I would recommend Munton’s Gold as a dry yeast substitute for WY1968.
FWIW, as of today (8/23/24), Home Brew Ohio’s web site was indicating they have LalBrew London ESB (< 25) in stock.
WLP-002 is similar to WY-1968, but not identical.
One I really like to use for something like Fullers is Imperial A09 Pub Ale. It has some good esters and that Marmelade flavor I get in fresh Fullers on Cask.
It is a great yeast! None of my LHBS carries White Labs anymore. Their dry English, 007 I believe, is also a flavorful yeast
Mangrove Jack’s M15 is about as close as you’ll get.
Imperial A09 Pub Ale is one I mentioned as a possible substitution in my original post. I will probably stick with Wyeast 1968 London ESB Ale for this first brew (first in a year, that is), but you are tempting me to use Imperial Pub A09 Pub Ale yeast in a future brew with that description of “that marmalade flavor I get in fresh Fullers on Cask.” Thank you.
Good luck finding it. It and their regular yeast have been discontinued.
I find Verdant IPA to be a perfectly swell stand-in for 1968. Mash a few degrees higher maybe, but it’s a very versatile strain, IMO. I tend to use it on the cooler side for anything but a NEIPA. It’s really nice in a porter, IMO. I suppose there could be some ester suppression from the high bitch rate of a sachet into 20L of a 1.036 wort, so maybe that’s one of the times to divide a pack, I don’t know…
That said, I love 1968, too, and try to keep it on hand.