frankvw
Well-Known Member
For a variety of reasons (hubris, a few beers and more curiosity than is good for me) I have taken it upon myself to try and work out what's really in those packets of Mangrove Jack's, Muntons, Morgans and other dry yeasts. What set me off was the fact that I have learned that Brewcraft definitely does not have their own yeast labs, and speaking with someone at Fermentis who let drop (beer is a wonderful thing!) that there is a facility in the UK that repacks Fermentis and Lallemand yeasts (and presumably others) for MJ and other brands. Nor is this surprising: MJ renamed and discontinued a few of their yeasts at the same time Lallemand revamped their product range and discontinued/renamed several of their products. So anyone can see what's really going on here.
Anyway. Based on the above and the product specs, this is what I've managed to identify so far.
Original dry yeast strains directly from production labs: (i.e. not repacked / rebranded):
I'm still working on AEB yeast from Italy (Agency of Enology of Brescia) which may be original strains or repacked/rebranded ones from one of the above production labs. As soon as I have managed to fathom out what's going on with their range I'll add it here.
Repacked / rebranded dry yeasts
I'm still working on Gozdawa yeast from Poland which I suspect is repacked/rebranded but not sure yet. Will report back when that info is in.
A few notes on comparing dry yeasts:
So at this point I would like your feedback! Do you agree or disagree with the above identifications of repacked / rebranded dry yeasts, and why? All corrections, additions and comments will help!!
// FvW
Anyway. Based on the above and the product specs, this is what I've managed to identify so far.
Original dry yeast strains directly from production labs: (i.e. not repacked / rebranded):
Code:
Brand | Yeast | What I think it really is
Fermentis | S-04 English Ale | Classic Whitbread strain
Fermentis | US-05 American Ale | Classic Chico strain
Fermentis | WB-06 German Wheat |
Fermentis | K-97 German Ale |
Fermentis | S-33 General Purpose Ale | Classic Edme strain
Fermentis | T-58 Belgian Ale |
Fermentis | BE-256 Abbey Ale |
Fermentis | BE-134 Saison |
Fermentis | S-23 Berlin Lager |
Fermentis | S-189 Swiss Lager |
Fermentis | W34/70 Weihenstephan Lager |
Lallemand | Abbaye Belgian Style Ale |
Lallemand | Belle Saison Belgian Saison Style |
Lallemand | BRY97 American West Coast Ale |
Lallemand | Diamond Lager | Weihenstephaner strain?
Lallemand | Köln Kolsch Style Ale |
Lallemand | London English Style Ale (f.k.a. ESB) | American Whitbread descendant?
Lallemand | Manchester |
Lallemand | Munich Classic Style Ale |
Lallemand | Munich Wheat Ale |
Lallemand | New England American East Coast Style Ale | Classic Chico strain
Lallemand | Nottingham High Performance Ale Yeast |
Lallemand | Windsor British Style Ale Yeast | American Edme descendant?
Mauribrew | 514 Ale | Australian Edme descendant
Mauribrew | 497 Lager | Cold-adapted S/Cerevisiae strain?
Mauribrew | 1433 Weiss | Australian descendant of European Bavaria strain
I'm still working on AEB yeast from Italy (Agency of Enology of Brescia) which may be original strains or repacked/rebranded ones from one of the above production labs. As soon as I have managed to fathom out what's going on with their range I'll add it here.
Repacked / rebranded dry yeasts
Code:
Brand | Yeast | What I think it really is
Mangrove Jack's | M15 Empire Ale | Fermentis S-04
Mangrove Jack's | M20 Bavarian Wheat | Lallemand Munich Classic Wheat Ale Yeast
Mangrove Jack's | M21 Belgian Wit | Most likely Lallemand Munich Wheat Ale Yeast, possibly Mauribrew 1433 (these are fairly similar)
Mangrove Jack's | M29 French Saison | Lallemand Belle Saison
Mangrove Jack's | M31 Belgian Tripel | Fermentis BE-134
Mangrove Jack's | M36 Liberty Bell Ale | Lallemand London English Style Ale
Mangrove Jack's | M41 Belgian Ale | Lallemand Abbaye
Mangrove Jack's | M42 New World Strong Ale | Lallemand Nottingham ale yeast
Mangrove Jack's | M44 US West Coast | Lallemand BRY-97 West Coast Ale
Mangrove Jack's | M47 Belgian Abbey | Fermentis T-58
Mangrove Jack's | M54 Californian Lager | Lallemand Köln Kolsch style or Fermentis K-97 (these are quite similar, maybe the same strain)
Mangrove Jack's | M76 Bavarian Lager | Fermentis W34/70
Mangrove Jack's | M84 Bohemian Lager | Most likely Lallemand Diamond Lager, possibly Fermentis K-97 (not entirely sure)
Hambleton Bard | B1 Bulldog Brews Universal ale | Fermentis S-23
Hambleton Bard | B4 Bulldog Brews English Ale | Fermentis S-04
Hambleton Bard | B5 Bulldog Brews American West | Fermentis US-05
Hambleton Bard | B16 Bulldog Brews Belgian Saison | Fermentis BE-134
Hambleton Bard | B19 Bulldog Brews Belgian Trapix (sic) | Fermentis BE-256
Hambleton Bard | B23 Bulldog Brews Steam Lager | Fermentis S-23
Hambleton Bard | B34 Bulldog Brews German Lager | Fermentis W34/70
Hambleton Bard | B38 Bulldog Brews Amber Lager | Fermentis S-23
Hambleton Bard | B44 Bulldog Brews European Ale | Fermentis K-97
Hambleton Bard | B48 Bulldog Brews Bavarian Wheat | Fermentis WB-06
Morgan's | Beer kit yeast | Mauribrew 514
Morgan's | Premium Lager Yeast | Fermentis S-23
Morgan's | Premium European Lager Yeast | Fermentis W34/70
Morgan's | Premium American Ale Yeast | Fermentis US-05
Morgan's | Premium Ale Yeast | Fermentis S-33
Morgan's | Premium Wheat Beer Yeast | Fermentis WB-06
Morgan's | Premium English Ale Yeast | Fermentis S-04
Coopers | Beer kit yeast | Mauribrew 514
Brewferm | Y015 Blanche | Mauribrew 1433
Brewferm | Y016 Lager | Mauribrew 497
Brewferm | Top | Mauribrew 514
Muntons | Standard Yeast | Classic Edme strain
Muntons | Premium Yeast | Nottingham ale yeast
Gervin (Muntons) | GV12 Ale Yeast | Nottingham ale yeast
I'm still working on Gozdawa yeast from Poland which I suspect is repacked/rebranded but not sure yet. Will report back when that info is in.
A few notes on comparing dry yeasts:
- Mangrove Jack's descriptions re.family, flocculation, sedimentation, alcohol tolerance etc. are based on the old and incorrect Fermentis data sheets that have since been corrected.
- Various yeast suppliers fudge the figures a little to hide the fact that they are reselling Fermentis and/or Lallemand yeasts.
- Descriptions of sedimentation and flocculation should not be treated as exact; classifications as low, medium or high are to be taken as indicative at best.
- Lallemand specifies flocculation characteristics but no sedimentation/compaction characteristics.
So at this point I would like your feedback! Do you agree or disagree with the above identifications of repacked / rebranded dry yeasts, and why? All corrections, additions and comments will help!!
// FvW