Wyeast 1968, How to succeed using this yeast Options

[Jeff Meyers]

I've had a love / hate relationship with this strain for 3 years now. I've not found a better English strain that gives the nice fruit esters. However....I've had VERY inconsistent results with attenuation. I've seen results as low as 55% and as high at 74%.

I've tried mashing low and mashing higher. I figured that mashing low (like 148F) would help me get close to 70% attenuation. Sometimes it would...sometimes it wouldn't. When mashing low.....I could still get "high final gravities" that still seemed thin when it came to mouthfeel.
I "do everything right" in the sense that I pump oxygen in the wort with a stone and pitch proper quantities.

The one thing I have not really done when using this strain is focusing on my temp toward the end of fermentation. I usually pitch around 70 degrees or slightly less and hold it in that range. I rarely swirled the carboy.

My latest batch was an ESB that crapped out at 1.025. I was not happy with this so I put a space heater near the 68 degree carboys and warmed up the beer to 74F. I spun the carboys to lift the yeast off the bottom of the glass to see if I could get these guys going again. It's been a little over a day and it appears that fermentation has taken off again. I will keep it warm a few more days and take a gravity reading.

I wonder if I just need to focus on keeping this strain warmer near the end of fermentation and off the bottom. I hope I've found the key to success with this yeast...

[northbound]

I plan to use 1968 for the first time next week. What are your OGs like and do you pitch from the pac or a starter?

[BFB]

I love this yeast too, but have never had the attentuation problems you speak of. I usually pitch in the 70 degree range and let it go from there. My basement is only about 62 degrees, so I do start swirling the fermenter on a daily basis (or a couple times a day) when I see signs that the fermentation is slowing.

I smacked a pack last night so I can make a starter today.

[Fauskie]

I made perhaps my best beer using this strain, an amber ale. I mashed at 153 and fermented for the first week and a half at 70. I then let the temperature rise to about 76 for another week and a half. My beer tastes clean and crisp, not alot of fruity esters at all. I was surprised at how much this strain acted like a lager yeast, though. It seemed to bottom ferment and even 2.5 weeks into fermentation it was still "throwing" yeast and sediment from the bottom of the carboy.
Anyway, that was my first time using the yeast, I harvested the slurry and plan on using it many, many more times.......

[Jeff Meyers]

I always pitch good quantities of cells. A 5 gallon batch around 1.055 OG or a little higher would always get a 2 liter starter. I've done a wide range of gravities with this strain. From 1.075 to 1.040

I use this strain to GET the fruit esters. Fullers is one of my favorite beer brands. I absolutely admire the yeast and malt character in their beers.

I truely wonder if I was not "working" this yeast. Normally ....I "set it and forget it" as Ron Popeil would say...

I suspect that swirling the carboy really does help.

I also suspect that the yeast is prone to go to sleep easily after the main attenuation has taken place. Consequently, keeping the temps up will help keep the yeast going.

This post has been edited by Jeff Meyers: Mar 1 2008, 01:47 PM