Wibbler/Essex Ale yeast

[Simonh82]

Has anyone used the Wibbler brewery yeast strain, reported to be Whitbread (B), also used by the now defunct Ridley's Brewery. Apparently it is also available as White Lab's WLP022 Essex Ale strain.

The brewery will send you a vile for £3 and I've heard good things about it online. Various comments in forums suggest it gives pleasant fruit esters, good attenuation (reported up to 83%) and medium/good flocculation, it is also apparently good for top cropping as it produces an enormous krausen.

I'm thinking about giving liquid yeast a go on my next brew and this seems like just the thing. I'm looking for a few more reviews as there isn't that much about it.

 

[MyQul]

Interesting to know they'll send you some brewery yeast. How did you find this out? Wonder if their bottled beers are bottle conditioned using the primary strain?

 

[Simonh82]

Interesting to know they'll send you some brewery yeast. How did you find this out? Wonder if their bottled beers are bottle conditioned using the primary strain?

I think I first heard mention of it being used in a Worthington White Shield clone. I'm sure they said it reached 83% attenuation which got me interested. I can't find that thread now so I may have made it up. Anyway I did a bit of research and a few people have mentioned it in a positive light but there isn't a lot of info on it.

The reviews on the White Labs site for their Essex strain are universally good. I think it has to be worth a shot.

You can order it from the Wibbler's brewery website.

I'm thinking of using it in a well hopped best bitter. Hopefully I'll get some pleasant fruit esters coming through.