Yeast Of The Week- 21/10/10 - Wyeast 1318

[np1962]

Yeast four in the series is Wyeast 1318- London Ale III

From Wyeast

YEAST STRAIN: 1318 | London Ale III

Originating from a traditional London brewery, this yeast has a wonderful malt and hop profile. It is a true top cropping strain with a fruity, very light and softly balanced palate. This strain will finish slightly sweet.

Origin: (said to be Boddingtons)
Flocculation: high
Attenuation: 71-75%
Temperature Range: 64-74 F (18-23 C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 10% ABV


Styles:
American Amber Ale
English Barleywine
English IPA
Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale)
Mild
Oatmeal Stout
Old Ale
Scottish Export 80/-
Scottish Heavy 70/-
Scottish Light 60/-
Southern English Brown
Special/Best/Premium Bitter
Standard/Ordinary Bitter
Sweet Stout

What styles do you use it in, what styles does it just not work for?
Any tricks for how to manage it - fermentation temperatures, starter sizes, re-using it by top-cropping or using the slurry, does it need rousing or will it conk out in high gravity beers?
Are there comparable yeasts from other manufacturers?
Anything else do you like or dislike about this yeast?

 

[np1962]

One of my personal favourites.
Have used this in Milds, Bitters, Special Bitters, Porters and Stouts.
Reliable attenuation, flocs well, nice clean beers.
Usually ferment around 18C but can push up to 22C for more of the fruity esters.
Cheers
Nige

 

[drsmurto]

This is one yeast i have heard a lot of good reports for but i never seem to get around to using.

I am finding it very hard to walk away from the west yorkshire, cask ale or ringwood yeasts but this is definitely on my list of must trys.

 

[np1962]

This is one yeast i have heard a lot of good reports for but i never seem to get around to using.

I am finding it very hard to walk away from the west yorkshire, cask ale or ringwood yeasts but this is definitely on my list of must trys.

Muckey, butters and I brewed a best bitter, 60L split three ways and fermented with yeast of choice.
West Yorkshire, Ringwood and London III were used and while different they were all equally good.
I recall the little bloke taking a liking to the 1318.
Nige

 

[Effect]

1318 is nuts. Just like 1469 in regards to top cropping and flocculation.

A yeast you should definitely try smurto.

Cheers
Phil

 

[j1gsaw]

Awesome yeast, my fave for bitters/milds.

 

[manticle]

Used it a few times - mainly in a young's special london homage (I think the young's yeast is hard to find - 1762 or somesuch).

To me it behaves like most UK yeasts - monster krausen, great for top cropping, slows right down at the end and needs encouragement to finish (but will do the job and attenuate well). First time I used it it was slow to floc out, second time (I think a re-use) it flocced out well with extended CC and was very bright in the glass.

Delicious but I haven't found a UK yeast I don't like yet.

Ferment temps for me are usually cooler rather than hotter - that's pretty standard for most beers for me outside the hottest part of summer so I probably aimed for around 17.

 

[RdeVjun]

Have never used 1318, like Smurto and no doubt many others, its on my to- try list...

But before that even, I do need to stop collecting ale strains- we're really spoilt for choice, reckon with the dozen or so ale strains I have on hand at present I require some discipline to reslant then do just one or maybe two batches and then move on to the next- the slants and smackpacks I have already won't keep for ever...

Used it a few times - mainly in a young's special london homage (I think the young's yeast is hard to find - 1762 or somesuch).

Might be getting a bit OT, but maybe that's 1768PC, 1762 is Belgian Abbey II? I'm not sure if its Young's strain TBH, but I do know that 1768 is up there alongside 1469 in my stable, the former doesn't attenuate quite as much as the latter, which is a handy feature- just superb in lower- strength UK Bitters IMO. But both are great in the stronger ESBs, by gum! :icon_drool2:

 

[manticle]

Yeah probably got my numbers mixed up.

Might try and get myself a culture from a young young's bottle.

Used pro 103 in my recent attempt so we'll see how that goes. Supposedly 1469 and pro 103 have a bit in common.

