WTF - WLP002 looks wrong?

[Dan Pratt]

I have used wyeast heaps before and only seen this once, I made the starter then ditched it cos the whole starter clumped up aswell.....

I have started using whitelabs and normally the yeast is a smooth slurry with a distinct yeast aroma.

this WLP002 doesn't look right.

Has anyone else seen this?

WLP002 - looks all clumpy


WLP833 - normal yeast slurry

 

[TimT]

I'd probably chuck it in anyway, haven't used WL yeasts before but yeast just does different stuff at different times - I just don't think it's that predictable. Maybe it's clumpy because it experienced a period of cold?

 

[TimT]

Maybe shake it up a bit to get it dissolved in the surrounding nutrient liquid.

 

[Dan Pratt]

had it delivered via post over night from a supplier, it had 2 ice/gel packs and were still cold on arrival. i placed them into the fridge for 2 nights and then removed the WLP002 today at 8am. At 12pm I shook it up and it went all clumpy so I took the lager out of teh fridge and shook it up and it appeared normal.

Is it possible the yeast was still cold in the tube and somewhat in a solid state still?

 

[Dan Pratt]

Maybe shake it up a bit to get it dissolved in the surrounding nutrient liquid.

I shook it for a minute then rest for a minute over a ten minute session...all clumped up.

I went ahead and added it to my starter that had been boiled and cooled......the starter is running now and has only a couple of small clumps spinning around and the rest seem to have dissolved into the wort...fingers crossed.

hope someone has seen this before>>>>?

 

[going down a hill]

I'm pretty sure wl002 is wyeast 1968 and that stuff flocs cottage cheese.It does the same in your beer and that's the reason why your beer is so clear and doesn't attenuate as much as other less flocy yeasts.

 

[AndrewQLD]

That's typical of that yeast, it clumps together when it floccs.

 

[vykuza]

It will be fine. It's just flocculated like a pro!

 

[TimT]

Gave me inspiration for a post of my own, cheers Pratty.

 

[coopsomulous]

If its WLP 002 its fine - it flocs like you would not believe. Only tip, keep the fermentation above 18 degC or the yeast will floc out and the fermentation will stall.

 

[HardEight]

I had the same questions last year when i made a starter out of WLP002 and this happened:
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/76706-is-there-something-wrong-with-this-starter/

edit: I used the starter in a the brew and it was fine

 

[Dan Pratt]

here it is on the stir plate after 12hrs, clumpy and cheddar like.....this is OK right?

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SOdAGTO1zY&feature=youtu.be

 

[Ross]

Absolutely fine......

 

[Dan Pratt]

Absolutely fine......

Thanks Ross and everyone that chimed into the thread, into the Rye Pale Ale it will go ( harvesting 500mls before hand ) :super:

I have asked the mods to change the title to include WLP002 so others that come across this will be able to find it on the search/google.

 

[AndrewQLD]

Thanks Ross and everyone that chimed into the thread, into the Rye Pale Ale it will go ( harvesting 500mls before hand ) :super:

I have asked the mods to change the title to include WLP002 so others that come across this will be able to find it on the search/google.

Sorted.
I agree with Ross, that is exactly how it should look, this yeast flocculates so well it's scary.

If its WLP 002 its fine - it flocs like you would not believe. Only tip, keep the fermentation above 18 degC or the yeast will floc out and the fermentation will stall.

Good bit of advice here as well.