Cry Havoc for Lagers

No have not used it, but Kolsch and Steam yeasts might be better if you want lager qualites at lower ale temps

 

http://whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp862.html

Now I'm going to have to try it

 

A couple months ago I was at one of the LHBSs to pick up some emergency DME for a starter. The guy asked what I was making, and when he I told him it was for a Bo Pils, he tried to sell me this great new yeast that "can make lagers at ale temps." It went like this...

LHBS: What are you making?
Me: A Starter <foolishly thinking I could get out of the store with just this answer>
LHBS: A starter for what?
Me: A Bohemian Pilsner
LHBS: You should try this new yeast. You can make lagers at ale temps.
Me: I'm going to use a lager yeast.
LHBS: But it's not cold enough to ferment with lager yeasts yet.
Me: I have a fermentation freezer.
LHBS: Cool. <slight pause, eyeballs twitching from the gears behind them slowly grinding> You should use this yeast anyway.

I hate most LHBSs.

 

Translation: "Somebody please buy this yeast because it's been sitting here for 4 months..."

 

This particular LHBS is not particularly concerned about selling yeast fresh. They strategically place their price sticker over the date.

 

I personally have not homebrewed with Cry Havoc (WLP862) which is Charlie Papazian’s house yeast strain. There is an interesting story about this yeast in his book Microbrewed Adventures. Charlie received this yeast (it is a lager yeast) in a small test tube in 1983 from “a brewing laboratory”. For ten years Charlie tried to find the origin of that yeast strain. Finally somebody at the lab ‘cracked’ and stated: “that yeast was originally cultured from a keg of Budweiser.”

Charlie writes: “I was in shock. And then a huge homebrew inspired grin crossed my face and I began chuckling uncontrollably. All those barley wines, doppelbocks, India pale ales, brown ales, porters, pilseners, Oktoberfest beers, English ales, and Irish stouts unknowingly made from a cultured Budweiser yeast!”

Cheers!