 

[menoetes]

Digging up a dusty thread here but keeping it relevant, so here goes...

I've got 1318 sitting in an ESB and an Amber Ale right now. I made a 3.5lt starter and split it evenly between the two batches last sunday (OGs of 1.050 & 1.047). The Amber went nuts and is down to 1.010 already, seemingly finished but the ESB seems to have stalled out at 1.020.

I'm sure what to do at this point, I'm considering racking the ESB off to a secondary fermenter and seeing if the movement in the transfer wakes the yeast up or maybe just dusting some dry yeast (nottingham maybe) on top to finish the job, then chalking this one up to experience.

Can anyone with more experience of this yeast than I pass on some sage words of wisdom? Help me out?

 

[manticle]

More details about recipe and process will help.
A week is too early to give up. If adding fresh yeast (I wouldn't just yet) make an active starter first.
Warming slightly and swirling gently would be my first two steps, followed by gentle racking if that fails
Also do a fast ferment test to find out if stalled or finished. There's a good chance your split wasn't as even as you think.

 

[menoetes]

Thanks Manticle,

I gave it a gentle swirl and put the temp up to 20'c. Hopefully this cuts the mustard. Either way I'll probably transfer it to secondary in a day or two as is my habit. If that doesn't show any sign of waking it up I'll create an new starter and hit it with more 1318 yeast.

 

[fattox]

I used this in a smoked RI stout, 1.092 OG and with an approx. 600bn cell starter, this thing just went and went and went. Several inches of thick fluffy krausen for weeks, I think after 5 weeks it finished around 1.030. Kinda wish I'd kept a slurry of it now

 

[Midnight Brew]

I have some 1318 chewing through a porter now, 40 points in 72 hours. Going to crop some off and throw into a stout and may keep some for an english summer ale. I've used it once before but didnt seem to record my notes too well other then the freeze. This yeast has been frozen since Janurary and into a starter. Ferment smells amazing.

 

[menoetes]

The gentle swirl and temp increase seem to have done the job. As of this morning the SG is down to 1.011, so into secondary this afternoon and let it mature for a week before cold crashing. It's all coming up roses for my ESB now

 

[Weizguy]

A bit subtly aromatic compared to W1187 (Ringwood) and W1469 (West Yorkshire), but a jolly fine yeast for English ales.
Shame that Boddington's on tap tastes like pee to me (not that I drink much pee to compare it). Maybe it was the pub where it was served?

I have a large starter (about 2 litres) of W1318 that I plan to pitch into a HUB brew club 1100 o.g. Barleywine, made at Potters brewery, who are so generous to our brew community. Big props to Potter's and the Hunter Brewing Co.

Yob, are you out there. This one too?

 

[Yob]

I think I have this one thanks Les

 

[menoetes]

Done it again, I swear this yeast always stalls just before the finishing line for me. At 1.014 this time. This English Old Ale was dropped onto the yeast cake of the Amber ale I last used 1318 on successfully. It went nuts for the first few days and then stopped 3 points early.

I'm letting it go this time as a bit of malty sweetness won't hurt an Old Ale but it can be a bit frustrating to deal with. it's just lucky that it makes such tasty british ales :angry:

 

[danestead]

I'm using 1318 in an Eglish Special Bitter as 1968 was not available. I also agree that it goes absolutely crazy in the beginning. I pitched a small active starter and 48hrs after pitching it had already dropped from 1.045 to 1.017. A day after that it is at 1.016 and very clear in the hydrometer tube. I've swirled the fermenter and raised the temperature 3 degrees and hope to get it down to 1.012 ish.

 

[menoetes]

Best of luck with it Danestead, despite my griping; it is still a great yeast.

I've come to peace with it finishing a bit high now. As much as it wasn't what I was expecting, it does produce a great beer and those extra few points help accentuate the malt which is good in a lot of english styles IMHO.

Also, now I know that she's going to finish a few points higher than other yeasts I can hop accordingly if I want to balance out that residual sweetness.