[chumley]

I've had good results with 1187 even though everyone seems to hate it

You're not alone.  I am another big fan of Ringwood.

[dzlater]

London Ale III, which I believe is the Boddington's strain, is a fairly neutral English yeast if you're out to avoid too much yeast flavor. If you decide to get off the English ale kick you can keep using that yeast to brew those Vermont-style IPA/APAs.

When I use liquid yeast London Ale III is my go to.

[unclebrazzie]

Just initiated a starter (started an initiator?) of WY1275 Thames Valley. Let's see how this baby rolls.

[johnnyb]

I've had good results with 1187 even though everyone seems to hate it

You're not alone.  I am another big fan of Ringwood.

The reason I don't like it is for about a decade one of the local brewpubs used it for every single beer they brewed. Pale ale, Red, Brown, Porter, Stout, IPA... Everything.

To me it imparts a very unique "maltiness" kind of thing that cuts through all the other flavor profiles of whatever style it's used in. After a while all I could taste was the yeast no matter what style I was drinking.

 

[stpug]

I've had good results with 1187 even though everyone seems to hate it

You're not alone.  I am another big fan of Ringwood.

The reason I don't like it is for about a decade one of the local brewpubs used it for every single beer they brewed. Pale ale, Red, Brown, Porter, Stout, IPA... Everything.

To me it imparts a very unique "maltiness" kind of thing that cuts through all the other flavor profiles of whatever style it's used in. After a while all I could taste was the yeast no matter what style I was drinking.

I can understand when a yeast is so distinct that it's distracting from the rest of a beer, especially if put in a style not generally known for it's yeast character. MJ Burton Union has that same potential to me, although I was able to stop using it when I wanted - good yeast, distinct, just not for every beer, and certainly not for every style of beer.

From what I've gathered, 1187, although called "ringwood", is not the true Ringwood yeast used by the likes of Shipyard Brewing or the over-the-pond breweries. My understanding is that the original Ringwood yeast is actually a blend of yeasts and that it's in that blend where the Shipyard (and related) yeast character comes from. Fortunately, or unfortunately, 1187 doesn't seem to live up to the same description as old-school ringwood. I've always found it pretty mellow, a bit fruity fermented at upper-end, and fairly neutral fermented at lower end, but that's just been my impressions.

[erockrph]

My only issue with Ringwood is that most commercial breweries using it end up putting out massive butterbombs. I have no doubt that in the hands of a knowledgeable homebrewer it can produce good beer.

[johnnyb]

I've had good results with 1187 even though everyone seems to hate it

You're not alone.  I am another big fan of Ringwood.

The reason I don't like it is for about a decade one of the local brewpubs used it for every single beer they brewed. Pale ale, Red, Brown, Porter, Stout, IPA... Everything.

To me it imparts a very unique "maltiness" kind of thing that cuts through all the other flavor profiles of whatever style it's used in. After a while all I could taste was the yeast no matter what style I was drinking.

I can understand when a yeast is so distinct that it's distracting from the rest of a beer, especially if put in a style not generally known for it's yeast character. MJ Burton Union has that same potential to me, although I was able to stop using it when I wanted - good yeast, distinct, just not for every beer, and certainly not for every style of beer.

From what I've gathered, 1187, although called "ringwood", is not the true Ringwood yeast used by the likes of Shipyard Brewing or the over-the-pond breweries. My understanding is that the original Ringwood yeast is actually a blend of yeasts and that it's in that blend where the Shipyard (and related) yeast character comes from. Fortunately, or unfortunately, 1187 doesn't seem to live up to the same description as old-school ringwood. I've always found it pretty mellow, a bit fruity fermented at upper-end, and fairly neutral fermented at lower end, but that's just been my impressions.

That's interesting -- thanks! I'm sure the brewpub I was talking about is using the same stuff Shipyard is using.

Maybe some time I'll give 1187 a shot because now I'm curious about it.

[stpug]

That's interesting -- thanks! I'm sure the brewpub I was talking about is using the same stuff Shipyard is using.

Maybe some time I'll give 1187 a shot because now I'm curious about it.

I just picked up a Shipyard Export for the purpose of tasting some diacetyl/butter, and comparing yeast characteristics against my special bitter brewed with 1187. I'll post back anything meaningful.

[narvin]

Shipyard pushes their beer out fast because they only care about selling that pie spice beer.  I wouldn't take their house flavor as evidence of anything other than carelessness.

Traditionally, ringwood yeast is roused and aerated daily in open fermenters using something that almost looks like a shower head.  This produces fast (and high) attenuation, a unique character, and very mild diacetyl.

https://youtu.be/HGIThQ7w0ls

[S. cerevisiae]

Traditionally, ringwood yeast is roused and aerated daily in open fermenters using something that almost looks like a shower head.  This produces fast (and high) attenuation, a unique character, and very mild diacetyl.

I believe that the rousing/yeast aeration spray head is called a fishtail (that's what Michael Lewis called it in "Brewing").  It is a component of the Yorkshire square system.

One can see the device being used to rouse and aerate the yeast at the Blacksheep Brewery in this video:

https://youtu.be/KJmLNj14C_w?t=20s

If the video linked above does not make one question the "Don't rack your beer to a secondary because it will oxidize it" dogma that is spouted by well-meaning home brewers who are merely parroting what they obtained from a brewing misinformation center like HBT, nothing will.

True-blue Ringwood can be thing of beauty or a cruel mistress.  It is a multi-strain Yorkshire culture that was originally used at Webster's Brewery in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire.  The culture was also used at the Hull Brewery, which is where Peter Austin obtained it.  Wyeast 1187 and White Labs WLP005 are single-strain cultures.

[Pinski]

I like the Whitbread dry WY1099.

[narcout]

I like the Whitbread dry WY1099.

I like the Whitbread dry as well (though isn't it WY1098?).

I think it is the same strain as S-04 and similar to the one used by Stone.

[HoosierBrew]

I like the Whitbread dry as well (though isn't it WY1098?).

I think it is the same strain as S-04 and similar to the one used by Stone.

Yep. Good strain.

[ynotbrusum]

I will admit to being an outlier here:

Give WLP 004 a try on an English Bitter.  I really like it, even though it is an Irish Ale yeast by moniker.

[Pinski]

I like the Whitbread dry as well (though isn't it WY1098?).

I think it is the same strain as S-04 and similar to the one used by Stone.

Yep. Good strain.

Yep, my bad, I often get my Whitbreads crossed.
Back in the early nineties, the literally DRY Whitbread brewing yeast was my go-to. Wonder if it's still made?