Beer Forum

I just picked up a vial of Charlie P's 'Cry Havoc' strain. I heard it is quite versatile (ie. Ale or Lager).

I figured I'd try a Cali common style with this strain - at 65 degrees. Thoughts?

Anybody else try anything with this strain?


Mylo

I had the same question. I have two vials and have yet to use them.
I too was going to go with a hybrid beer, either a blond or kolsch.
I was also thinking about keeping it cold and making a bohemian lager to use up some of the saaz that I have sitting around.

I've used Cry Havoc. Picked up one vial and managed to use it for three beers before tossing the yeast. The first was a slight variation of Papazian's "Good Life pale ale," using homegrown crystal wet hops. Then I washed and pitched the yeast onto a Honey/Rye ale - fermented @ high 50's. The third brew was an Oatmeal Stout. All have turned out well as far as I can tell.

I'm down to one bottle left of the pale ale and only about a dozen of the stout. The Honey/Rye ale still needs some aging time.

My experience with the yeast is that it's most similar to a British ale strain (when fermented @ ale temps). Fairly Fruity, good flocculation, but somewhat lower attenuation - I experienced 65-70%.

The White Labs site mentions that Papazian uses this yeast almost exclusively for all of his recipes in "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing," so I'd think any of those brews ought to work well.

Good info. Thanks, Madtown. It looks like you got the same exact attenuation as what is specified on the White Labs site. Since I don't want my Cali common to be too sweet, maybe I'll mash a little lower to get more towards the 70% than the 65%...


Mylo