Favorite Lager yeast strains.

What's everyone's favorite yeast for brewing Pilsner beers and do you lager at low temperatures. If so, do you do the slow chill, start cold or rapid chill. I recently tried the Sfale lager dried yeast and was very disappointed and have gone back to WL 830/bock. I also used to use 2208 (?) and liked it very well.

Crap, I used some out of date white labs "german lager yeast" and threw in some Australian made dried lager yeast, I forget the brand. I won't know how it turns out for a month or so.

I've used 2124 - bohemian lager and 2308- munich lager. I also just pitched a doppelbock with WLP833, but I've yet to sample that one.

So far, I like 2308 best.

My favorit one was/is WY2124 Bohemian Lager. Very versatile. I did pilsner, helles and octoberfest with it. Then I found this dry yeast Saflager W34/70 which is said to be same strain as 2124. Well, I just bottled octoberfest fermented with it. At first look seem to be very similar with a better flocculation then 2124. Also recently tried 2206 for a German Pilsner (still in fermenter) and going to repitch it to bock.

Wyeast Bavarian Lager. Don't know the #

I also like that one. The Bavarian lager strain seemed to work best for me.

Yoop,

What was wrong with the dry?

- WW

My lhbs was lacking for the first time ever! They have tons of hops and grains but the only lager yeast to choose from was the Australian Dry lager yeast, a belgiam wit, and out of date white labs German Lager yeast. Maybe people around here just don't Lager, it is my first.

Willie3 said:

Yoop,

What was wrong with the dry?

- WW

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I've never used dry lager yeast, so I can't say if it would be good for me or not. I always do a MONSTER starter with lagers, so a liquid is good for me.

I like Wyeast's 2206 Bavarian, White Labs WLP830 German and their WLP810 San Francisco.

YooperBrew said:

I've never used dry lager yeast, so I can't say if it would be good for me or not. I always do a MONSTER starter with lagers, so a liquid is good for me.

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Sorry Yoop. Thanks for the reply. For some reason I got mixed up on who sent the post saying they were disappointed in dry yeast. It was meant for Aspera.

My bad.

BTW - how big are your MONSTER starters?

- WW

I vote for Wyeast #2206 Bavarian Lager, I use it with all my lagers. It doesn't produce lots of sulphur or diacetyl and has a great, malty flavor profile.

The dry Sfale tasted a bit cheesy to me. Admitted I was fermenting more at CA common beer temps, but it was not what I was expecting.