Wyeast London ESB Ale 1968...advices?

okoncentrerad

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For my next brew, of a british bitter, I'm thinking of using this yeast...Wyeast 1968. Considering my earlier problems, most noticable with the british beers (mentioned here), I want to go with some other yeast than I've used on those. I been reading up some on that yeast, and some other british style ale yeasts, and understand they can be a bit difficult to control. If I understand correctly, seems like most common is to start at low end of recommended temperature range, then go to 20C/68F for some days, and then up to 22C/72F for a diacetyl rest for a few days and also give the fermenter a shake now and then.

Does anyone have any thoughs of this yeast, any advice and/or recommendations?

This time I will use (if my wife allows me...) a small freezer and a Inkbird temp. controller for fermentation control. To get the temp. right I was thinking the best way is to attach the sensor directly to the fermentor + use some insulation over it so it will read the actual temp of the wort, or as close as possible at least. Any advice regarding this?
 
I never had issues with English yeast strains. 1968 is a very good and flocculant one. For bitters, I would also use 1469 ( Timothy Taylor yeast ).

I like english yeast, as I do not usually bother that much with ferm. temps. Pitch yeast at 18C, raise to 20 C and let it ferment there. Raise temp again to 21 or 22C after the first 5 days to encourage the yeast to finish and clean after itself.
 
If diacetyl is in any way contributing to your problems, 1968 can make it worse as it's a know offender. There are ways to avoid any issues, but I'm wondering if you might start with something less diacetyl prone just to take it out of the equation a bit. I've used S-04 exlusively for English styles and never had any diacetyl from it.
 
I would second S-04 in english styles. Very good attenuation and flocculation.

I would also recommend Danstar Windsor, also dry and estery, which you will find many threads about, but will suffer from low attenuation. I just did 3 brews with this yeast and got 70, 71 and 73% AA, whereas most would not get past 65-68% AA. I just mashed low and used sugar in the kettle.
 
I've used S-04 twice (and Nottinghame once) with so-and-so result. Hence my thought of trying something else... since I've already purchased Wyeast 1968 and I think for this brew I might as well use it....can't get worse than the previous ones :rolleyes:

As mentioned in my earlier thread I'm about to make some changes when brewing, use another source of water, different yeast, better fermentation control and certainly going through my equipment thoroughly with cleaning and sanitation. If this makes a successful brew I will try get back some bit by bit to see what happens, like use my own well water again.
 
If diacetyl is in any way contributing to your problems, 1968 can make it worse as it's a know offender. There are ways to avoid any issues, but I'm wondering if you might start with something less diacetyl prone just to take it out of the equation a bit. I've used S-04 exlusively for English styles and never had any diacetyl from it.
Yes it might be worse, that's what I've been reading about some of the english yeasts, they need more TLC than some of the others. But, since I've already bought it I want to use it :D I got myself to blame....

I been trying to read up on off-flavors but can't really find some that I feel fits. Diacetyl is said to be a buttery taste, Estery is said to be a fruity taste...none of these is how I would describe my off flavor. But still I'm wondering if fermentation isn't quite a part of my problem, I remembered some day ago that prior to pitching my last brew (an ESB with S-04) I had a sample taste of it, just to check if I had my off flavor in it..and I didn't taste anything of it. However, drinking that first bottle last weekend I was hit on the nose with it.
 
I never had issues with English yeast strains. 1968 is a very good and flocculant one. For bitters, I would also use 1469 ( Timothy Taylor yeast ).

I like english yeast, as I do not usually bother that much with ferm. temps. Pitch yeast at 18C, raise to 20 C and let it ferment there. Raise temp again to 21 or 22C after the first 5 days to encourage the yeast to finish and clean after itself.
Thank you!
How about giving the fermentation bucket a rouse/shake after a week, I've seen that been mentioned in some places?

How long do you keep it in fermentation? How long conditioning before drinking?
 
Have you tried giving some samples to other people? Maybe they can help to identify it, everyone's palates are different
 
Have you tried giving some samples to other people? Maybe they can help to identify it, everyone's palates are different
Yes I wish I knew more homebrewers, I've given 2 others, one being new homebrewer like myself, some bottles of my second IPA since they are IPA-lovers... but, first the taste wasn't that obvious in that brew and second it seemed to fade away after a month so. But you're right, I should give them a bottle of my worst too... just to see if they can put the taste into words.
 
Most english yeast, both dry and liquid, will be finished fermenting after 5 days and will require additional days just to make sure they have a change to finish and clean after themselves. Depending on the style you are brewing ( lower ABV pale ales and IPAs can have a shorter turnaround time ), any beer would be ready between 10 and 20 days. I made a New England IPA with Wyeast 1318 and it was ready to drink at day 16 from brewing.

Usually, give a beer some time. Don't touch it the first 10 days. At day 10, take a gravity sample to see if the beer has finished. Day 15 take another one, just to be sure that gravity is unchanged, which means the yeast is done fermenting. A higher ABV beer will most likely require a bit more time, not because fermentation will take so long, but mostly so the yeast can clean itself up and the beer can " settle ". You can easily leave a 9-10% beer in the fermenter for 25-30 days and then keg/bottle it. The conditioning part comes once the beer is kegged or bottled. This can be absent for some styles and longer for others.

Bottle conditioning seems to work better for most brewers and for me. Kegging is very apropriate to styles proned to oxidation and which are meant to be consumed fresh, like IPAs, NEIPAs, pale ales, etc. ( no conditioning time ). A Belgian Dubbel or anything Imperial dark/complex, will take some months, although they can be good at just 1 month.
 
Thank you, I've been keeping my beers for at least 2 weeks in the fermentor, up to 3 weeks so I don't think thats been my problem. When it come to conditioning I'm still a bit confused, so far I've waited 2 weeks from bottling day to have a first taste and it's just really my last Amerian IPA that I can say turned out good during that time. The other 2 IPAs needed longer time and the british style beers ... still waiting for those :( My reason for asking conditioning time was after reading this article, it mention at least 3 months time before drinking, and up to at least 6 months in some cases.
 
My tip is set it free in a starter first 1 - 1.5 lt worth at 1.040 then pitch that into your chilled wort this should liven up the fermentation for you and give them every chance of making you a healthy batch or beer.

Dont shake the fermentor but swirl dont want that cardboard o2 in it. Good luck.
 
My tip is set it free in a starter first 1 - 1.5 lt worth at 1.040 then pitch that into your chilled wort this should liven up the fermentation for you and give them every chance of making you a healthy batch or beer.

Dont shake the fermentor but swirl dont want that cardboard o2 in it. Good luck.
I'm brewing small batches, 10 liter (2.5 gallon) into fermentor ... is making a starter still a good idea for that? So far (using dry yeast) I pitched it directly on to the wort.

And hmm...not shake the fermentor, that's what I've done to my brews so far, I've been under the impression getting oxygen into the wort was a good thing during pitching?
 
I'm brewing small batches, 10 liter (2.5 gallon) into fermentor ... is making a starter still a good idea for that? So far (using dry yeast) I pitched it directly on to the wort.

And hmm...not shake the fermentor, that's what I've done to my brews so far, I've been under the impression getting oxygen into the wort was a good thing during pitching?
Pre fermentation shake as much as you want post nope less O2 is best. Yeah pitch your dry yeast I recon I'd still make a starter at that scale I'd just make a smaller one That's just me though.
 
I wouldn’t make a starter for that or any other sized batch. That’s just me though.
 
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