Ordinary Bitter with American Ale Yeast?

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Ale to the Chief

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Any thoughts on making an ordinary bitter with American Ale yeast (s-05) probably or possibly Nottingham instead of english yeast. The reason I would try this is that I prefer the flavor of English hops over American hops, but do not like the "twanginess" of english yeast. I prefer a clean yeast flavor. Is there any reason this would not come out ok? I realize it's not traditional for the style, but that's not something I've ever concerned myself with. The recipe I plan to make is below.



Recipe Specifics
----------------

Batch Size (Gal): 5.00 Wort Size (Gal): 5.00
Total Grain (Lbs): 6.75
Anticipated OG: 1.035 Plato: 8.87
Anticipated SRM: 10.7
Anticipated IBU: 28.0
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70 %
Wort Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Pre-Boil Amounts
----------------

Evaporation Rate: 12.00 Percent Per Hour
Pre-Boil Wort Size: 6.10 Gal
Pre-Boil Gravity: 1.029 SG 7.31 Plato


Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
88.9 6.00 lbs. Pale Malt Halcyon Great Britain 1.038 3
7.4 0.50 lbs. Crystal 120L America 1.033 120
3.7 0.25 lbs. Special Roast Malt America 1.033 40

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.80 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 5.00 19.7 60 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 5.00 6.3 30 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 5.00 2.1 1 min.
0.25 oz. Goldings - E.K. Plug 4.75 0.0 Dry Hop
 
Nottingham is a British Ale yeast

Yup, proving that not all English yeasts give a "twanginess." My guess is you've been using too much S-04 (or 1098/99 or 007), as that whitbread strain tends to leave a bit of that slight tartness. There are lots of proper English strains that leave none of that tart "twanginess."
 
Thanks for the responses. You are right, the main English yeast I have worked with is s-04 and I didn't care for the flavors it thru off. I also used Windsor once and found a similar, but different twang. I think I will go with Nottingham since it is still English, but much cleaner tasting (to me)
 
The tang may be the specific ester profile. Check different yeast manufacturers websites and read reviews of what yeasts work best for what you are going for. I'd imagine that fermenting at the lower side of the temp range would help create a cleaner beer as well.
 
I think part of what makes bitters special is the english yeast packed with character. I wouldn't use US-05 for a bitter, if I was trying to create the biscuit/malt emphasis that is typical of bitters.

You have jamils recipe here basically, I have made it with WLP007 and WLP023 and I very much so prefer the WLP023 fermented at 65 with a mash temp of 155.
 
it'll work fine, but it won't taste like a true bitter. i've done english style pale ale recipes with the Wyeast Northwest Ale, it's little more ester-y and less attenuative than most american yeasts. i also like the wy1318 for bitters, nice and fruity without the tartness of the whitbreads. i've never used it, but i hear the Ringwood strain is also fairly clean at the lower temps.
FWIW, notty may be an english yeast, but if you ferment in the lower end of the temp range (60-62) it's quite clean.
 
You are right, the main English yeast I have worked with is s-04 and I didn't care for the flavors it thru off.

I thought that might be the case. This is the same reason I never use S-04 or its liquid equivalents; I just don't care for that flavor. 1275, 1318, and 1028 make for excellent bitters with none of that flavor. Your tastes may be similar to mine, so I'd encourage you to try one of them. There are other yeasts that may work, too, but those are the ones I have used with success.
 
Cool, thanks again. Is there one of the 3 that you list which you like the best? Is one the "cleanest" tasting?

Not to hijack, but i can also lend my opinion. I think WLP023 is cleaner than WY1275. Pitch the appropriate amount of yeast and run a fermentation around 65 degrees and you would have a nice bitter, not super esthery, subtle and balanced. that is my experience.

With either of these strains, I reccomend cold crash and gelatin.
 
Not to hijack, but i can also lend my opinion. I think WLP023 is cleaner than WY1275. Pitch the appropriate amount of yeast and run a fermentation around 65 degrees and you would have a nice bitter, not super esthery, subtle and balanced. that is my experience.

With either of these strains, I reccomend cold crash and gelatin.

That's great...thanks for the advice! I will read up on that yeast on the white labs website.
 
Cool, thanks again. Is there one of the 3 that you list which you like the best? Is one the "cleanest" tasting?

I tend to like 1318 best, but 1028 is probably the "cleanest" tasting of the three. Cleanest doesn't equal best (or even good) in my opinion. There are many compounds various strains of yeast throw off, in various quantities. The right esters, at the right levels, tastes great, as far as I'm concerned. The wrong ones, or the right ones at the wrong levels, taste bad. The Whitbread strain is one example of one that just doesn't work for me. I like 1318; it tastes nothing like S-04 and the like. Try it and see what you think. It also has the benefit of being a very forgiving and easy-to-use yeast.
 
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