What is your go to pale ale yeast?

Hey guys, at the moment I don't have temperature control during fermentation. The carboys are in my basement and they stay around 20C. So far I've stuck with Danstar Nottingham Ale Yeast and was wondering what else I should try. I wanted to try out the Wyeast 1056 but all my LHBS are out of stock at the moment. Any other suggestions?

If you can't make starters stick with dry yeast. US05 is the same strain of yeast as 1056. Most will say there is a small difference in the final flavor.

For a British Pale I use S-04

Added, Look to temperature control. Check into "swamp cooler".

I really like Nottingham but last time I did a side-by-side with WLP001 Cal Ale from White Labs and the WLP001 was much better in my Pale Ale.

I wish I could get WLP001 as a dry yeast. (Maybe I should try US-05 again.)

WLP 001 is the same as 1056. WLP 090 (SD super yeast) is another commonly used one, but it's not as generous on the temperature control issue I've found. At your temps it'll go Mt. Vesuvius on you and probably put off some esters. Australian Ale Yeast (I can't remember the number) is known to handle warmer temps a bit more, and for dry yeast S-05 is similar to nottingham, though I've heard it's less estery at warmer temps. (take that last bit of hearsay with a grain of salt, I haven't brewed with those yeasts enough to verify that).

If you can't control your temps, go with 05. It's much more forgiving to temp issues.

As for my personal choice, I find I'm falling in love with the Wyeast American Ale II. I've used it in my last 4 pales, and it did a fantastic job in an Irish-ish Red I made too!

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a temp controller on order that I'll be installing into a chest freezer. Hopefully I'll have it in a week or so and I can start brewing lagers and experimenting with different fermentation temps. For some reason none of my LHBS carry US-05. I'll see if I can order some in.

I am partial to English strains and house yeast WLP007. Love it for IPAs, Pales, and Bitter. Has a good temp range 65f-70f, great attenuation and floculates better for me than anything else. I run it at 68-70 almost all the time.

If you can manage to get some 05, that is what I would use. Hell, I use it on 80% of my beers of all styles. This yeast is very versatile.

Why can't you make a starter? There's nothing special needed, just DME and a bottle. 2c water and 1/2c DME, boiled for 7-10 minutes, cooled and poured into a sanitized bottle. Add the liquid yeast, cover with a small piece of sanitized aluminum foil. Swirl as often as you can over 36-48 hours and you have a starter. You don't have to have a stir plate, erlynmeyer flask, etc.

That said, I love US05 for pale ale. I wash and reuse it for many pale ales, IPA, Scottish, Stouts, etc. Actually I have some going on a stir plate, right now. :rockin:

Never said I couldn't do a yeast starter. My issue was all my LHBS were out of stock on the Wyeast 1056 I wanted to try.