[Kaiser]

I was counting on that and on day 3 it hasn't happened yet?  I only have about 1 1/2 in of non yeasty head.

This is the first time I'm using this yeast.

Kai

[gordonstrong]

I use it a lot and it doesn't go crazy.  If it does, chances are it's too warm.

The ones that go ballistic on me are 3068 and 3787.  They seem "stickier" so the kraeusen doesn't collapse as quickly.  They just grow and grow and grow.  Like kudzu.

[euge]

I pitched some Sunday night and so far not seeing any kraeusen at all after 36 hours. First time with this yeast too.

Thought it looked a little strange in the vial. Almost like ricotta grains.

[Kaiser]

I pictched at 58F on Sunday night and have allowed the beer temp to climb to 66F where it is fermenting at now. There is lots of airlock activity. Just the Kraeusen doesn't want to grow like it does on the German ales (3068 and 1007 for example). I was hoping for a blow-off to keep the brown Kraeusen gunk from falling back into the beer.

This yeast is so flocculant that I was not able to get it un-flocculated in 2 hours on the stir plate with fresh wort. I then gave up w/o being able to count cells. I never had this problem before. Even highly flocculant lager strains like WY2206 readily de-flocculate in fresh wort within 30-60 min.

Kai

[bluesman]

I also use this yeast quite a bit and find it to be relatively tame. It flocculates very well so it finishes fairly quick. Again, this is my experience. It will depend on your temp and your OG.

It makes an excellent ESB.

[gordonstrong]

It's the most flocculant yeast I've ever used.  I've seen it fall out without finishing if it gets too cold.  Seems like it was around 65F.  I normally use it at about 68F.  Actual beer temp, not ambient.

[narvin]

It looks like egg drop soup on the stirplate after a day or two... really easy to tell when the starter is done.

[Kaiser]

I did a fast ferment test and will know if the yeast gave up early or not.

BTW, the experiment I have chosen for this beer is open vs closed fermentation. I hope that an English yeast lends itself to that.

[bluesman]

It looks like egg drop soup on the stirplate after a day or two... really easy to tell when the starter is done.

tell me about it...and Play Doh in the bottom of the fermenter after fermentation 

[hopfenundmalz]

I did a fast ferment test and will know if the yeast gave up early or not.

BTW, the experiment I have chosen for this beer is open vs closed fermentation. I hope that an English yeast lends itself to that.

Kai, we toured Fullers about 7 or 8 years back.  The guide said that the brewery had changed from open fermenters to conicals some years before.  It turned out to be a change that did not have impact on the beer's flavor, despite the worries of the brewers.

I don't know how your experiment is to run, and what outcomes you are measuring.  You might want to repeat with another strain.

[Kaiser]

I don't know how your experiment is to run, and what outcomes you are measuring.  You might want to repeat with another strain.

I'm just going to taste the beer, but thanks for the heads up.  I guess I'll have to run this experiment with a Weissbier yeast as well.

Kai

[narvin]

The yeast I hear a lot about with open fermentation is Ringwood (wlp005), also an English strain.  A local brewpub open ferments, rouses and aerates with a paddle during fermentation, and is done with primary fermentation in a few days.  They even crash cool  after primary.  Seems to go against conventional wisdom, but I taste very little diacetyl in their beers.

[euge]

I finally got active fermentation after 60 hours and raising the temp to 72F. At least I hope it's the yeast and not something else! I might have to eschew this strain for the time being if it's a finicky fermenter.

Wish it said something about this trait in the description.

[euge]

When this yeast finally got going on Wed it developed a large kraeusen and it dropped this morning. I tried to keep it at 70F- reducing ferm temp two degrees- was a little fearful it'd stall the activity but all's good. Just hope it turns out ok.

[oscarvan]

Not to change the subject too much, but my house APA uses WYL 1056, and twice now it's tried to climb out of the bucket through the air lock.....

Problem is, both times I was gone for three days, and came back to a rather bulging lid, just in time to pull the lock for the mother of all fermentation flatulations...... I don't want to have it hit the ceiling... any comments?