German Brewing

If anyone here has tried this yeast, what were your impressions and what sort of apparent attenuation did you see?

I plan to use this soon. Am also curious.

I didn't care for it. It has a very slight background sharp flavor, and aside from that isn't too different from something like 833, except I found it to ferment more slowly than 833. Attenuation will be about the same as any other German lager yeast - it finished 0.5 Plato above the fermentability limit for me.

Why bother using a strain that won't be available all year round?

One can achieve excellent results with stock yeasts provided one has a good grasp of lager fermentation and conditioning. Preconditions are the ability to control temperature as well as measuring dissolved oxygen in order to provide an adequate level of o2. You cannot estimate it, if you are serious about it a DO meter will become an invaluable tool.

If you cannot guarantee a consistent supply of oxygen, then dry yeast is preferable since it works much better in poorly aerated wort. Strains like W34/70 are widely available dry.

Hope this helps

I am in the same boat, I don't get too hyped up on seasonal yeasts.

I have temperature control and oxygen. I do not yet have a DO meter, though you all have piqued my interest.