What to do with Windsor?

I have a packet of Windsor yeast I didn't need and I was wondering what its good for? I have heard some bad things about this yeast. Anyone use it with success? What style should I brew with it?

Maybe this belongs in recipes?

I like this yeast a lot. I have a porter fermenting with it right now. I plan to reuse it for a mild next. I've had good results making bitters with it as well. Pretty much any English style ale should work.

I am of the opinion that it isn't good for use in *any* beer, although it does make a pretty tasty sweet cider.

I've used it with good results in stouts and porters, when I wanted a lower attenuated result. Otherwise, I wouldn't use it.

Thanks. The floc, attenuation and stalling stories are what have me worried. So they are true huh? I guess I'll try a stout with it.

Windsor works well for malt forward UK styles. I love to use it in my Scottish ales and Wee Heavies.

The deal with Windsor is that it's a lazy yeast that prefers to take it's time and ferment slowly. It takes forever to floc out of solution and it's best left alone in a brew bucket or carboy for anywhere from a month to six weeks in the dark at about 65f. I use pure oxygen and yeast nutrients on most of my worts and Windsor has always hung in there and ultimately done fine for me. You just have to give it what it needs up front and be patient with it.

Okay so I'm thinking a chocolate stout.

Should be fine. Hit the wort with some yeast nutrient and/or servomyces towards the end of the boil, oxygenate the wort with either pure oxygen or by rocking the fermenter container for five minutes on it's axis with the lid on, and just let it sit at 65f. in the dark. Give it four weeks for low to mid gravity beers (1.060 or less) and six weeks for higher gravity beers (1.060 or more).

It produces a malty beer with a lot of flavor. If you have trouble getting it to settle out of the beer, cold crashing the fermenter for about a week at 35f can help it to settle out.

Sounds good. All that stuff was in the plan.

aiptasia said:

Windsor works well for malt forward UK styles. I love to use it in my Scottish ales and Wee Heavies.

The deal with Windsor is that it's a lazy yeast that prefers to take it's time and ferment slowly. It takes forever to floc out of solution and it's best left alone in a brew bucket or carboy for anywhere from a month to six weeks in the dark at about 65f. I use pure oxygen and yeast nutrients on most of my worts and Windsor has always hung in there and ultimately done fine for me. You just have to give it what it needs up front and be patient with it.

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Thanks for that information and I wish I had known it earlier. I made 2 batches of English style beer with it and both were at the expected FG when I bottled but now, months later, one batch that I bottled at 2 weeks is a gusher and the other is over carbonated, probably because the yeast wasn't quite done when I bottled. I'll try these styles again but I'll give them more time to finish.

Windsor works but it takes forever to clear and has a relatively low attenuation (not necessarily a bad thing, depending on the style). It tends to give cidery esters when fermented warm, would probably be a great pick for a sweet cider.

Nottingham is my go-to for ales as I like them less malty in general and it flocs nicely.

If you don't want to use the Windsor for anything else you can always boil it and use it as nutrient.