WLP4000 Vermont Ale attenuation experiences?

[foxbat]

I'm going to be brewing a session APA in a few weeks and was looking for any feedback anyone's got on the typical attenuation of this yeast because I've never used it before.

I'll be mashing at 66 and fermenting at 19C for 3 days then 20 to finish. The grist is nothing special, 95% extra pale malt and 5% torrified wheat. Beersmith tells me to expect 1.038 -> 1.006 for 83% attenuation.

I've seen the odd report on the internet about low attenuation and was wondering what other people had experienced. For some reason I usually seem to hit the high end of the manufacturer's range, possibly because I build starters and try to always get a good water profile and mash pH.

 

[Martybhoy]

I've used it twice, and got 77% and 78%. I really like it.

 

[foxbat]

I've used it twice, and got 77% and 78%. I really like it.

Can you remember the temperature you mashed at?

 

[Ajhutch]

1.062 - 1.011 last time I used it. That was mashing at 67. The vial was a month out of date but I made a starter a bit bigger than I normally would to make up for it.

 

[Martybhoy]

Can you remember the temperature you mashed at?

I mashed at 65°c both times.

I also used an air stone for 30 minutes prior to pitching. Since using an air stone, I've always had decent attenuation.

 

[Martybhoy]

Oh, one of the batches (a tropical ipa) also had 250g white sugar in it. This was a 10ltr batch.

That would have helped with attenuation. Although the second brew didn't have any sugar in it at all.

 

[foxbat]

This all sounds promising. I'll plan for 80% and see what happens.

 

[Ajhutch]

I’m going to be repitching Vermont tomorrow as well. Will see how it goes second time around.

 

[Hoddy]

Liquid yeast bay Vermont just gets better the more times you repitch it. It hits a peak for flavour and attenuation at about generation 5 or 6.


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[Ajhutch]

More IPAs on the way then! Have to say I wanted to drink the decanted spent wort from the slurry I’d kept. The pineapple aroma was amazing

 

[foxbat]

I pitched a litre starter of the Vermont yeast last night into a 1.039 session APA. 24 hours later and it's bubbling like crazy and throwing off some very tasty smells. I have a feeling this one will attenuate well. I tipped the lot into the fermenter without decanting because it was taking a long time to flocculate.

 

[Ajhutch]

Second generation made into a starter did 1.053 - 1.010 in a week. It’s a great yeast. It’s smelling and tasting great, I racked before dry hopping so I could harvest again

 

[Martybhoy]

Ajhutch and Foxbat, totally agree. I've made two brews with Vermont Ale Yeast and was really impressed with it. My favourite yeast.

I over built the starter in my last brew and still have some in the fridge for a rainy day.

 

[foxbat]

I kegged mine last night. 1.039 down to 1.007 in 12 days for 84% attenuation. Exactly as predicted by Beersmith and I'm really happy with that. The beer smells wonderful and the FG sample tastes on point. Need to leave it for a couple of weeks to carbonate and condition in the keg now.

 

[foxbat]

I'm drinking mine now after a week in the keg and its bright already without keg finings or cold crash. Lovely soft mouthfeel. Seriously impressed and wishing I'd overbuilt my starter so I'd have more in the fridge. Grain to glass in 19 days. Awesome yeast.

 

[foxbat]

I bought another vial and got a starter on yesterday that appears to be done already in just 24 hours. This one's going into a Nelson Sauvin/Galaxy ale and I remembered to overbuild this time so I'll have some in the fridge for a later brew. It does seem quite an aggressive fast fermenter which makes sense since they say it has English origins.