[Stevie]

I brewed a split batch pale ale half with White Labs Conan and half with 001. Bittered with Columbus and finished with Idaho 7 and Exp Lemon Zest. The keg with Conan has a distinct herbal flavor that I can only describe as sage. It’s bad enough to dump. The only difference between the two kegs is the yeast. Biotransformation? Other thoughts?

[skyler]

I used A04 a bunch. I got powdery yeast, peachy esters, lowish attenuation, and a rich, silky body. I never encountered "herbal" flavors.

I fermented from 60-68F. Unworthy yeast, IMO.

[Stevie]

Think I traced it. I had homemade ginger ale on this line for a while and it wasn’t coming through on the previous beers or blended well with them. Still on the fence with Conan.

[chinaski]

I found Conan to be a peculiar yeast that needs to have recipes designed for it.  I know that the versions that I cultured and are likely being sold commercially are probably not the same as those being used at the source (The Alchemist and VT Pub and Brewery) because they like originate from packaged beer rather than the fermenter.  The beers I made with it that I enjoyed all needed some simple sugar to dry them out enough.  I only once got off flavor from it, and that was after storing slurry for quite a long period of time.