian or Weizen strain! Quite estery. I guess that's starters for you, you're growing yeast not making great beer!

 

[sluggerdog]

The brew is still only early days (2 weeks since fermentation) I have it in the keg and taste it until it's at my likings.

Anyway at the moment I'm not too happy with the yeast overall, I'll give it some more time before I judge but at this stage I'll be going back to danish lager or something similar.

At this stage I have had better success with saflager.

 

[DJR]

That's a shame. Hopefully more lagering will clean it up. As you say, the Danish is probably a more versatile strain. You could also try the White Labs Copenhagen, that's the seasonal at the moment.

The Czech yeasts do seem finicky, next Pilsner i do will probably use WLP838 or just plain old W34/70.

 

[Ross]

I'ved got 3 lagers on tap at the moment all made with S-182 - i'm really impressed with this yeast, taken over from 34/70 as my dried lager yeast of choice...

cheers Ross

 

[dr K]

The WLP 802 and the Wyeast equivalent (too lazy to lok it it up 20 something) both originate from the Budjevoicky (sp?) brewery in the Czech Republic, this is the beer that is sold in good ol US of A as Czechvar to stop any cofusion with Budweiser (a totally different beer !!).
It is not so much that the yeast is finicky but the way way that the brewer may choose to use it!
Its not that long ago, and in fact it may still be so, that the gold plated 6gm sachet of yeast under the lid of the kit was the same, be it "lager" or "ale".
2042 Danish is bullet-proof, it produces excellent clean crisp lagers across a wide range of styles, you can make a czech pils with a 2042, but you can't make a euro-lager with the budjevoice yeast, if that makes sense !
To put it another way, whilst yeast is the major contributor to the finished beer, it still needs an appropriate wort.

K

 

[Lindsay Dive]

The WLP 802 and the Wyeast equivalent (too lazy to lok it it up 20 something) both originate from the Budjevoicky (sp?) brewery in the Czech Republic, this is the beer that is sold in good ol US of A as Czechvar to stop any cofusion with Budweiser (a totally different beer !!).
It is not so much that the yeast is finicky but the way way that the brewer may choose to use it!
Its not that long ago, and in fact it may still be so, that the gold plated 6gm sachet of yeast under the lid of the kit was the same, be it "lager" or "ale".
2042 Danish is bullet-proof, it produces excellent clean crisp lagers across a wide range of styles, you can make a czech pils with a 2042, but you can't make a euro-lager with the budjevoice yeast, if that makes sense !
To put it another way, whilst yeast is the major contributor to the finished beer, it still needs an appropriate wort.

K

Dr. K,

Some years ago, there were two really good lager yeasts that were doing the rounds that were not available from either Whitelabs or Wyeast. These two yeasts were known to us as Ayinger and Budvar. I am not too sure of the origin of the Budvar but the chap that used to own Maltcraft, Phil Yates, had a friend bring in the Ayinger from America. It had been gotten direct from the Czech Brewery.
Both these yeasts were very popular. I had both those yeasts.

About three years ago, I was going to a 'Yeast Talk' at the Malt Shovel Brewery and the person giving the talk was Dr. Chris White from Whitelabs. I took it upon myself to streak a couple of plates with both the Ayinger and Budvar strains and I gave these to Chris. I knew he was going back home to the States the following day and I knew that the plates would travel okay as long as they were stored the 'right way up'.

It was coincidental that only about three months from the time I gave the yeasts to Chris White that two new Whitelabs Lager strains hit the shelves. One called the WLP802 Czech Budejovice Lager Yeast and the WLP833 German Bock Yeast. I am pretty sure that these are the yeasts given to the good Doctor as they perform exactly the same as the yeasts I had.

Sadly, both these yeasts that I had, have since mutated and are long gone as I did not freeze any back then.

I am pretty sure that many moons ago I sent some (Ayinger) down to you guys at Canberra with Phil Yates. That was the Ayinger, remember?? Any left??

Both these yeasts are crackerjacks and produce beaut crisp lagers given the right environment. The WLP802 will keep cranking away at 8 degrees and produce wonderful lager.

Enough of my crap,
Lindsay.

 

[sluggerdog]

I'ved got 3 lagers on tap at the moment all made with S-182 - i'm really impressed with this yeast, taken over from 34/70 as my dried lager yeast of choice...

cheers Ross

Ross, the S-182, I cannot see it on your site at all? Would you say it is more "dry and crisp" then 34/70 or have you used danish wyeast before and if so would you say it is similar?

Cheers..

 

[Aussie Claret]

Slugger,
I think it's the swiss lager yeast S189, but I stand to be corrected.
AC