Home / Guides / Wyeast 1056 vs WLP001 vs US-05: the Chico strain

Wyeast 1056 vs WLP001 vs US-05: the Chico strain

Wyeast 1056, White Labs WLP001 and Fermentis US-05 are three lab versions of the same clean American ale yeast, the strain commonly known as Chico.

One strain, three labels

The three are widely documented as the same underlying yeast, the Chico strain that came to define clean American ale. Wyeast lists it as 1056 American Ale, White Labs as WLP001 California Ale, and Fermentis supplies it as the dried US-05. They share the same defining behaviour: high attenuation, a clean and slightly citrus-leaning profile that lets hops and malt speak, and a temperature range comfortable for ale fermentation.

Because they are the same strain, they are near-interchangeable in most recipes, which is why brewers reach for whichever form their shop stocks.

Liquid versus dry

The practical difference is format. Wyeast 1056 and WLP001 are liquid cultures, while US-05 is a dried yeast. Dry US-05 keeps longer, carries a high cell count and needs no starter, which makes it the convenient default. The liquid pair from Wyeast and White Labs are chosen when a brewer prefers liquid handling or wants to lean on a particular lab's version.

For most clean American ales the choice comes down to what is on the shelf and whether you want the shelf life and simplicity of dry yeast.

Treat them as a swap group

For substitution purposes these three sit together: if a recipe calls for one, another of the group will get you effectively the same beer. Flocculation is on the lower to medium side, so give the beer time or a cold crash to clear. Beyond that, the attenuation and clean character carry across the group.

Our per-strain pages show the published figures for each so you can confirm the match before you brew.

Related

Sources: Wyeast · White Labs · Fermentis (Lesaffre)