What is your "Go To" yeast and why?

[Shred]

I heart Nottingham. It's clean and allows hops to shine in IPAs and malts to shine in stouts. It's cheap and it's easy (no starter... just pitch another $3 pack).

What yeast do you find yourself gravitating to most frequently?

 

[HexKrak]

Ditto on Notty. I used to use US-05 for pales and lighter beers, but found that notty worked just as well and had less tendencies for green apple and other off flavors.

*edit* I really liked Wyeast 3942 - Belgian Wheat for my wheat beers though.

 

[dnslater]

Safale S-05 not sure why. Seems to ferments cleanly in my 68 degree basement. Use it for IPA's and American pales, which are 50% of my brews. I use Notty for stouts and such but I am afraid it will give off flavors in hoppy beers at these temps.

 

[HB_in_Subic]

Muntons Premium Gold for my Stout, Amber Bock Ale and Irish Red. Quick ferments and plenty of flocculation (never cloudy).

 

[riderkb]

I've been using S-04 at 15-16C for everything recently.

 

[Shred]

Safale S-05 not sure why. Seems to ferments cleanly in my 68 degree basement. Use it for IPA's and American pales, which are 50% of my brews. I use Notty for stouts and such but I am afraid it will give off flavors in hoppy beers at these temps.

Notty is actually pretty forgiving of higher temps... it's the lower temps it doesn't like. That said, I always have 05 on hand as well.

 

[Yooper]

I tend to use WLP001 for many beers, as I make a lot of American pale ales and IPAs. I have about 5 strains I use the most, from Wyeast's 1450 (Denny's Favorite 50) for many beers to Wyeast 1335 for some British strains. I always have WLP001, Denny's Favorite, an English strain (I have two now), and one other strain for American ales on hand.

I don't tend to keep lager strains on hand as I don't make many lagers.

 

[Schmoogdaddy]

I don't always brew lagers, but when I do, I prefer WLP 838.

Quick, clean and clear.

 

[1van]

wlp029
wlp002
wlp500

I feel I can do just bout anything with those three strains. Recently used s-05 and was pretty happy with that, but I am thinking the SD super yeast may be the new go to....still experimenting with it before I am sure. It should be noted I am not a IPA fan though or else I would use cali ale yeast more

 

[Shred]

My current dry yeast inventory in the garage/brewery mini-fridge is:

4 Nottingham
3 EC-1118
2 BRY-97
2 S-04
2 S-05
1 Belle Saison

I find myself only using liquid yeast for beers that really require special yeast character (Belgians, etc...). It's so nice to just sprinkle and lid a fermenter.

 

[Sir-Hops-A-Lot]

S04 and S05
I like S04 especially because it's so damn fast and it clears well.

 

[giraffe]

1469 for english, great esters, forgiving, reliably flocs crystal clear without much effort.

1335 for neutral/high grav, very neutral flavor, emphizes the malt over the hops compared with wlp001, reliably finishes clear and dry.

3638 for hefes, more complex esters than 3068.

833 for lagers.

 

[paperairplane]

S05 - virtually bomb proof, no starter, chews through wort quick and clean. Cold crash and it drops super clear.

I keg and make a lot of pale ale - this gets me drinking beer in 30 days.

 

[titansvol]

1968 is my go to yeast for most brews.


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[zoonose]

Belle Saison, preferably with Brett. US-05 is nice for pale ale, blonde, and stout.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I have a few that I default to.

Most common is Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire. I think of it as my house yeast, since my regular brews are usually English beers. Great esters, complex and balanced, and it makes a MEAN Bitter or Mild. I usually have it on hand, and harvest and repitch with it regularly. Sometimes from the cake and sometimes top cropping.

I use 3068 Weihenstephan Weizen for all my German wheat beers (also great for top cropping). I use 1332 Northwest Ale for my American styles (I like em a little fruitier and maltier than 1056/001 provides). 3724 Belgian Saison is my go-to Saison strain. 1214 Belgian Abbey has become my default for other Belgian styles. 3525 Kolsch and 1007 German Ale get pretty equal play for my hybrids.

 

[danthebugman]

I use a lot of S04 and S05. Mostly because I never know exactly when I'm going to be able to brew so it's nice to just have them in the fridge and not have to worry about them going bad before I get to use them. Also they turn out good beer and are pretty forgiving. I've tried the Belle Saison recently (did a pumpkin saison) and I have a feeling that may enter the rotation with some frequency too...it's a monster!

 

[beersk]

US-05, 34/70 for dry yeasts. For liquid yeasts it varies, but those dry yeasts are definitely my go-to's. 34/70 is just an awesome yeast with a wide temperature range and ferments clean. Love that stuff. US-05, I've kind of been disappointed with. It's okay, but not the greatest. I keep some on hand all the time just in case or for the random/spontaneous brew day.

But lately, I've been getting a strain of yeast (liquid) and doing a run of 5-7 beers with that yeast strain, then going on to a different strain for different styles. I'm planning a series of British beers with Wy1335 here in a couple weeks.

 

[dkevinb]

US-05. Clean, reliable, low-maintenance, good temperature range. It just quietly gets the job done with no drama. S-04 would be second for the same reasons, plus it's a great flocculater. You can almost turn the fermenter upside down and not have the yeast cake move.

 

[philosofool]

3711 for Saison. Wonderful.

