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Brocster · 03-17-2010, 12:57 PM

While I brew a lot of styles, about 50% of my beers are using the West Coast yeast strain/type. This includes some dry stouts, pale ales and IPA's mainly.

I have been using 1056 exclusively with a starter and brew AG with decent temperature control. SG usually in the .50 - .60 range.

What is everyone's opinon on the differences of these three yeasts and why would you use one over the other? I like 1056 a lot, but I am curious to learn a bit about others opinons, good or bad, about these three types.

(wow - side note: I am sitting in the airport in Chicago, it is not even 8:00 am and three of the drunkest guys wearing green shirts just stumbled by. lol)

Anyways, I would love to hear some comments on taste and use.

Thanks!

samc · 03-17-2010, 01:58 PM

05 is just a lot easier to deal with. Don't have to plan ahead with a starter. I cannot discern the difference in taste over liquid all though some claim they can.

MattHollingsworth · 03-17-2010, 03:16 PM

People probably get sick of hearing me, but you asked!

To me, US-05 doesn't behave or taste at all like 1056. I only brewed 2 beers with it, but both beers came out really really estery to the point that I didn't like the beer, despite fermenting in the mid 60s. 1056 for me is reliable and produces tasty, clean beers every time. Not so with US-05 in my limited experience.

In my own system, I rinse my yeast and reuse it, and I've mostly used liquids so I don't mind making starters. And with reuse, I get to use one packet of 1056 to produce a LOT of beers. I won't be using US-05 again.

From what I've read, most other people have better experiences with US-05 though. I'd say you should just try it with one batch, but ferment it colder as most of the US-05 users seem to and then judge for yourself. You can read a lot of opinions but the fact is, forming your own opinion is worth more. If I just trusted everyone's opinion on US-05 I'd be using it a lot. But having tried it, I won't. Your experience may vary from ours.

hukdizzle · 03-17-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattHollingsworth

People probably get sick of hearing me, but you asked!

To me, US-05 doesn't behave or taste at all like 1056. I only brewed 2 beers with it, but both beers came out really really estery to the point that I didn't like the beer, despite fermenting in the mid 60s. 1056 for me is reliable and produces tasty, clean beers every time. Not so with US-05 in my limited experience.

In my own system, I rinse my yeast and reuse it, and I've mostly used liquids so I don't mind making starters. And with reuse, I get to use one packet of 1056 to produce a LOT of beers. I won't be using US-05 again.

From what I've read, most other people have better experiences with US-05 though. I'd say you should just try it with one batch, but ferment it colder as most of the US-05 users seem to and then judge for yourself. You can read a lot of opinions but the fact is, forming your own opinion is worth more. If I just trusted everyone's opinion on US-05 I'd be using it a lot. But having tried it, I won't. Your experience may vary from ours.

I second everything said here and I find US-05 far too estery for my taste in the beers I produce. I actually just realized this recently as I tasted my first brew I have done in 6 months yesterday. The beer was fermented at 63'F (Fermenter temperature, not ambient) for a week and then after it hit terminal grav I ramped it up to 68 for a rest. The beer still came out far too estery for my taste as it was a pale ale and I wanted a very clean beer.

I have basically come to the conclusion that I just flat out do not like US-05 at all and will not be using it any longer unless I find myself with a need for yeast fast. 1056/wlp001 seem to be the benchmark for clean fermenting/high attenuating yeast that produces clean west coast ale styles, I will be using both exclusively now in place of us-05 from now on.

Brocster · 03-17-2010, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattHollingsworth

People probably get sick of hearing me, but you asked!

To me, US-05 doesn't behave or taste at all like 1056. I only brewed 2 beers with it, but both beers came out really really estery to the point that I didn't like the beer, despite fermenting in the mid 60s. 1056 for me is reliable and produces tasty, clean beers every time. Not so with US-05 in my limited experience.

In my own system, I rinse my yeast and reuse it, and I've mostly used liquids so I don't mind making starters. And with reuse, I get to use one packet of 1056 to produce a LOT of beers. I won't be using US-05 again.

