Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Wy2206 doesn't like me.  (Read 2830 times)

Offline Poobah58

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 119
Wy2206 doesn't like me.
« on: February 07, 2012, 05:02:04 pm »
These puppies are slow. A year and a half ago I used it in  a Dunkel. I under pitched (too lazy)
and it took a week to see activity. Beer turned out great though. Saturday I brewed up a Munich Helles. I started ranching about 10 days prior (pack was 2 yrs old). Got it up to 5500mL for a 15 gallon batch (yea, I know but it should be enough). Friday I put 3600ml of it in my 50-55 DegF garage and decanted that night. Mixed in the remaining flask after temp stabilized and put back onto stir plate. After brewing I cooled the wort to 69F and put in in my fermentation chamber at 50F. After 2 hours I put the yeast in the chamber then pitched 1 hour later. Did not see any activity until this morning. I oxygenated the wort and added yeast nutrient during boil and riled it up several times on Sunday. I'm sure it will be fine. I just never get this kind of lag with any other yeast. Ale or lager. Anyone else have issues with this yeast?
« Last Edit: February 07, 2012, 05:04:28 pm by poobah58 »
You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning!

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Wy2206 doesn't like me.
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2012, 05:18:11 pm »
I haven't had any issues with it. Pitching warm and then cooling the wort will increase the lag time, and that could be all you're seeing.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline seajellie

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 104
Re: Wy2206 doesn't like me.
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2012, 10:26:15 am »
Here here, I can't allow this yeast to be bad mouthed; it's probably my favorite!

Just teasing - but I do love this yeast. I've probably made 15 lagers with it in the past three years, and the only time I faced any challenges with it was once when it arrived frozen solid. It thawed and still made some very good beers.

I routinely smack the pack six hours or so in advance and pitch it direct to 45 degree wort. Yup, I'm a radical, a yeast outlaw, but that's typically to a 2.5 gallon 1.045 starter extract beer, so there's not a lot of investment in it. I harvest the yeast from there and use standard pitching rates. I've not had a problem with this yeast in any of those cases.

Supposedly, this is the same yeast as WL820. There, I will not argue with you. I've had many issues getting that yeast going, with or without starters.

One interesting thing I find with this yeast is that the start of the keg has an amazing full malt flavor, regardless of whether I'm predominantly using pils, vienna, or munich malt. Then after a gallon or two, that big malt flavor diminishes somewhat. I'd love to know what that's about; perhaps it's the flavor of the yeast cells themselves. I find that possibility intriguing, considering what yeast typically tastes like.

Offline Thirsty_Monk

  • Brewmaster General
  • *******
  • Posts: 2514
  • Eau Claire WI
    • Lazy Monk Brewing
Re: Wy2206 doesn't like me.
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2012, 07:40:48 pm »
One interesting thing I find with this yeast is that the start of the keg has an amazing full malt flavor, regardless of whether I'm predominantly using pils, vienna, or munich malt. Then after a gallon or two, that big malt flavor diminishes somewhat. I'd love to know what that's about; perhaps it's the flavor of the yeast cells themselves. I find that possibility intriguing, considering what yeast typically tastes like.
That might be due carbonation level.
Just speculation thou.
Na Zdravie

Lazy Monk Brewing
http://www.lazymonkbrewing.com

Offline Pinski

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1943
  • Portland, Oregon
Re: Wy2206 doesn't like me.
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2012, 08:33:46 pm »
I'm planning on using this yeast this weekend in a split batch comparison to the WY2001. Half will be for a non-brewer buddy of mine that wants to make a batch using exclusively the Mt. Hood hops he grew at home. Should be fun. 
Steve Carper
Green Dragon Brewers
Clubs: Oregon Brew Crew & Strange Brew
BJCP Certified