Your go to yeast?

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dbrewski

dbrewski

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I'm looking for yeast suggestions. I do mostly hoppy american pales and IPA's with an occasional hefeweizen or dunkel. I use 1056 a lot, S-05 (same), S-04, I love Kolsch yeast, and I use 3068 weihenstephan for the wheat beers. But I am getting bored of my selection. I am not big into belgians only because I have not gone there yet. I'm looking for something that is a step away from what I'm doing, not a leap. What are your favorite yeasts?
 
Wyeast 1335, 1882-PC, 1318, and 1728. I've been using 1335 and 1882-PC for most of my brews for a while now. I'm actually planning on harvesting the cake from the brew I made last weekend with 1882-PC and keeping it on hand. Right now I'm just using older smack-packs with two step starters. After next weekend's brew day I'll have used up the old packs and will look to harvest to keep it on hand.

I also keep an array of Lalvin yeast packs for when I want to make something other than beer.
 
You listed the ones I go to. It may be a leap, but for wheat beers I like WLP566 or 565 (Saison yeasts) if you think your yeast isn't adding enough character try these. Although for highly hopped beers it might be a train wreck. I only mention them because it seems like you might want to try a Belgian beer.
 
For pales and IPA's 05 is my go to. For wheat brews I really like S-33 or WLP-320 depending on my mood. I almost always have some of each in my fridge.
 
Toga said:
For pales and IPA's 05 is my go to. For wheat brews I really like S-33 or WLP-320 depending on my mood. I almost always have some of each in my fridge.
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I randomly went with the S-33 when a batch I had did not kick off (I sat on the smack pack too long). It was good, definitely had character, but a little dry for my taste. Is that your experience with it? It might have been my grain bill (it was a Surly Bitter AG kit).
 
chico, wlp400, wlp810 (easy lagers at ale temps), and I like wlp500 for anything you want some spice to. I must say though, I made a dubbel with WLP400 and WLP500 and they both turned out similar. I think 500 flocs better.
 
WoodlandBrew said:
You listed the ones I go to. It may be a leap, but for wheat beers I like WLP566 or 565 (Saison yeasts) if you think your yeast isn't adding enough character try these. Although for highly hopped beers it might be a train wreck. I only mention them because it seems like you might want to try a Belgian beer.
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I like to have a malty low-hopped brew on hand, so these might be worth trying. I had a bad experience with a saison when I first got back into brewing...it was the Wyeast farmhouse saison. It was a little strong tasting for me, but it could have been my technique, I was a little rusty (although I can't blame high ferm temps if the yeast is supposed to be good up to 80).

Have you tried the 568 blend? I'm wondering if that would be a good intro.
 
1728 because it can produce a huge variety of flavors. 1056 is my backup and used for experiments and smash brews.
 
I brew a lot of pale ales, IPA's and stouts. My main go to strains are 1272 and Pacman.
 
WLP007--I brew mostly English ales, and for some reason I've always defaulted to White Labs, although I've never had bad experiences with dry yeast either. But I've always got a jelly jar of WLP007 in the back of my fridge.
 
dbrewski said:
I randomly went with the S-33 when a batch I had did not kick off (I sat on the smack pack too long). It was good, definitely had character, but a little dry for my taste. Is that your experience with it? It might have been my grain bill (it was a Surly Bitter AG kit).
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It attenuates fairly well. I have had some batches dry out very well and others that did not. The dryer batches were ones I used yeast supplement in.
 
BBL_Brewer said:
I brew a lot of pale ales, IPA's and stouts. My main go to strains are 1272 and Pacman.
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Do you see any flavor difference between these two? I have used them both, but they were very neutral yeasts. Pacman chewed through the ferment very quickly and cleared pretty well, so that was nice.
 
dbrewski said:
Do you see any flavor difference between these two? I have used them both, but they were very neutral yeasts. Pacman chewed through the ferment very quickly and cleared pretty well, so that was nice.
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Definitely a difference in flavor. Both are pretty clean. The 1272 is bit more fruity depending on ferm temp and I use it more in my IPA's these days. Pacman is a bit more minerally and is a great all around yeast. I love it in my stouts. Both have great flocculation and I don't have to cold crash them. Just turn off the stir plate and a few hours later I can decant and pitch. Don't have to cold crash my fermenters either.

Edit

I also like Denny's favorite, but the low flocculation steers me away from it most of the time.
 
Revvy said:
"go to" yeast tends to be be the most universal or common ones, so there's not much beyond what you mentioned. 05 is mine.
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Don't forget WY1450! It's some people's favorite! ;)

ETA: Ooops! I see you mentioned it. Yeah, flocculation has gone down through the years, but if you have time it works great.
 
