If You Had to Choose Two Yeasts...

[GMesick]

If you had to choose just two yeasts from which to make most of your beers, what would they be? I keep a yeast bank in my fridge (actually just bottles of generic homebrew made from my two strains, labeled and used exclusively as "starter paks" for my batches). It's simple, saves 5 bucks a shot, and has worked great. I limit myself to two, just to keep them fresh. And so I have chosen Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) and 2308 (Munich Lager). The 1098 was a safe choice and has worked as expected. The 2308 was a bit riskier, but hey, I love Bavarian beers. I have made helles, Vienna, and doppelbock, and no sign of the Dread Diacetyl Effect. But I'm interested if anyone else has given this some thought--and what you chose (or would choose, if forced to).

 

[bigcountrybrew]

Nottingham for dry and WLP001 California Ale Yeast, But I don't lager yet.

 

[Bopper]

Definitely Notty (or US-05) for one. 1098 would be a good choice for the second.

 

[maida7]

how about a kolsch yeast. You can do quite a lot with a kolsch strain.

 

[GMesick]

I've heard and read folks talk about kolsch yeast, but I have never used it. Someone even mentioned using it for a helles. How far could one push it (in terms of styles)? Is it less finicky than 2308?

 

[maida7]

I've heard and read folks talk about kolsch yeast, but I have never used it. Someone even mentioned using it for a helles. How far could one push it (in terms of styles)? Is it less finicky than 2308?

I've only used it to make kolsch but it think it's fairly neutral tasting and can be used to make both lagers and ales. temp wise it's very versatile.

 

[babalu87]

US-05 and 1469

 

[babalu87]

I've only used it to make kolsch but it think it's fairly neutral tasting and can be used to make both lagers and ales. temp wise it's very versatile.

Kolsch yeast is anything but neutral

 

[ntempleton]

And so I have chosen Wyeast 1098 (British Ale) and 2308 (Munich Lager).

I chose 2308 for my house lager strain as well. I like the profile, and I have a good source for clean slurry from a local brewery.

I have a yeast experiment going right now with S-04, 1098, 1968, and 1028 to determine my house ale strain.

 

[Coastarine]

Pacman and trappist high gravity.

 

[GMesick]

Nic--

I'd like to hear the results of your ale yeast experiment. My goal is good "session beers"--not beers-as-cocktails. So milds, special bitters, brown ales, etc.

 

[KYB]

Irish Ale and a clean American Ale for me.

 

[hbomb]

White labs 001 and Wyeast 1968

 

[sp1365]

WLP002 English Ale and S-05 for any American beers that I may do.

 

[skarude]

+1 for wlp001 haven't kept anything else around though I would like to keep a few more in the future.

 

[Montanaandy]

Wyeast American Ale 1056 & Wyeast Rush Yeast 2112 Cali Lager. Montanaandy

 

[permo]

nottingham and white labs kolsch. No doubt.

 

[ericd]

Belgian Ale Blend and American Ale Blend, both from White Labs.

 

[Steelers77]

Wyeast London Ale, and US-05

 

[beerthirty]

Safale 05 and WL550. Its hard to choose between a good clean American ale and a spicy Belgian. Lots of 05 stored in the fridge. When on a Belgian kick I prefer to brew biweekly and pitch on the last cake. Economics isn't much of a factor here.

 

[Jaybird]

No question WLP051 California Ale V yeast and WLP550 Belgian Ale yeast. I could live my life and never see another yeast.

 

[VolFan]

Limiting to two is tough, I get lots of milage from American Ale 1056, Abbey ale WLP530 and British ESB 1968

 

[Bobby_M]

WLP-001 Cali Ale and WLP-830 German Lager if only two, but I'd have to say that a WLP-002 or 005 would be required for me.

 

[Bopper]

Pacman and trappist high gravity.

Good call on the Pacman! It's interesting to see peoples responses. You can really tell peoples favorite beer profiles by their yeast selections

 

[MultumInParvo]

Pacman and trappist high gravity.

I am with you on the second one here. I think Jolly Pumpkin uses White Labs 550 for everything? It can produce all ranges of beers and is apparently tolerant up to 15% abv!

 

[ntempleton]

Nic--

I'd like to hear the results of your ale yeast experiment. My goal is good "session beers"--not beers-as-cocktails. So milds, special bitters, brown ales, etc.

Will do. That's exactly how I brew as well.

 

[tgrier]

05 and 04
That is all I need

 

[BuzzCraft]

I don't lager, so White Labs 001 (California Ale) and 002 (English Ale) for me.

They're called #1 and #2 for a reason!

 

[Freezeblade]

2 is kinda hard, I could totally narrow it down to 3. But I'll just say the 2 and mention the last one.

WLP023 Burton Ale: I use this for nearly all my English beers, which is most of what I brew
WLP530 Abby Ale: I love this strain for Belgians, and use it for every one.

The third on the list would be WLP037 Yorkshire Square Ale: I use the Burton for all my bitters/pales, but prefer the 037 for all my darker beers, it is the mutts nutts.

 

[OMJ]

two is tough but I think I would go us-05 and wlp400

 

[ArcaneXor]

US-05 and S-04 if I was limited to just two strains, since they'll handle anything American and English. Wyeast Koelsch would be next in line.