L05 Cablecar Lager Yeast or Wyeast 2112 for a Common?

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I am thinking of making a Common for my next brew. I apparently haven’t made a Common since 2014, because I moved in 2015 and my current LHBS doesn’t sell White Labs, and I had previously used WLP810. In any event, the LHBS carries Wyeast 2112 and Imperial L05 Cablecar Lager Yeast. I like to buy liquid yeast there, versus online, when possible, though if I’m flexible on the brew date, I can pick up WLP810 at a LHBS an hour south of me when I’m headed that way, which is usually every four to six weeks.

So - any experience with Cablecar or 2112, versus WLP810? While it has been a while, I recall that my several attempts at steam beer, while suffering from a lot of flaws typical of my brewing at that time – poorly controlled fermentation/oxygen/etc. – did resemble Anchor’s beer, and I enjoyed it. My only two experiences with Imperial yeast were using the Pub yeast in an ESB (I went back to 1968 on the next bitter; the Pub yeast produced a good beer, but it wasn’t what I was shooting for), and using Darkness in a Baltic Porter – that was ok, though it’s not a style I am enthused about, so hard to say. I searched the forum archives and the web and found some passing references, including a Brulosophy experiment comparing 810 and 2112.

Edit: the price difference between 2112 and Cablecar is about one dollar, so I’m not factoring that in.The WLP 810 is $16 (!) but if it got me the beer I wanted, I’d do it.

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My current guess is that these are all approximately the same, or all from Anchor at least.

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I have used both WLP810 and WY2112 to make California Common and have gotten similar results. I have no experience with Imperial L05 Cablecar.

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Thanks, Richard - that’s helpful!

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I regularly brew a Steam Beer and have used all 3 and they all fermented and tasted the same, so pretty sure it’s the same yeast. Won a couple of 1st place ribbons in local competitions over the years and an AHA Club-Only competition Best of Show with it!

Since Anchor’s yeast is actually a lager yeast, I’ve also used it WY2112 to make a really good lager, fermented at 48-50 degrees and lagered for 4 weeks. Very crisp and clean and remarkedly different than using at room temp. I’ve also used it for lager-like beers at room temp with good results and made a great IPA with it at room temps. I’ve been brewing for 33 years and it is still one of my favorite yeasts, very versatile!

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