WLP090 / San Diego Super
The high-attenuation neutral ale workhorse. Eats sugars US-05 won't touch. Dry IPA secret weapon.
What it tastes like
WLP090 is what you reach for when US-05 isn't dry enough. It produces a similarly clean, neutral profile but attenuates 80-85% — significantly higher than Chico's 73-80%. The result: a drier finish, a more apparent hop expression, and a beer that feels lighter on the palate at the same starting gravity. Increasingly popular for modern West Coast IPAs that want maximum hop expression and minimal sweetness.
Best in these styles
Fermentation profile
Fast and complete. Most batches finish in 5-7 days. Higher attenuation means starting gravities can be slightly lower than for US-05 to hit the same ABV (since more of the sugar converts). Drops well by day 10. Cold-crash works fine.
Available as
WLP090 / San Diego Super is sold under multiple supplier brand names — same or near-identical strain.
| Format | Supplier | Product code | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid | White Labs | WLP090 San Diego Super Yeast | 100B cells |
| Liquid | Imperial | Citrus A38 | 200B cells Direct competitor; similar character |
Comparable strains
If you can't source this strain, these alternatives bring overlapping character or fermentation behavior.
History
WLP090 was reportedly isolated from a San Diego craft brewery (Stone Brewing or AleSmith, depending on the source — White Labs hasn't confirmed publicly) during the early-2010s peak of San Diego's West Coast IPA dominance. The strain became White Labs' answer to brewers who wanted a Chico-like profile but with the dry finish that defines modern West Coast IPAs. Now widely used across the craft industry for dry, hop-forward beers.