What is the difference between these yeasts?

WeretheBrews · 05-09-2006, 08:06 PM

Im buying one of these kits... But the yeasts are different as the price goes nubp... What do these mean?

Night Cap Cherry Stout w/ Munton's 6 gm dry yeast
Night Cap Cherry Stout We recommend brewing this batch once a year to have around for special occasions. Even light beer drinkers can appreciate a mug of this stout. The smooth sweet flavor will put you to bed like a glass of warm milk. Our ingredients for this recipe include 6 pounds of dark malt extract, Pure Cherry extract, Crystal malt, Roasted malt, Chocolate malt, Fuggle bittering hops, Williamette aroma hops, yeast, priming sugar and a grain bag. Night Cap Cherry Stout w/ Munton's 6 gm dry yeast

or

Night Cap Cherry Stout UPGRADE to London Ale Wyeast 1028 smack pack

or

Night Cap Cherry Stout UPGRADE to London Ale Activator Wyeast 1028

or

Night Cap Cherry Stout UPGRADE to White Labs Burton Ale 023 pitchable tube

Which is the best and what is the difference between all of these?

Wolf · 05-10-2006, 01:32 PM

If you search on the website you're looking at they should outline some of the differences for you. And for what isn't outlined, just look at the product descriptions for buying them seperately.

For instance on midwestsupplies website they have this...

Most of Midwest's Homebrew Recipe Kits come with multiple options in yeast. The standard kit comes with a dry yeast, but you also have the option of yeast from WYeast and White Labs.
Kit Descriptions
(#000) - Kits come with dry yeast packs
(#000W) - Kits come with 1.75 oz. liquid WYeast packet
(#000ACT) - Kits come with ready-to-use Wyeast Activator
(#000WL) -Kits come with White Lab yeast

Wyeast are pure strains of liquid beer yeast in self contained foil packs. They require activation 6-24 hours before brewing. This is easily done by holding the yeast pack in your hand and hitting it with your other hand. This ruptures the yeast culture inside the pack. Recommended 2-3 days for smack Paks to have a good starter. When you’re ready to add the yeast, simply cut the yeast pack open and add to your wort/beer. 1.75 oz. packs (000W) are available for an additional $3.00. New Activators (000ACT) are available for an additional for $4.00. Recommended 24 hrs. for Activators.

Each vial of White Labs Pitchable Yeast contains enough high quality liquid brewers yeast to pitch directly into 5 gallons of wort with no starter necessary. Each vial represents a concentrated pint size starter of yeast (30-50 billion cells). We include this many cells for one simple reason, more cells equals shorter lag times and cleaner (tastier) brews. All White Labs Yeast vials (000WL) are available for an additional $5.00.

cweston · 05-10-2006, 01:37 PM

The Muntons is dry yeast, the others are liquid.

There are many advantages to liquid yeast, but dry is good for a beginner: a little simpler. Since this is a pretty full-bodied beer where the distinct flavor contribution of the yeast is not that critical, I'd save yourself a few bucks and a couple small hassles and just go with the dry.

Eventually, you'll probably use liquid yeasts in most cases.

Cheesefood · 05-10-2006, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cweston

The Muntons is dry yeast, the others are liquid.

There are many advantages to liquid yeast, but dry is good for a beginner: a little simpler. Since this is a pretty full-bodied beer where the distinct flavor contribution of the yeast is not that critical, I'd save yourself a few bucks and a couple small hassles and just go with the dry.

Eventually, you'll probably use liquid yeasts in most cases.

What's easier than a smack-pack of Wyeast? Pop the bubble the night before you brew and by afternoon it'll be swollen up and ready to pitch.

Works every time!

**kornkob** · 05-10-2006, 02:17 PM

And if nothing else the smack packs make it really, really easy for the new brewer to know if his yeast is still good.

cweston · 05-10-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesefood

What's easier than a smack-pack of Wyeast? Pop the bubble the night before you brew and by afternoon it'll be swollen up and ready to pitch.

Works every time!

Yeah, good point. I always make a starter, so I tend to forget that you can just pitch them directly.

mysterio · 05-10-2006, 04:44 PM

Apparently London Ale yeast is pretty high on the esters, including mild diacetyl and 'woody' flavours. Should be delicious with a cherry stout. I'm using the white labs version for my next couple of ales.