40 Years of Living Culture

Formerly known as CRB 86-16, this strain originated at Columbia River Brewing in Portland, Oregon who had acquired a mixed morphology yeast originating from Anchor Brewing Company of San Francisco, California. In 1987, Columbia River sent its yeast to Wyeast, where the best strain was isolated and subcultured. Just two weeks later, Columbia River received the first shipment of its new house strain for its modest 600-barrel operation. Later that year, the brewery became BridgePort Brewing Company and grew to 100,000 barrels within a decade. BridgePort would become Oregon’s oldest craft brewery, remaining in operation for 35 years before closing in 2019. Its early beers – including Blue Heron Pale Ale, Old Knucklehead Barleywine, and BridgePort IPA – showed how well 1272 suited the pioneering, hop-forward brewing style emerging in the Pacific Northwest.

Expect a soft, clean profile with hints of nut, and a slightly tart finish. Ferment at warmer temperatures to accentuate hop character with an increased fruitiness. Or, ferment cool for a clean, light citrus character. It attenuates well and is reliably flocculent, producing bright beer without filtration.

Notable breweries past and present utilizing this strain include:

• Upland Brewing Co.
• 10 Barrel Brewing
• Bridgeport Brewing (historic)
• Austin Beerworks

Formerly known as Hart 1332, this strain came from Hart Brewing in Kalama, Washington, one of the earliest breweries in Wyeast’s records to submit yeast for archiving. Founded by Beth Hartwell and Tom Baune in 1984, Hart Brewing later became Pyramid Breweries. Its flagship Pyramid Pale Ale paired the maltiness of a British pale ale with generous American hops and earned a silver medal at the 1991 Great American Beer Festival. The original Hart strain remains part of Wyeast’s Culture Collection and continues to provide an unmistakable Pacific Northwest profile. Its history also reveals the fascinating complexity of old archives, having been noted as originating from Hale’s Ales of Seattle, Washington (and acquired from Gales Ale Brewery in England as a gift) for a number of years. With a through dive into Wyeast’s old lab notebook and invoices, the records clarified that Hart Brewing’s 1332 and Hale’s yeast were unique strains that never crossed paths historically, though they both arrived at Wyeast in our earliest days.

Early Northwest pale ales brewed with 1332 were known for a fruity, tangy, boldly hopped character ahead of their time. The strain carries that heritage forward, lending malty depth and Northwest personality to American pale ales and hop-forward styles.

Notable breweries past and present utilizing this strain include:

• Austin Beerworks
• Pyramid Brewing (formerly Hart Brewing)
• Bier Brewery
• Ölgerðin Egill Skallagrímsson
• Glover Park Brewery

The history of 2565 winds through the Wyeast archives and includes cultures associated with Widmer Brothers Brewing, Free State Brewing, and Brauhaus Päffgen in Cologne. The strain first appeared as 1014 148 Widmer, reflecting the multiple proprietary and contributed cultures associated with the Widmer family of strains. A later culture received from Free State Brewing was described as malty, full-bodied, crisp, and highly attenuative. Then, in 1993, brewer Hubert Smith of Pizza Deli & Brewery – originally located in Cave Junction, Oregon and now known as Wild River Brewery & Pizza – submitted a culture identified as “Pfaffgen,” gifted to the Oregon brewery by Päffgen and used for its Harbor Lights Kölsch. Wyeast isolated the best morphology—described as dry, austere, clean, low-flocculating, and balanced—and that culture became the 2565 Kölsch strain brewers know today.

2565 produces low or no detectable levels of diacetyl. This yeast may also be used to produce quick-conditioning pseudo-lager beers and ferments well at cold 55-60 °F (13-16 °C) range. This powdery strain results in yeast that remains in suspension post fermentation. It requires filtration or additional settling time to produce bright beers. Genuinely one of the most versatile strains in the catalog thanks to it’s broad temperature range, this strain adapts to your brewing goals and beer profile.  Think outside the box with this one. Browse our recommended style to get a glimpse at its flexibility in the brewhouse.

Notable breweries past and present utilizing this strain include:

• von Trapp Brewing
• Maine Beer Co.
• Widmer Brothers Brewing
• Abita Brewing Company
• Summit Brewing Co.
• Shorts Brewing Company

Formerly known as Matt 68, 3068 arrived at Wyeast on July 1, 1991, from Portland Brewing Company brewmaster Matt Munoz. He had acquired the Hefebank Weihenstephan strain identified as “Reinkultur NR: 68 obergärig” – which translates to “pure Culture…top fermenting” – and sent it to Wyeast for isolation and storage. Portland Brewing had opened in 1986 and became an important part of the Pacific Northwest’s early brewing history. Its Bavarian Style Weizen showcased the culture’s authentic German character, while later beers explored everything from unfiltered hefeweizen to American interpretations of wheat beer. Today, 3068 remains one of the defining cultures for the Weizen category—a living connection between historic Bavarian brewing and the American craft brewing movement.

The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing the fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Decreasing the ester level will allow a higher clove character to be perceived. Sulfur is commonly produced, but will dissipate with conditioning. This strain is very powdery and will remain in suspension for an extended amount of time following attenuation. This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermentor headspace of 33%.

Notable breweries past and present utilizing this strain include:

• von Trapp Brewing
• Upland Brewing Co.
• Portland Brewing Co.
• Live Oak Brewing
• Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
• 49th State Brewing
• Starr Hill Brewery
• Sprecher