Wyeast 1275 Thames Valey

[mysterio]

I smacked this yeast earlier today and I plan to use it in a Timothy Taylor Landlord style bitter. Anyone have any experience with this yeast? I plan to do a few 10 gallon batches with the same yeast so I hope it's a good 'un.

[steve_flack]

Not used it myself but isn't that the old Brakspear yeast?

[deadlydes]

yeah i have used it a few times and thought it was great.
i used it in an irish stout which was the best i have done yet.
also worked well in a 1063 dark ale and a northern brown ale 1052.

[mysterio]

I think it is the Brackspear yeast, yeah.

[iowalad]

I have been pretty happy with it. It seems pretty clean. Does seem to be real fruity.

I am using it in a mild and a bitter in the next 30 days.

[mysterio]

This yeast is taking forever to ferment out. Nine days and it's still going.

[deadlydes]

i didnt have that problem
is it fermented now? i am sure it will be fine though

[mysterio]

After two weeks I racked it to kegs and it started dropping gravity again. I've given it a taste and it's still a little bit on the sweet side. I wonder what I did wrong with this one. I pitched a well aerated 3 litre starter into a well aerated 10 gallon batch - maybe I just need to ferment it slightly warmer.

[mysterio]

Good point, could well be. I roused the yeast once during fermentation by stirring the top layer in but the head developed again in a few hours. Are you supposed to rouse yeasts like that a few times?

[iowalad]

When I used TV in the past the fermentation seemed a bit drawn out but I don't recall it going on as long as yours (more like a week before it hit FG). I have never roused this yeast.

As to my current batch. I made a starter on Friday and brewed/pitched on Sunday to a well aerated 5 gal batch. There wasn't much action by Sunday night (but had furnace problems and it got a bit chilly). Monday night it was going great guns. Unfortunately I managed to bust my hydrometer on Sunday as well so figuring out when I am at FG will be a bit guess.

I will keep you updated Mysterio. I hope I don't have any real issues with this yeast as am using Jim's yeast propogation method with it and plan on using it for a number of batches this year.

[mysterio]

Thanks iowalad, i'm probably stressing over nothing though. I broke my hydrometer last week too so what the FG on this batch is anyones guess

[Hoppkins]

My cat broke my hydrometer last week! *shakes fist*

[iowalad]

I think primary fermentation has run its course oon the thames valley batch. I don't know as I have no hydrometer . . . smells lovely.

[Horden Hillbilly]

My Whitelab Burton Ale Yeast is performing the same as Wyeast Thames Valley by the sound of it, I believe that they are similar if not identical yeast strains.

The bitter I started a week ago today took a couple of days before the yeast kicked in, It started at og 1046, it has only dropped to 1024 in a week, although the temperature did fall below 18c a couple of times during the night, on one particular morning when I got up the temperature was only 15c, obviously that would not have helped!

I am not unduly worried though, it is still fermenting slowly & I have just gently stirred the brew, the yeast was floating on top of the brew & in another post Bitter Ted did warn me that it is a slow starter.

http://jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... highlight=

The first beer I made using it was cracking though, worth putting up with a slightly longer fermentation type & gentle stirring of the brew.

[mysterio]

Yeah sounds like a similar strain. Wyeast TV just flocc'd on top without really fermenting the beer. It's dried out now though, so no worries