WLP099 White Labs Super High Gravity Ale Yeast

[Rob Martin]

I'm planning my 100th batch next. Shooting for 100 OG, 100 IBU. Originally was planning on Wyeast 1056 Chico, but wondering if anyone has used WLP099 White Labs Super High Gravity Ale Yeast? If so, which one do you prefer and why?

[Matt]

Congrats on your 100th brew, buddy! Sounds like a fun way to commemorate it. But what will you call it? :)

Matt

[Rob Martin]

But what will you call it?

Matt

'100'. No, really.

[Blktre]

Never used it but I know Shane uses 007 Dry English Ale for the big ones with excellent luck.

[Jdl973]

I have used the WLP099 White Labs Super High Gravity and have it on slant. I use it for my "panty drop lemonade" (trademark pending to Devin) as well as have made a brown ale (Brown Abomination) in which I tried to push the boundary as to how high octane I could get out of the beer. I don't have my brew notebook with me, but it was a big beer (1.09 ish) and a long, slow cold ferment (4 months primary, 4 secondary). The beer came out ok, not great, but ok. Off memory, had no issue with the yeast. I made up 1.01 yeast food to build up to pitch rate so the yeast got familiar with a "big" beer. Also made a large pitch, so the yeast took off and dominated the beer (with all that food around, wanted the yeast to "crowed-out" any undesirables). Again, this is off of memory, I don't recall any yeast related flavors or fermentation issues with the yeast (I think it was the hop reg I did not hit on spot).

When are you brewing? I will be back in KC the first of March and can pull the slant and grow you a pitch batch (I think I still have some 1.01 food). From slant, it will take 6 days to get to a 5 gal pitch rate (on the high side). Shoot me a PM.

Congratulation on the 100th brew! I call dibs on a bottle.

Jason

[Rob Martin]

Trying to coordinate with my other two brewers, and my increasing disc golf tournament schedule, we chose March 3rd. I'm leaning towards using the 1056. If it fermented 1.105 (will purposefully hit a little high to make sure we get 1.100) down to 1.024, this would be 75.5% attenuation and 10.8% ABV. Which is right at 1056's limit from Wyeast info.

The only 'high gravity' yeast I've used is Wyeast Trappist High Gravity 3787. While it was a Belgian yeast, as far as Belgians go, I didn't care for the flavor profile. I'm probably transposing my opinion here, but I'm wondering if these high gravity yeasts just don't make good tasting beer as opposed to being able to ferment high starting gravities.

[Blktre]

Rob,
what temp are you thinking on the 1056?

[JMcG]

I'd recommend starter SG of 1.040, as this has been shown optimal for yeast replication. For bigger beers, increase pitch rate by increasing starter volume not the gravity. Higher gravity starter could stress the yeast and cause low pitch rate.
jim

[Jdl973]

Jim,

I have played around with the high gravity yeast and the SG of the yeast food. The book answer is 1040 for most yeast strains to promote happy yeast and prevent autolysis and such.

The reason I started varying the SG was due to the lemon aid brew I make. It is a high gravity and high acid environment (use DME and frozen lemon aid concentrate...not really a "brew" as such...more of an "assembly" process). I found if I grow the yeast very close the acidity levels and SG (in the 1.100 range) of the brew, the faster the yeast will kick in. I have collected and propagated the 099 after each lemon aid brew and it appears the strain has become a bit more "acid resistant" over successive brews (up to 7 brews with yeast samples from one brew being grown on plates, then propagated from the plate to pitch rate for the next). Another experiment when i get back to look at the morphology of the normal 099 and the acid environment 099 (anyone have access to a gel electrophoresis setup?).

With that being said, the higher the gravity and acidity of the starter, the longer it takes to get to pitch rate. There was a significant lag in the starter (takes about 2 week to get to pitch levels) but when it was added to the brew, the lag of the total batch (12 gal) was significantly reduced.

Just my observations

Jason

[Jensen]

I will be back in KC the first of March-- Jason

.

[JMcG]

Jim,

I have played around with the high gravity yeast and the SG of the yeast food. The book answer is 1040 for most yeast strains to promote happy yeast and prevent autolysis and such.

The reason I started varying the SG was due to the lemon aid brew I make. It is a high gravity and high acid environment (use DME and frozen lemon aid concentrate...not really a "brew" as such...more of an "assembly" process). I found if I grow the yeast very close the acidity levels and SG (in the 1.100 range) of the brew, the faster the yeast will kick in. I have collected and propagated the 099 after each lemon aid brew and it appears the strain has become a bit more "acid resistant" over successive brews (up to 7 brews with yeast samples from one brew being grown on plates, then propagated from the plate to pitch rate for the next). Another experiment when i get back to look at the morphology of the normal 099 and the acid environment 099 (anyone have access to a gel electrophoresis setup?).

With that being said, the higher the gravity and acidity of the starter, the longer it takes to get to pitch rate. There was a significant lag in the starter (takes about 2 week to get to pitch levels) but when it was added to the brew, the lag of the total batch (12 gal) was significantly reduced.

Just my observations

Jason

Hmm, so were you calculating pitch rate on the 1040 starter for the SG of the brew? Two weeks to grow a pitch would test even my patience.
Sounds like something of a "special case" scenario. No doubt the yeast adaptation to the acid/high gravity environment will have altered some of its characteristics. Wondering if it would be suitable for many other styles?
My big beers show active fermentation in less than 12 hrs and are rocking by 24 hrs, so haven't had any problem with long lags. Now I'll let them go for up to 3 weeks or so to finish, but I think that just helps them "clean up". Just my (limited) experience.
jim
Glad you're headed back.
Safe travels

[Jdl973]

Jim

I calculated the SG on the 1.1 ish. Bet the acid plays a bigger part in the slow lag. This yeast was only used on the one beer, otherwise I only use it for the lemon brew.

Jason