I’ve used this yeast for my IPA a few times and I prefer it to others I’ve tried (Chico, Am. Ale I/II).
I’ve also heard its a difficult yeast to use - can under-attenuate, may produce off-flavors, “not for beginners”, etc.
Can anyone verify/disprove the slandering rumors around this strain? I personally love it and would like to use it for other brews.
I regularly use White Labs WLP005 (same yeast) for all my ales. The issue is that it is a bottom fermenting ale yeast, trained for conical fermenters. I find that when I use a big (3-4 liter) starter for a 6 gallon batch, it finishes in 3-4 days and drops out. As soon as the krausen starts to fall, I rouse the yeast a couple of times a day to complete the first week, then let it be still for another week. Do not rack to secondary prior to two weeks! If you underpitch/underaerate this yeast will not attenuate properly and if stressed will produce spicy/phenolic flavors. I prefer to keep this yeast going by pitching a healthy amount of the slurry from a previous batch. Second and above generations finish faster and attenuate better, so don’t pitch a first generation into a high gravity beer.
The audio in this link has some points that I did not know.
http://www.whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp005.html
A local brewpub used Ringwood as the house strain, and repitched for many generations. They would top crop.
It appears that the Ringwood that White Labs markets drops to the bottom, as stated.
Either way, this is not one of my favorites, but that is just my opinion. Maybe the fusel alcohol is what I don’t like. It is also a diacetyl producer, that has to be managed so you don’t have buttery beer.
I call this one the “baby of all ale yeast strains” because it takes lots of nurturing. I’d recommend “optimizing” the conditions when using this yeast because it doesn’t do well when overworked or stressed. That being said, it can produce some excellent beers… just keep it happy. +1 hopfenundmalz 
I’ve heard it throw a lot of diacetyl. A local micro near me uses it as their house strain and I find most of what they produce is undrinkable. When you are overwhelmed by butterscotch after uncapping, you know there is a problem.
Knowing that place uses Ringwood, I’m in hurry to try it myself.
That’s odd, I use the White Labs strain WLP005 and I have NO problem with diacetyl!
I’m sure if you do a diacetyl rest, or on a smaller (home brew) scale it isn’t a problem. But if you are a commercial brewery, rushing the fermentation process in order to get your product out may not be the best idea.
It really is too bad, because I really want this place to succeed, but more often thatn not, their beer has disappointed me.