From what I've read, most other people have better experiences with US-05 though. I'd say you should just try it with one batch, but ferment it colder as most of the US-05 users seem to and then judge for yourself. You can read a lot of opinions but the fact is, forming your own opinion is worth more. If I just trusted everyone's opinion on US-05 I'd be using it a lot. But having tried it, I won't. Your experience may vary from ours.

I am brewing a Bavarian Weiss this weekend, so I won't be able to this right away, but perhaps I will run a "test".

Brew up a simple ale, maybe something around the .50 range with 35-45 IBU's, maybe some decent Caramel 60 to add some body and flavor. Brew 6 gallons and split between 6 - 1 gallon jugs to ferment out. Put 3 of the gallons at 62 degrees ambient, 3 of the gallons at 68 and split the 3 yeast evenly. Ferment for four weeks, bottle for 2 and taste away...

Could be fun to do I guess.

MattHollingsworth · 03-17-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brocster

I am brewing a Bavarian Weiss this weekend, so I won't be able to this right away, but perhaps I will run a "test".

Brew up a simple ale, maybe something around the .50 range with 35-45 IBU's, maybe some decent Caramel 60 to add some body and flavor. Brew 6 gallons and split between 6 - 1 gallon jugs to ferment out. Put 3 of the gallons at 62 degrees ambient, 3 of the gallons at 68 and split the 3 yeast evenly. Ferment for four weeks, bottle for 2 and taste away...

Could be fun to do I guess.

A worthwhile experiment for sure!

backsaw13 · 03-17-2010, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hukdizzle

I second everything said here and I find US-05 far too estery for my taste in the beers I produce. I actually just realized this recently as I tasted my first brew I have done in 6 months yesterday. The beer was fermented at 63'F (Fermenter temperature, not ambient) for a week and then after it hit terminal grav I ramped it up to 68 for a rest. The beer still came out far too estery for my taste as it was a pale ale and I wanted a very clean beer.

I have basically come to the conclusion that I just flat out do not like US-05 at all and will not be using it any longer unless I find myself with a need for yeast fast. 1056/wlp001 seem to be the benchmark for clean fermenting/high attenuating yeast that produces clean west coast ale styles, I will be using both exclusively now in place of us-05 from now on.

Huh - I have a pale ale with us-05 almost ready to bottle - kept at 63 the entire time. Now I am worried. This is the first time I have used us-05. Guess I will know soon enough if I find it too estery.

MattHollingsworth · 03-17-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by backsaw13

Huh - I have a pale ale with us-05 almost ready to bottle - kept at 63 the entire time. Now I am worried. This is the first time I have used us-05. Guess I will know soon enough if I find it too estery.

Don't get overly worried. Just relax and try the beer when the time comes. I think most people get good beers from that yeast. There are just some of us who don't. Doesn't mean yours will be messed up though.

carp · 03-17-2010, 08:59 PM

I've been using US05 almost exclusively in my 17-batch brewing career, making APAs and IPAs. I have had a few instances (3 I think) of quite estery batches - not pleasant.

However the other batches have not suffered from this - they have been very clean tasting.

At least one of the estery batches was associated with cooler-than-normal (high 50s) fermentation, and high temps were definitely not a factor in the others.

I'm just starting to get into yeast washing / starters, etc. so may move away from it eventually, but for the time being I'll keep taking my chances with it. I like the convenience and the cost.

**Doog_Si_Reeb** · 03-17-2010, 09:15 PM

I have not had a bad experience with US-05. I have had a few issues with Nottingham producing flavors/esters I didn't like, but not so with the US-05. If you look down a few posts in the yeast forum, there is a thread about a US-05 fan club with happy customers.

On a similar note, I was under the impression that US-05 = 1056 = WLP001. And by "=" I mean genetic equivalence. I thought they were the same pedigree of yeast but managed and packaged by different companies/techniques.