Fuller's ESB - Which Yeast

[Matt12398]

Planning on doing a Fuller's ESB. I would have thought that would mean using WLP002 but I read a few posts with people recommending a different ESB strain which I have completely forgotten the number for.

Does anyone know which works best with the ESB?

[Dave S]

Planning on doing a Fuller's ESB. I would have thought that would mean using WLP002 but I read a few posts with people recommending a different ESB strain which I have completely forgotten the number for.

Does anyone know which works best with the ESB?

There's also yeast from a bottle of Bengal Lancer of course. I wouldn't mind betting it's the same as that used in ESB. Had a bottle of ESB last night and rather nice it was too.

[ercol]

I can confirm this (Bengal Lancer yeast being their main strain).

Having done this myself before Christmas, i read somewhere that John Keeling - Fullers Head Brewer - has previously also confirmed this, so was good enough for me. I 'cultured' the yeast by dumping the dregs of 2 bottles of Bengal Lancer in to a small quantity of unfermented wort i'd kept from a previous batch. Gave it a good shake and waited a couple of days - small amount of activity appeared so i topped it up with more wort - waited a couple more days then stuck it in the fridge for an hour (to help yeast etc settle) Poured off the majority of the liquid, and pitched it in to the freshly brewed ESB.

Took about 24 hours to take off properly but the result was pretty damn close to the real thing (i substituted the bittering hops....) Possible slight indications of underpitching on the yeast front so it may be worth growing it on further for a full batch to avoid that.

Great yeast though - and have used it numerous times since - twice pitching on to yeast cake from the ESB batch, and even better the bottles of ESB have a much more healthy quantity of yeast in the bottom of them so i've 'cultured' that numerous times more recently for further batches of other beers.

[Matt12398]

So Bengal Lancer and ESB have the same yeast and that being their main strain should be equivalent to WLP002?

[Dave S]

So Bengal Lancer and ESB have the same yeast and that being their main strain should be equivalent to WLP002?

Dunno, but if you want it the same I'd go for BL, but maybe as ercol suggested - grow it a bit more before pitching.

[ercol]

Sorry, cant comment on the WLP002 as never used it (or knowingly had any beer that did). As i understand it though, yes, Fullers use the same yeast for all their standard beers.

Obviously theres more time/potential for failure/etc involved in the 'culturing' (although not nearly as complicated as some people make it seem....) but personally i liked the idea of trying to get it from the bottle of BL - i guess on the cost of couple of bottles you're not actually saving any money on a liquid yeast, but hey at least you know its fresh, is actually direct from Fullers themselves and of course you get to drink the 2 bottles of Lancer as a bonus....

[Dave S]

Sorry, cant comment on the WLP002 as never used it (or knowingly had any beer that did). As i understand it though, yes, Fullers use the same yeast for all their standard beers.

Obviously theres more time/potential for failure/etc involved in the 'culturing' (although not nearly as complicated as some people make it seem....) but personally i liked the idea of trying to get it from the bottle of BL - i guess on the cost of couple of bottles you're not actually saving any money on a liquid yeast, but hey at least you know its fresh, is actually direct from Fullers themselves and of course you get to drink the 2 bottles of Lancer as a bonus....

I disagree! BL is just under 2 quid a bottle, but the beauty is you get to drink 95% of it

[subfaction]

I've cultured it successfully, great yeast!

[jmc]

So Bengal Lancer and ESB have the same yeast and that being their main strain should be equivalent to WLP002?

I've read that they use same strain used for ESB, Pride, Bengal Lancer & 1845.

I've harvested both Bengal Lancer & 1845 successfully. I've tried WLP002 as well.
They were all good
Great flavour and drops like a stone.
Its my favoured yeast for English Ales when fermented at 20C.

I've even used if successfully for some blonde hoppy beers, (for which US05 / WLP001 is normally recommended). With blond hoppy brews I've kept temp in 18-18.5C region to reduce esters and they've tasted great with much better flocculation than US05 / WLP001 and it leaves a bit more residual sweetness that I prefer.

[Matt12398]

Great comments guys. It's good to know I have the option reculture from the bottle. I love Fuller's beers so have no issue with buying plenty. Great beer plus free yeast, what more can you ask for.

JMC, did you notice any real difference between beer brewed with what you grew up from the bottle and from the White Labs vial?

[Goulders]

Also Brewlabs TV3

[Matt12398]

Someone else told me that today about the relevant Brewlabs equivalent. Do you think though that they are value for money though considering having to step them up?

[Goulders]

Definitely value for money, but you can always split a vial for future use too if you want to go that way. Read Wolfy's post on stepping up from a slant and there is a video here too Link, but you don't need the pressure cooker.

Guide on how to culture from a bottle here

[jmc]

...
JMC, did you notice any real difference between beer brewed with what you grew up from the bottle and from the White Labs vial?

I don't remember there being any significant difference.