Looking for a change in IPA yeast-ideas?

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Pelican521

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Hi all, I think for every batch of IPAs I've every made, I've used Wyeast 1056. I've had good results with it, but I'm looking to experiment.

I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions on any other yeast strains for an IPA and how it would affect the taste differently than my usual 1056.

If possible, I'd like to keep with a yeast from Wyeast, as I'm familiar with that brand more than others.

Thanks in advance!
 
WYeast 1098 British Ale / WLP-007 Dry English Ale (Whitbred dry strain) - as recommended by Stone for cloning their beers.

Keep it lower - maybe 65 rising to 67F or lower for cleaner tastes, or a little higher for a bit of estery English character.
 
I have been really happy recently with "conan yeast" strain..... various sources, but Gigayeast is one I get if I am not growing it up from Heady Topper Cans. I have brewed around 12-15 batches now off of one original pitch

It can be a little finicky..... and I like it better after harvesting at least once. So, I start with a smallish 1.045 type beer and then harvest 3-4 one pint mason jars of yeast to build into starters.

*I make small starters (1L) with these about 18-24 hours before brewing and pitch the whole actively fermenting starter.

*I chill to 58-60 and pitch

*I let initial fermentation take temperature up to 62-64 for the first 4-5 days and then let it go to 66-68-70 from day 5-12.

*Usually keg around day 12 and carbonate. Drinking it by day 14 usually.

Other good IPA yeasts.... 1272, 007, San Diego Super Yeast
 
Braufessor said:
I have been really happy recently with "conan yeast" strain..... various sources, but Gigayeast is one I get if I am not growing it up from Heady Topper Cans. I have brewed around 12-15 batches now off of one original pitch

It can be a little finicky..... and I like it better after harvesting at least once. So, I start with a smallish 1.045 type beer and then harvest 3-4 one pint mason jars of yeast to build into starters.

*I make small starters (1L) with these about 18-24 hours before brewing and pitch the whole actively fermenting starter.

*I chill to 58-60 and pitch

*I let initial fermentation take temperature up to 62-64 for the first 4-5 days and then let it go to 66-68-70 from day 5-12.

*Usually keg around day 12 and carbonate. Drinking it by day 14 usually.

Other good IPA yeasts.... 1272, 007, San Diego Super Yeast
Click to expand...

You are on the MONEY with conan (though my initial temps usually around 68 and bring it to 72 after primary slows). FWIW, i get mine from the yeast bay and have done the same thing with harvesting and such and its my new favorite yeast for pretty much anything light (havent tried it dark yet).

Other good strains to try something different would be an English ale yeast (WLP002 or S-04) and recently tried white labs Cal V (wlp051) with some great results (definitely different than others i have used)
 
Braufessor said:
*I chill to 58-60 and pitch
*I let initial fermentation take temperature up to 62-64 for the first 4-5 days and then let it go to 66-68-70 from day 5-12.
Click to expand...

Have you ever used 1098/007 with this schedule?

I'm interested because I'm trying to hone my 007 fermentation. I have been pitching at 65 and fermenting at 65/65 then raising a degree a day to help it finish out. I think when the controller flips on at 66 it cools some of the yeast too much and it drops out. Being a high flocc yeast it seems to finish a bit short. I believe the recommended temp is 65 to 72 or something close.
 
Wyeast 2565. It makes a fantastic IPA.

Or go the Enlgish route. Any number of English strains will work - 1028, 1318, Ringwood, etc.

There is also experimentation with Trappist strains, lager strains, amongst others. Really, the sky is the limit. I'd wager most any yeast could give you a perfectly wonderful IPA is you plan your recipe right.
 
Wlp013 is a good one

I'm also going to be trying out a couple one with wlp800 and wlp835
 
Try a lager yeast and ferment cool. I find it brings out more of the malt and creates a really nice hoppy beer. But I like my IPAs to have some malt character as well. Saflager 34/70 works great at warmer temps. Mid to upper 50s, even into the 60s would be good.
 
I've been enjoying pacman that I cultured from a 6 of rogue's hazel nut brown, by pitching the dregs into a bottle of pasteurized apple juice and screwing the top back on until the bottle started to bulge. It seems quite active at a wide range of temperatures.
 
I'll give another vote for Conan. To me it has several advantages over the chico strain:

- gives some peachy apricot esters at mid 60s (this compliments typical IPA hops very nicely)

- attenuates better than chico = dryer, cripser body

- can tolerate a larger temperature range, I've fermented starting in the low 50s successfully

- somehow leaves beer with a fuller silky mouthfeel even though it gets the FG lower. I love this in my IPAs

- also seems to get better performance with successive generations. My first starter straight from the pack got like around 75%AA. My 4th and 5th are upwards of 80%

only drawback is it doesnt flocculate as well. But I've never been one to care about the clarity of my beer. Plus I keg my IPAs and they all get crystal clear after a week or so in the fridge.
 
