All Hail the Yeast

[beerthirty]

There are loads of threads about what yeast is right for what brew. I'm looking for two things here. What is your favorite yeast of all time and what yeast do you use the most often. Comments about why its your favorite or most used are welcome.

Favorite- WLP550 Belgian Ale yeast, I like the spiciness and less fruity flavor that 550 has over 530. I would like to compare 510 to these one day.

Most used- Ssafale 05, clean, cheap and readily available.

 

[Parker36]

Tie between WLP550 and 500. Most used: Notty and Wyeast 1386

 

[Reno_eNVy]

Favorite is probably Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier

The one I use most I think is Wyeast 1099 Whitbread. You can use it for many more beers than most think. I love that it ferments clean and you don't even really need to use gelatin because of high flocculation.

 

[Revvy]

This is a great thread...I like the distinction between favorite yeast and most used...

Fave..Wyyeast 1338 European Ale...I think it has a distinct spiciness, and leaves the beer very malty...My favorite version of Yooper's Dead guy clone is the one with this as opposed to pacman...I actually think it tastes with my water closer to Dead Guy, then when I used pac man. It's also the house yeast in a couple of my favorite brew pubs in the Detroit area...

Most Used. Us-05...for the same reasons you listed.

 

[Freezeblade]

Favorite: Tie between WLP023 and WLP550

Most Used: s-04

 

[Desert_Sky]

Chico, Nottingham, Kolsch, Whitbread, & Irish Ale Yeast. I use these more than anything else. I know, quite the starting line up, but I brew alot. I couldn't pick just one to be my favorite. But dry Chico is always stockpiled in the fridge.

 

[Hikeon3]

Fav: WLP001. I do a lot of APA/IPA and just love what this and the C-hops can do. Nice and clean. And I have a lot of it.

Most used: See above. Have plenty on hand.

 

[sconnie]

Most used is Wyeast 1084 Irish Ale, only because I make a lot of Stout. My favorite would be Wyeast 3522 Belgian Ardennes, which is the Achouffe strain (also the basis for WLP 550 which a few of you have mentioned). Just a really great Belgian strain, pushes the phenolics over the esters which I really like, and works really well at my apartment's ambient temp (usually 73-75 degrees). Great strain.

 

[BrewDey]

I've really grown to like S-05....but also really like wlp029 for lagers-without really needing to lager. It definitely has that 'German' flavor.

I was going to start another thread-but I'll add on to this: What are some other good dry ale yeasts? I like S-05 and Notty...great for the price and the convenience of not needing a starter..but wouldn't mind trying some others. Thoughts?

 

[flyangler18]

Hmm, this is an interesting thread.

I'd call it a tie between 1028 and 1968, both make exceptional bitters and milds to allow the malt to shine through with some fruitness. I also really like 1338.

They are also the strains I use most often, although the Thames Valley strain is vying for top honors as well.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

I don't have a favorite or a most used. It all depends on the style of beer that I am brewing.

 

[user 22118]

Favorites: S-04, this trappist blend that I just got from a friend, no clue what it is

Most Used - US-05 as it's easy and very clean.

 

[flyangler18]

I don't have a favorite or a most used. It all depends on the style of beer that I am brewing.

I agree completely, Bernie! Although given the fact that I brew mostly English ales, the choices are pared down a bit.

 

[Aubie Stout]

WLP051. Nice.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Favorite: Depends on the style. WLP550 for belgian (nice and clean), WLP300 for weizens (love me some banana), Nottingham for most others.

Most used: Actually, it's probably a tie between WLP300 and notty. I make a ****-ton of wheat beers.

I really do so many specific recipes that I use different yeasts every week.

 

[z987k]

US-05, clean flocs well, attenuates well. All is good.
oh and btw, I am fairly certain that us-05=1056, so...

 

[beerthirty]

Wow there are more Belgian lovers out there than I thought. I'm working on perfecting the Piraat clone but its going to be a long process. 550 is the yeast I'm working around.

 

[DeathBrewer]

I love Piraat. Let me know when you nail it.

 

[thataintchicken]

Ok Death.. you have convinced me to try White Labs.
I have been a loyal ... read as LOYAL Wyeast user.

Next batch of Hefeweizen will be with White Labs.
If it sucks ...

well, I'll just give it to you to drink.

 

[Yooper]

I've fallen in love with Pacific ale yeast, and Northwest ale yeast. Of course, I make mostly pale ales and IPAs.

I use nottingham the most, because right now my house is at about 60 degrees. I just fermented an IPA with Northwest (65-75 degrees recommended) at 60 degrees. It worked, but took forever!

 

[thataintchicken]

I've fallen in love with Pacific ale yeast, and Northwest ale yeast. Of course, I make mostly pale ales and IPAs.

I use nottingham the most, because right now my house is at about 60 degrees. I just fermented an IPA with Northwest (65-75 degrees recommended) at 60 degrees. It worked, but took forever!

If you get the opportunity to use Pacman -- try it.
I used it while on a contract job last year back home in Oregon... it made a killer IPA. Too bad it is all in my dad's basement... 900 miles away.


Notty is my go-to dry yeast. S-04 is right behind it.

 

[thataintchicken]

in keeping spirit with the thread.

Wyeast 3068
Wyeast 1028
Wyeast 1098
Wyeast 3787
Wyeast 1332

Long time Wyeast user. I love the product. Oh.. and from Oregon. Like me.
lulz.

 

[remilard]

W 34/70
W 68
Chico
Rochefort

 

[sully]

whitelabs abbey and wlp041 pacific ale i have used the pacific ale for ipa's, apa, stout, porter, brown, honey ale, red, light ale, tri-beery ale, barleywine and a thick as **** imperial oatmeal stout. have to say that i love that yeast abbey for tripels and such, i am drinking a tripel done with abbey, and its at 9.7% alc... dont tell my friends i want it all for myself.

 

[thataintchicken]

i am drinking a tripel done with abbey, and its at 9.7% alc... dont tell my friends i want it all for myself.

too late.
send samples to TAC.

 

[beerthirty]

DB, I shipped some of the first test brew (Piraat) to Revvy, I think he was just being nice with his review though. Although I was a bit disappointed, he claimed pleasent with apple and apricot tones. It finished high so I need to get attenuation under control. I'm planning on trying b-dub's ferm temp process to drop the FG on the next batch. Unfortunately I will have no process control at this point, I'm upgrading(I hope they are upgrades) some of the brew rig these next few weeks.

 

[beerthirty]

send samples to TAC.

Thanks for the initials. I had always wondered if it was "that aint chicken" or "tha taint chicken" Now I can sleep easy.

 

[PseudoChef]

Favorite: WLP653 Brett Dubbel and Brett Saison are both turning out great. Same yeast, but two different flavor profiles. Saison is more barnyard while the dubbel is really tart.

Most used - S-05.