I actually like to use the Wyeast 1272 American Ale II for most of my American styled brews. Maybe I just like to do things a tad differently, maybe I actually like it better than the alternatives.
 
WLP029, S-04, US-05, S-33, T-58. WLP029 is by far one of my fav go-to yeast strains. If you keep it nice and cool it will make a nice and super clean beer. I use it with all of my ambers/alts.
 
I've been reading the new IPA book. For west coast style American IPA's, the author (brewmaster at Stone Brewing Co) recommends WLP002 and 007, the English and Dry English strains. Just something to consider.
 
I did 100% Belg Pisner Malt with Saaz Hops w/ WLP575 which is Belgian Ale Yeast Blend --- it was awesome.

I am going to do the same beer with some Munich or vienna malt to add a little more malt flavor.
 
Denny said:
Don't forget WY1450! It's some people's favorite! ;)

ETA: Ooops! I see you mentioned it. Yeah, flocculation has gone down through the years, but if you have time it works great.
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1450 my favorite all purpose yeast i cold condition EVERTING and it clears up nice:mug:
 
When I started out, I used US-05 for everything. LHBS was out one time and I used Nottingham, I really like the way it packed down super tight. Lowered the temp in the ferm chamber and have been using Nottingham for almost everything since. I guess I'm kicking it old school.
 
allenH said:
When I started out, I used US-05 for everything. LHBS was out one time and I used Nottingham, I really like the way it packed down super tight. Lowered the temp in the ferm chamber and have been using Nottingham for almost everything since. I guess I'm kicking it old school.
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I use Nottingham quite often as well ...that and 05
 
allenH said:
When I started out, I used US-05 for everything. LHBS was out one time and I used Nottingham, I really like the way it packed down super tight. Lowered the temp in the ferm chamber and have been using Nottingham for almost everything since. I guess I'm kicking it old school.
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Flirting with disaster. If that beast gets above ideal temps, you'll be using a pressure washer to get the wort off the walls and ceilings. Ok, maybe my previous scare is blowing this out of proportion, but I still don't trust it with anything over 1.045. SOOOOOOO glad I checked on it when I got home that day or else I wouldn't be on these forums and would forever be singing soprano. SWMBO's eyes were as big as saucers when she saw what was happening.
 
Whattawort said:
Flirting with disaster. If that beast gets above ideal temps, you'll be using a pressure washer to get the wort off the walls and ceilings. Ok, maybe my previous scare is blowing this out of proportion, but I still don't trust it with anything over 1.045. SOOOOOOO glad I checked on it when I got home that day or else I wouldn't be on these forums and would forever be singing soprano. SWMBO's eyes were as big as saucers when she saw what was happening.
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That's why I set the ferm chamber at 61 and let it roll. Since I have started kegging, I have been continuously making 1.040 to 1.055 beers, so it has worked out for me. I use 6.5g buckets and I'm still waiting for an explosion, I've had noting more than a dirty airlock.
 
I use WLP002 a lot, its obviously great for just about any English style, but also works great for APAs, IPAs (American and English), Stouts, Scottish Ales, etc. I like that it attenuates fast, flocs fast, and can easily get around 80% attenuation at the right mash temp if I'm looking to dry something out. It's no fluke that it's the main strain for breweries like Fullers, Firestone Walker, 3 Floyds, etc.
 
AnchorBock said:
I use WLP002 a lot, its obviously great for just about any English style, but also works great for APAs, IPAs (American and English), Stouts, Scottish Ales, etc. I like that it attenuates fast, flocs fast, and can easily get around 80% attenuation at the right mash temp if I'm looking to dry something out. It's no fluke that it's the main strain for breweries like Fullers, Firestone Walker, 3 Floyds, etc.
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Hmmm. Interesting and good to know! :mug:
 
I forgot to add Wyeast 2112 in my initial list (my LHBS is only now starting to stock white labs, so thanks for all the WLP tips, I will check them out). I was using to make steam beers only, but I realized that I really do like the flavor of this yeast for all kinds of beers. It is reminiscent of 1056 but has a little more body and fruitiness, very creamy. I ferment around 67F. I'm just now getting a ferment chamber set up to control this better, but those are the results I get at that temp.
 
My overall go to yeast is S-04, but if I had a LHBS that always stocked fresh wet strains (and more money), my go to yeast would probably be something like wy1469. Appropriate for pretty much every English and American styles, plus it drops out by itself in no time.
 

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