I alternate between US-05 and Nottingham dry yeasts for my ales. I haven't yet done a side-by-side, but US-05 is similar to your 1056 I think - very clean fermenting. Nottingham also ferments fairly clean, but I seem to pick up a little more English/bready taste (in a good way).

That could just be placebo, but if you haven't yet tried dry yeast for ales then give it a go. You probably won't go back unless you're looking for a very specific character...
 
Some great suggestions guys, I appreciate it. I was thinking of going with a Brittish ale yeast as well, but if I can get my hands on some Conan yeast, I may want to go with that.

I pick up my supplies at Maltose Express in CT, one of the guys there said they were going to stock a "Vermont" style yeast (this was a few months back), I wonder if they have it in stock yet...
 
Gonna try some 1968 for my next pale beer. Lord knows I have enough of it (Washed a bunch recently). Really liked the way my wheat turned out with it.
 
Cultured Bells is my go to Pale Ale/IPA yeast. Start out at 64, and slowy ramp up to 69 by day 6. Really nice esters that go well with most hop aroma's/flavors IMO.
 
Another vote for Rogue Pacman (Wyeast 1764). Works in a wide range of temps, it's a beast and it drops like a rock. I've made nothing but good beers with Pacman.
 
WY 1217 is my new favorite. Attenuates well and floccs better than 1056/05 IME. It's very neutral like the chico strains but there's something about the end beers that seems to be better - can't really put my finger on it exactly. Brighter/cripser maybe? If you're looking for big flavor differences compared to 1056 though I'd probably go with some of the other suggestions.
 
I like s-04. Cheap, easy to work with, floccs like a rock and when fermented on the cool side, is a welcome change from Chico yeast without being too fruity.
 
German ale yeast or 1007 makes a great clean tasting beer. Ferment between 55 and 60 degrees. It's low flocculating yeast though, so careful racking/cold crashing are recommended.
 
m00ps said:
I'll give another vote for Conan. To me it has several advantages over the chico strain:

only drawback is it doesnt flocculate as well. But I've never been one to care about the clarity of my beer. Plus I keg my IPAs and they all get crystal clear after a week or so in the fridge.
Click to expand...

If you cold crash a day in the fridge conan drops nicely. 24 hour cold crash, then crystal clear coming from teh keg.
 
I'm a huge fan of 1272, especially for IPA's. It's my "house" strain. Very versatile, clean at cooler temps, subtle fruit between 69-72.
 
I like WLP001 and Omega's OLY-004. While also "chico" type strains, they seem to be more flocculant, and clear the beer better than Wyeast 1056 and S05. I can NEVER get a beer to clear when I use S05.

The IPA I"m drinking now was made with OLY-004 in one fermenter, and Wyeast's limited release 1217 in the other, and both are crystal clear.
 
I just kegged up a WHITE IPA that i used WLP575. Test samples are amazing.. ferm ~ 62 (ambient) filled the house with awesome smell.
 
I have made an ipa with WY3724 fermented warm...it was an amazingly complex ale. It is very out of the ordinary but a worthwhile experiment in brewing.
 
Nobody for the M44 US West Coast yeast? I know it has a scary lag but worked for me.
 
Yooper said:
The IPA I"m drinking now was made with OLY-004 in one fermenter, and Wyeast's limited release 1217 in the other, and both are crystal clear.
Click to expand...
1217 is great. Just poured my fist bottle of a beer I made with 1217, extremely clear after less than two weeks in the bottle. Will be tough to get though right now, being a seasonal strain.
 
I use 1056 like you, but also 1272 American Ale 2, Pacman, and Conan. All solid choices that I have in my "yeast bank" for IPAs, in my opinion.
 
BreezyBrew said:
No idea why it isn't a year round one. The Rye IPA I made with it was awesome.
Click to expand...

I actually emailed them about it and got a reply from Michael Dawson -

"when it is time to promote some new strains to the year-round collection 1217 will be a top contender."

In the meantime I'm stocked up on slurry!
 
Inoculating agar slants was the first thing I did after opening the 1217 package.
 
Hmm -- no one has mentioned Kolsch yeast (WLP029) yet for an IPA? It's fantastic in an otherwise clean but hop-forward IPA.

Around here we've been calling 029 "The Gamechanger."
 
I did a Belgian rye IPA using Wyeast 1214. It had 50% rye in it, nelson sauvin hops and I fermented at 80* to get a nice red plum flavor going.
It was an excellent beer!:rockin: Going to brew it again soon.
 

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