Orkney yeast?

[seymour]

Anyone know anything about the yeast Orkney uses, or how to get it? It looks like they offer live casks, which would likely contain the primary strain, but I've never seen any bottle-conditioned ones. Anyone ever captured the true Orkney yeast strain?

It seems most respectable Orkney clone recipes call for Wyeast 1728/White Labs WLP028, which is believed to be descended from the McEwans Scottish ale yeast. I love that yeast, it's one of my favorites, but I don't want to simply assume that every brewery in Scotland uses the exact same yeast. Other than the word "Scottish" in the brand name, do we have any good reason to believe this is what Orkney uses?

Thanks in advance for any info!

[gregorach]

I've no inside information on Orkney, but I'd be surprised if any brewery in Scotland is actually using the WY1728 strain... Every brewer I've actually spoken to* says the same thing - they use freeze-dried Nottingham, bought in bulk, just like damn near every other micro in the country. Nobody wants the trouble and commercial risk of managing their yeast, they just want to buy in something reliable and pitch fresh every time. I can't honestly say I blame them, but it does mean a lot of the beer tastes very "samey".

I've certainly never detected the WY1728 character in any of the Orkney beers. It's been a while since I tasted any of them, but if it's not Nottingham, I'd be pleasantly surprised.

*With one exception - John McGarva at Tryst. I he know runs his "own" strain, but I don't know the original provenance of it.

[Dave S]

I've just read a piece from the Scottish and Irish Ales - Society of Barley Engineers who recommend Caledonian Ale Yeast for Dark Island. Don't know if it's original or not.

[seymour]

Great info, thanks for sharing your "on the ground" intelligence, Dunc! I was hoping you'd ring in.

If you have a chance to drink a Dark Island again, I'd love to hear what you think. It seemed to me it had a slight acidic tartness, almost a sour bite, some nice fruity esters and black-peppery phenols. I suppose Nottingham could produce that profile with the right grainbill, some melanoidin-rich dark malt, maybe a little aciduated malt or pH treatment, and higher fermentation temps. I'm still intrigued.

[gregorach]

Dark Island isn't really an easy beer to play "spot the yeast" with... There's too much other stuff going on. Especially if you get the whisky-casked Special Reserve version.

[seymour]

I've just read a piece from the Scottish and Irish Ales - Society of Barley Engineers who recommend Caledonian Ale Yeast for Dark Island. Don't know if it's original or not.

Thanks, Dave. But what is "Caledonian Ale Yeast"? I'm familiar with the brewery, but is there a commercial yeast sold under the same name? Or are they recommending you somehow culture their yeast from bottles or something?

...especially if you get the whisky-casked Special Reserve version.

Oooooh, I wish! As far as I can tell, you guys keep the best stuff to yourself on that side of the pond.

[Dave S]

I've just read a piece from the Scottish and Irish Ales - Society of Barley Engineers who recommend Caledonian Ale Yeast for Dark Island. Don't know if it's original or not.

Thanks, Dave. But what is "Caledonian Ale Yeast"? I'm familiar with the brewery, but is there a commercial yeast sold under the same name? Or are they recommending you somehow culture their yeast from bottles or something?

...especially if you get the whisky-casked Special Reserve version.

Oooooh, I wish! As far as I can tell, you guys keep the best stuff to yourself on that side of the pond.

Don't know Seymour. It just said 'Use Cal Ale Yeast'. I haven't been through the White Labs/Wyeast lists to see if it's named.

[seymour]

I've just read a piece from the Scottish and Irish Ales - Society of Barley Engineers who recommend Caledonian Ale Yeast for Dark Island. Don't know if it's original or not.

Thanks, Dave. But what is "Caledonian Ale Yeast"? I'm familiar with the brewery, but is there a commercial yeast sold under the same name? Or are they recommending you somehow culture their yeast from bottles or something?

Don't know Seymour. It just said 'Use Cal Ale Yeast'. I haven't been through the White Labs/Wyeast lists to see if it's named.

This is a long-shot, but could they be referring to White Labs WLP001 "California Ale", the ubiquitous Chico/Sierra Nevada strain? That would certainly align with what Dunc was saying about a predictable, consistent work-horse, albeit a bit disappointing.

[Dave S]

This is a long-shot, but could they be referring to White Labs WLP001 "California Ale", the ubiquitous Chico/Sierra Nevada strain? That would certainly align with what Dunc was saying about a predictable, consistent work-horse, albeit a bit disappointing.

Oooh, I hadn't thought of that - could be, though California style yeast seems somehow to go against the grain in an Orkney brew.

[stoofer74]

This is a bit obscure seymour but I was just speaking to norman sinclair the guy who owns the orkney brewery tonight at my local which incidently he also owns.if I had seen this earlier I would have asked.he's a bit of a workaholic, but if I see him again any time soon I will ask cheers stuart

[seymour]

Please, please do. That would be very cool. And tell him we absolutely love his beers over here too.

[seymour]

Bump.

Any luck, stoofer74?

[stevetk189]

I'd be really keen to know the strain too. My Grandfather was from Orkney (St. Margarets Hope) and I think it would be a nice surprise for my Mum for me to brew a beer in his memory.

[craigite]

Hi. Being I live in Orkney I tried the Swanney brewery yeast. Rob warned me it might not like small batches and it was sluggish.
I do not see in the post whether the question is for yeast from Swanney or the Orkney Brewery.

[seymour]

Ah yes, sorry about the confusion. Orkney being a place, and a brewery name...

That's cool that Highland/Swanney Brewery shared their yeast. I'd love to hear what you think of it.

But I was originally asking about the Orkney Brewery, i.e. Dark Island, Skull Splitter, Red MacGregor, etc. It's sounding more and more likely they've given into simply using the same "Chico" strain (California ale/Sierra Nevada/White Labs WLP001, Wyeast 1056, Safale US-05, etc.) like so many worldwide production breweries, despite no historical Scottish connection. Oh well, their beer's good anyway.