White Labs WLP838 Southern German Lager Yeast
WLP838 Southern German Lager is a classic Bavarian lager strain known for producing complex, malt forward beers with a smooth finish and balanced aroma. It is a strong fermenter with medium to high flocculation and is an excellent choice for Märzen, Munich Helles, Dunkel, Bock, Doppelbock, Vienna Lager, Festbier, Schwarzbier, and other traditional German lagers.
This strain produces slight sulfur and low diacetyl during fermentation. A diacetyl rest followed by proper cold conditioning is recommended for the cleanest finished beer. Compared with some of the cleaner and more neutral German lager strains, WLP838 tends to leave a little more malt character and complexity in the finished beer.
Comparable strain references: Omega Yeast OYL 109 German Lager II and Wyeast 2308 Munich Lager are direct comparable strain references. Omega OYL 109 is currently only offered in Probrew pitches and is not available as an Omega homebrew pack, making WLP838 an excellent homebrew option for brewers looking for this fermentation profile. Imperial Yeast L17 Harvest is another good Southern German lager option for similar beer styles, although it is not considered a direct strain equivalent.
WLP838 Characteristics
Attenuation: 68 to 76%
Flocculation: Medium to High
Alcohol Tolerance: 5 to 10% ABV
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 50 to 55°F / 10 to 13°C
STA1: Negative
Yeast Type: Lager, Saccharomyces pastorianus
Cell Count: Approximately 150 billion cells per PurePitch Next Generation package
Recommended Beer Styles
- Märzen
- Oktoberfest
- Festbier
- Munich Helles
- Munich Dunkel
- Bock
- Doppelbock
- Vienna Lager
- German Pilsner
- Amber Lager
- Dark Lager
- Schwarzbier
- Pale Lager
- Cream Ale
Fermentation Notes
WLP838 is a strong lager fermenter that produces a malty finish with a balanced aroma. Some sulfur during active fermentation is normal and should condition out with proper lagering.
The strain can also produce a small amount of diacetyl, so allowing the beer to warm for a diacetyl rest near the end of fermentation is recommended before cold crashing and lagering.
For traditional lager fermentation, pitch into well oxygenated wort and ferment around 50 to 55°F. As with most lager strains, proper pitch rate becomes increasingly important with colder fermentation temperatures and higher gravity beers.
PurePitch Next Generation
White Labs PurePitch Next Generation packaging provides a consistent concentration of healthy yeast for more predictable pitching and fermentation.
Each package contains approximately 150 billion cells and can be pitched directly into many standard homebrew batches without making a starter. For larger batches, higher gravity beers, or cold pitched lagers, use the White Labs Pitch Rate Calculator to determine the appropriate amount of yeast.
Simply scan the barcode on the back of the package and enter your wort volume, original gravity, and pitching temperature to calculate your recommended pitch rate.
The resealable cap also allows you to close the package and refrigerate any unused yeast for a future batch.
Shipping Liquid Yeast
For best results, we always recommend adding an ice pack when ordering liquid yeast for shipping.
During hot weather, especially when the package may spend multiple days in transit, we recommend choosing a dry yeast option when possible. Liquid yeast can tolerate some time at warmer temperatures during shipping, but prolonged exposure to excessive heat can reduce yeast viability