WLP001 attenuation?

TheRedDarren · Nov 3, 2015

Eey oop,
just wondering if anyone has got any experience with using this yeast?
I've just made a Sierra Nevada pale ale clone and would really like to nail the numbers if poss.
OG is 1.057 (.001 out) so I'm happy with that. But my plan is based on 75% attenuation and if that is correct I'll get 5.6 % abv, bang on.
If it goes higher I could end up with another 1% on top of that which I really don't want.
My last two brews have gone to 6.1% instead of 5.2% and 5.9% instead of 5%
which will leave me smashed at Xmas!
My 005 regularly gets 80-82% instead of the 67 - 74% on the White Labs website which is why I'm asking for any first hand experience.
Thanks in advance!

TartanSpecial · Nov 3, 2015

I was told it performed almost exactly the same as saf05 but I haven't used it myself.

rodabod · Nov 3, 2015

Depends on fermentability. I can also hit over 80%, but you are less likely to hit that with for example, a 70c mash.

TheRedDarren · Nov 4, 2015

Ah ok, I didn't realise it was based on wort fermentability, I though it was was about how the yeast handled alcohol levels.
Righto, I shall keep and eye on it and reduce the temp when it hits 75%

TheRedDarren · Nov 4, 2015

TartanSpecial said:
I was told it performed almost exactly the same as saf05 but I haven't used it myself.

Thanks mate, what do you get from saf05?

Covrich · Nov 4, 2015

TheRedDarren said:
Thanks mate, what do you get from saf05?

they quote 75% but I tend to get closer to 80% a lot of the time

GHW · Nov 4, 2015

TheRedDarren said:
Ah ok, I didn't realise it was based on wort fermentability, I though it was was about how the yeast handled alcohol levels.
Righto, I shall keep and eye on it and reduce the temp when it hits 75%

Reading your post Darren you might have misunderstood the point about wort fermentability. It's not about temp when you're fermenting, but about the temp you mash at. Higher mash temps result in fewer fermentable sugars in the wort, so you get lower attenuation (or apparent attenuation, as the yeast may have converted 75-80% of available sugars, theres just less of them).

If you didnt misunderstand, apologies! Don't mean to patronise. I only learned this stuff myself about a month ago.

TheRedDarren · Nov 4, 2015

Garethhuwwilliams said:
Reading your post Darren you might have misunderstood the point about wort fermentability. It's not about temp when you're fermenting, but about the temp you mash at. Higher mash temps result in fewer fermentable sugars in the wort, so you get lower attenuation (or apparent attenuation, as the yeast may have converted 75-80% of available sugars, theres just less of them).

If you didnt misunderstand, apologies! Don't mean to patronise. I only learned this stuff myself about a month ago.

It's ok, I should have made myself clear!
I understand about mash temps etc and the sugars released at different temperatures, what I meant was I'll monitor fermentation until I hit 75% then turn the temp down on the Fc to stop the yeast eating.
Thinking about it, that might be a recipe for bottle bombs...!
Oh well, we'll see how she goes.
I think the reason I'm getting higher than expected attenuation is because my mash tun loses 3~4*c over 90 mins, so the wort always turns out very ferment able.

I need some insulation or a better tun.

TartanSpecial · Nov 4, 2015

Darren..Hi, I think you've hit the nail on the head...its you mash temperature being on the lower side of things resulting in a higher proportion of fermentable sugars. Even with a higher temperature I think you might still come out higher than your target 5.6% using saf05. I plugged in a dummy recipe into beersmith with an OG of 1.057 and used saf05. At a mash temp of 66.7 deg C it comes out with an abv of 5.9%, and if the mash temp was lower at 64.4 deg c it would come out at 6.3% abv. You may need to take this into account for future brews if you want lower abv's in the brewed beer. Meanwhile for this batch if saf05 performs as it should you may need to plan to get smashed at Xmas :drunk:

Covrich · Nov 4, 2015

TheRedDarren said:
It's ok, I should have made myself clear!
I understand about mash temps etc and the sugars released at different temperatures, what I meant was I'll monitor fermentation until I hit 75% then turn the temp down on the Fc to stop the yeast eating.
Thinking about it, that might be a recipe for bottle bombs...!
Oh well, we'll see how she goes.
I think the reason I'm getting higher than expected attenuation is because my mash tun loses 3~4*c over 90 mins, so the wort always turns out very ferment able.

I need some insulation or a better tun.

Yeah I think you're right, I don't think cooling the fermented wort is a good idea, it will only go dormant.. unless you want to risk it with a weaker primer but that's just guessing really.. Better to know it has finished

TartanSpecial · Nov 4, 2015

..and I wouldn't try to artificially stop the fermentation by dropping the temp if you plan to carbonate naturally in the bottle per your 'bottle bomb' comment. I'd just let it do its stuff to its natural end point and re-name the brew strong xmas ale.
:drink:

TheRedDarren · Nov 4, 2015

Brilliant, just discovered another problem I didn't know I had!

WLP001 attenuation?

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