Want some opinions on Yeast selections

Im finally starting to slant my yeast and keep a supply instead of ordering each time I brew (tired of paying $7 plus a cold pack for shipping). So want to decide on some yeast to start my collection. Here are the styles I brew the most and my current choice of Yeast:

IPA: WLP001
Wheat Ales: Wyeast Labs#1010
Blondes/Wheats:WLP051 or WLP007

What are some thoughts and suggestions for some to add to collection. Also a friend got ahold of some Heady Topper so hoping to add that to the collection

I would just add as needed.
Gonna brew an English Ale or ESB? Get some Wyeast 1098.
Brewing anything from an American Ale to a stout? Can't go wrong with Wyeast 1056.
Just get what you need, slant some of it, and step up the rest for your brew day.

Yeah was planning on that, just tryinig to figure out how much of each strand to keep on hand since i have a limited space and number of slants to use

Looks good man. You may even be able to use one yeast for the last two styles you put there. The wheat ones, I mean. Also, if you are into Belgian styles or other bacteria (Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus etc.) for sour beers then you can look into those strains. Lagers also require lager yeast.

My personal opinions:

I've never used 001, but alongside 1056 and US 05 that strain's so common, and with a dry yeast equivalent probably not worth the effort to slant.

1010 isn't a great strain in my book. I'd rather use a proper weizen yeast for wheat beers, or a Kolsch type strain for other cleanish hybrids. But if you like it go for it.

I love Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire for English beers (despite routinely not flocculating as well as Wyeast says it does). Never used 007 so no idea how different they are (1469 is a pretty unique strain in my opinion)

I do like WLP500/Wyeast 1214 for Belgian styles.

I have a question. How do yeast blends such as WLP060 and WLP568 hold up over time and several generations? On several occasions I've used WLP568 (Saison Blend) for a few generations and I notice the flavor changing more quickly from one brew to the next, as compared to, lets say, US-05. Granted I ferment WLP568 at pretty warm temperatures, so that may have a lot to do with it.

If I were collecting multiple yeast strains I would have a clean American ale, an English ale, a belgian strain, and a german lager. I really like the versatility and range of flavors from WLP810, the California Common/Steam Beer strain, so I would probably keep that around too.

Thanks for the advice and opinions

julioardz said:

I have a question. How do yeast blends such as WLP060 and WLP568 hold up over time and several generations? On several occasions I've used WLP568 (Saison Blend) for a few generations and I notice the flavor changing more quickly from one brew to the next, as compared to, lets say, US-05. Granted I ferment WLP568 at pretty warm temperatures, so that may have a lot to do with it.

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No personal experience or data to back it up, but I'd figure that it's much like blends with non-Saccharomyces organisms. I'm assuming the different strains would grow at a slightly different rate (although probably to a lesser extent than a blend with, say, Saccharomyces, Brett and Lacto) and over multiple growths it'd throw the balance off. I know for some of the sour blends they explicitly recommend not repitching because of this, maybe even going with multiple packs/vials instead of starters.

Although I don't know if it's relevant here, since even if you were to isolate out and slant both or all the strains in a blend, you'd still have to grow them back up individually and that'd throw off any original balance in the blend.

If I were collecting multiple yeast strains I would have a clean American ale, an English ale, a belgian strain, and a german lager. I really like the versatility and range of flavors from WLP810, the California Common/Steam Beer strain, so I would probably keep that around too.

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Agreed. If the OP sticks primarily to the styles above, then the listed strains probably makes sense. But I like a bit more variety and would do it the way you list. Although I'd probably go Kolsch/German Ale instead of Cal/San Fran Lager. I'd also add a good Weizen strain in there.

Thanks. I assumed the strains reproduce at different rates, leaving the blend off balance from the original. I feel reusing a blend still produces a nice flavor, but it does seem to change more from one generation to the next, at least with this Saison blend.