WLP029

[BrewMasterBrad]

Has anyone used the White Labs WLP029 yeast before? I have made one Kolsch before, but I used the Wyeast 2565 yeast that time. I am considering making two Kolsch recipes in January to compare them. What I am really wondering is if the WLP029 is more of a bottom fermenting or top fermenting yeast.

Brad

[dhempy]

Has anyone used the White Labs WLP029 yeast before? I have made one Kolsch before, but I used the Wyeast 2565 yeast that time. I am considering making two Kolsch recipes in January to compare them. What I am really wondering is if the WLP029 is more of a bottom fermenting or top fermenting yeast.

Brad

I've used it and as I recall the temp called for was warmer than for the Wyeast ... but I dont' recall lookng to see if it was a top or bottom fermenter. That said, I like the Wyeast flavor profile better.

Dan

[lars]

I've used both WLP 029 and the wyeast equivalent. Personally, I prefer the wyeast but I have not tasted them side by side to provide a more detailed comparison. I have two vials of 029 in the fridge now and will prob brew another kolsch before too much longer.

[Marotte Brewery]

I've used the 029 a few times with great results. If I remember correctly, it was definitely a top fermenting yeast. Since I don't have any temperature control on my fermentation bathtub, it usually hovers around 70 depending on the season. With a bucket and some frozen water bottles, I can get it lower, but only a few degrees.

Anyway. the first time I made an extract Kolsch that turned out good, but the best results were using this yeast with an all grain Belgian Wit recipe. My neighbor made his first Belgian Wit using the WLP400, and it turned out awful. He dumped the batch.

So the next time, we made 10 gallons and tried 2 different yeasts to eliminate that as a variable. The Belgain Wit batch was crap, and like I said before, the Kolsch turned out great! I'm not sure what was wrong with the yeast, or if we just didn't like the flavor of the result. It could have just needed some aging, but we are impatient.

Anyway, long story long, I highly recommend it for light summer beers.

[brahn]

Brad, this is the yeast you ended up using for your kolsch beers, right? What temperature did you ferment at? I've got a starter going right now and I think I'm going to brew an american rye beer this week using it. I'm planning on fermenting at around 65F.

[BrewMasterBrad]

I fermented at 65 with this yeast. Seems to work pretty well.

[oc eric]

WLP 029 is a top fermenting Ale yeast. I used it in my Kolsch at the last meeting. Never tried the Wyeast. Fermented at 68 for a few days, then down to 65.

No special instructions on the bottle, but I would go colder. I'm going to try 60 on my next batch and see what it does.