White Labs WLP005 British Ale Yeast

WLP005 British Ale is a classic English ale strain known for rich malt character, mild fruity esters, and excellent flocculation. It works especially well with traditional English malts and produces a smooth, balanced beer with a slightly fruity English character.

A great choice for Bitter, ESB, English Pale Ale, Brown Ale, Porter, Stout, English IPA, Old Ale, Scotch Ale, and Barleywine.

Looking for Omega OYL 008 British Ale III? Omega lists WLP005 as a comparable strain. OYL 008 is currently only available from Omega in Probrew pitches, making WLP005 our homebrew sized solution for this strain family. Wyeast 1187 Ringwood Ale is another comparable reference.

WLP005 Characteristics

Attenuation: 67 to 74%
Flocculation: High
Alcohol Tolerance: 5 to 10% ABV
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65 to 70°F / 18 to 21°C
STA1: Negative
Yeast Type: Ale
Cell Count: Approximately 150 billion cells

Recommended Beer Styles

• English Bitter
• ESB
• English Pale Ale
• English IPA
• Brown Ale
• Porter
• Stout
• Old Ale
• Scotch Ale
• Barleywine

Fermentation Notes

WLP005 emphasizes malt character while producing a mild English ester profile. Its high flocculation helps produce clear beer quickly.

For best results, ferment around 65 to 70°F and allow fermentation to fully finish before chilling, as highly flocculent English strains can settle quickly.

PurePitch Next Generation

White Labs PurePitch Next Generation packages contain approximately 150 billion cells and provide a consistent pitch for more predictable fermentation.

Scan the barcode on the package and enter your batch information into the White Labs Pitch Rate Calculator to determine the recommended pitch rate for your beer.

The resealable cap also allows unused yeast to be refrigerated for a future batch.

Shipping Liquid Yeast

For best results, we recommend adding an ice pack when shipping liquid yeast.

During hot weather or longer transit times, we recommend choosing a dry yeast option when possible. Prolonged exposure to excessive heat can reduce liquid yeast viability.