Recently brewed the BYO, White Labs “Crazy 4 Cali” recipe. This is supposed to be an Anchor Steam, aka California Common, clone.
Since I had recently brewed a true Anchor Steam using White Labs 810 I planned to repitch the yeast into the “Crazy 4 Cali” brew.
No luck. The White Labs 810 yeast was dead.
Oh, no!
Since the WL810 was dead, in 5 gallons I pitched dry yeast SafAle-S04, in the other 5 gallons I pitched dry yeast Mangrove Jack M44.
The S04 version was very good. I did detect some slight esters from the British yeast. However, IMO, this was a decent Anchor Steam. Probably, 20 years ago, I would have not even noticed the esters.
Came time to keg and serve the M44 version. Immoderately I notice a difference. To me the M44 fermented brew tastes more as a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Most interesting.
Others thoughts, input, comments, etc on me to understand the difference between the 2 yeasts that I used for fermenating?
M44, though called US West Coast, is a higher attenuator (77 to 85%) than the Chico strains (73 to 77%). It’s great for dry and hoppy brews, but definitely way too neutral for a California Common.
Are these based on your experience or what they tell you? I rarely get below 78% with 05. Oops also for got to mention the superior bry97 according to most.
I was generalizing to point out the difference between M44 and typical California/American/Chico Ale strains. and should have added that US-05 is rated to 78 to 82% AA, higher than most. The attenuation numbers I cite for M44 are from both my experience and data from Mangrove Jack’s. My APAs and IPAs are usually at the upper end of the range.