WLP013 (supposedly the same as 1028 London Ale) for dark English and American ale. Gives an oaky, minerally character that's not at all dry or harsh. Great with roast malt.

I've been happy with 007/1098 for IPA in the past, but I wouldn't say I've reached "Go To" with that one. Yet. I'm doing another tomorrow and we'll see.

Love 3787 (Trappist High Gravity) but this one requires patience, Grasshopper.

For what it's worth, I've definitely had 1469 go a little too dry on me, but I'm still planning to try it again someday.

 

[jabba11]

I always have s-05 on hand and use it frequently, but also use alot of WY 1272 for my light ales (tailigate beer for the BMC crowd) ferments very fast and vigorous and drops extremely clear, even clearer than s-05 in my experince, and I use wb-06 for my weizens etc

 

[MaddBaggins]

I have a few I use a lot.

WLP001 is probably my most common
US05 right behind 001 (I know, pretty much the same anyway)
WLP007 takes off like a beast and finishes dry

Of course, I use a ton of others as well. Tailored to the recipe, or the recipe is tailored to the yeast. I'm going to use WLP023 Burton on a pumpkin ale this weekend.

 

[chrisroarshack]

I've tried US-05, TB 58, and Belle Saison. US ferments clean for your malt or hops, Belle Saison is interesting but I need to play with it a lil more next summer to see what real character hot fermentation can produce. TB 58 is interesting too, but I can't ever find a packet that isn't close to death so the few beers I've made with it were under pitched nightmares.

Gunna try liquid yeast for the first time this weekend, hefeweizen!

 

[dobes]

really like the WL001 for my hoppier beers. The WL004 and 013 work for my porters and stouts. I always have some 05 on hand as well.
yesterday however i brewed a stout and tried using 04 for the first time maybe this will add to one of my favorites.

 

[skw]

It used to be US-05, but lately I've grown fond of Nottingham.

 

[MrFeltimo]

S-04
S-05
If my chamber is full, Notty (very forgiving)
and i love 1469 West Yorkshire, but only when i can afford it.

 

[podz]

2206 and 2308, predominantly because they produce the type of beer that I like to drink (Helles, dunkel, doppelbock, maibock, etc).

 

[dfhar]

WLP029 for American ales, or anything that would normally call for something like US-05. Clean, reliable, versatile, but with more "character" than US-05. Of course, works great in a Kolsch or Alt too.

Wyeast 1469 for English Ales. Reliable, clears nicely, but most importantly it offers an amazingly complex flavor.

Wyeast 2206 has been making me some pretty great lagers lately.

 

[MrSnacks]

You can do almost anything with WLP007.

 

[NathPowe]

I don't always brew lagers, but when I do, I prefer WLP 838.

Quick, clean and clear.

Yup. I love WLP838 (Southern German Lager). It really is quick, clean & clear. I'd add delicious to this list. That one and WLP090 (San Diego Super) are my two "house" strains.

Cheers.

 

[Talgrath]

US-05 is my usual go to, at least for American style ales, straightforward and to the point and it works great even in my house that I like to keep chilly. A close second is probably Belle Saison, which goes into my saison and cranberry belgian ipa.

 

[schiersteinbrewing]

US-05 and Saflager w-34/47, I always have those in stock. With the closest LHBS 120 miles away, everything being a few days by online order, and summer temps in the 100's, dry yeasts are my best bet.

 

[rupert130]

Wyeast 2575 Kolsch II. Clean and lets malt and hops come through.

 

[winvarin]

WLP002 for me. That yeast plus temp control is like having a flavor/aroma dial for your beer.

Low mash temp plus a ferment in the low 60s gives a well attenuated, "clean" beer with just a little yeast derived character I don't get from 001.

Fermenting at 64-65 gives a nice nutty malty flavor to Brit ales but still keeps the esters restrained.

66-69 gives a nose and mouthful of British character.

I have a mild in the fermenter right now with 002. I started at 65. Kicked to 66 at 12 hrs, then went to 67 this morning, about 36 hours in.

My plan is to use those flavors and esters to add some depth to the beer's relatively small gravity (1.039 OG).


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[Zuljin]

Another US05. It doesn't have a profound effect on flavor. It stores easily.

 

[hijukal]

I really like Wyeast 1272 (American Ale II). It can be fruity, nutty, highlight hops or not. I've used it in IPAs, pale ales, stouts, golden ales. Anything that doesn't have a specific and special yeast character, really. I've used it up to 5 generations from one packet without any particular attention to storage (other than in a sanitised jar in the fridge) for up to a couple of months between batches. Might not be ideal conditions but the results haven't disappointed yet!

 

[Natdavis777]

1056/US05 or 1098. The two yeast I use the most bc they produce great, clean beers and attenuate well. Both are very versatile for many style ie: Stouts, Porters, IPAs, Pales, etc.

 

[d3track]

Been using wlp013 for pale ale, iPad, stout, porter and really liking it - making me wonder if I will venture back to us-05 ever again

 

[Zibe]

NOTTY!!!!! iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit's gggggreeeeeeeaaaaaaaaattttt!!!
It can't make bad beer....
unfortunately I can.

It's brother Windsor, however, I rate below bread yeast and probably the yeast cultured off a piece of dog pop..if yeast does in fact grow on dog poop.


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[j1n]

I always have some Notty on hand. I got 4 packs in the fridge. My go to strains are WLP090, Pacman, and Notty.

This weekend im doing a Honey ale and a cider. both are getting Notty yeast.