Cleanest ale beer

[iosete]

In your opinion, what is the cleanest ale yeast?

 

[ChelisHubby]

It is all about tempature and taste. Some might say Nottingham others might say US-05 or one of its brethren or maybe BRY 97. Decide what kind of beer you want to brew and then find a recipe that others have said is great. Now after you have done that use the yeast they recommend and hold it at the temp that is recommended. By the way there are a lot of other yeast that are very clean in flavor but it all depends on the temp and the recipe.

 

[FlyDoctor]

According to a recent Brulosophy experiment - the answer is Saflager 34/70. Most could not pick out the beer fermented at 80F compared to 60

 

[SpentBrains]

According to a recent Brulosophy experiment - the answer is Saflager 34/70. Most could not pick out the beer fermented at 80F compared to 60

wouldn't that be a lager yeast?

IMHO, US05 hands down. I've been running tests lately with various yeasts in split 5 gallon batches. 05 always yields the cleaner brew, although if you like complexity or sometimes muddiness that might complement a style like a rich soupy stout, or if you simply have more patients than me, you might like some of the other yeasts that are out there.

I'm really thinking about ending trials other than 2nd and 3 generation pitches of 05.

 

[mrdauber64]

In my opinion I get a super clean lager like flavor from WYeast 1007 fermented cold(58-61). I also get a really clean flavor from Nottingham fermented high 50's or low 60's.

 

[Denny]

WY1056 or WY1007. I get peachiness from US05 and Nottingham has a disagreeable tartness.

 

[SpentBrains]

WY1056 or WY1007. I get peachiness from US05 and Nottingham has a disagreeable tartness.

Great...I never tasted peaches until tonight. Power of suggestion, I guess

 

[Yooper]

WY1056 or WY1007. I get peachiness from US05 and Nottingham has a disagreeable tartness.

Agreed, mostly!

I almost never use S05, as it never clears the beer, and gets weird "peachy" flavor at below 65 degrees and above 70 degrees. I keep a couple of packages on hand, just in case a fermentation doesn't start, but luckily haven't needed to use it. "Clean" is probably one of the last things I"d call S05 between the yeasty flavor until it clears in ages, or the peachy esters it throws without extremely tight temperature control. If you can ferment it at 68 degrees, and then filter it, then it will be very clean.

Nottingham I have not used in ages, but when I used it last, it was very clean at 57 degrees.

I found that Wyeast 1056 is like S05 in that it takes forever to clear, while a similar WLP001 clears better so that is my preference.

Wyeast 1007 is very clean, but it also takes forever to clear, or needs to be filtered to be bright.

I'd suggest considering certain British strains (which clear the beer quickly) at lower temperatures if you want a "clean" beer which will also not requiring filtering to be clear. For example, Wyeast 1335. It drops clear like other British strains, but remains "clean" tasting and is suitable for American beers.

 

[Natdavis777]

I have a Cream ale on now that I typically use 001/1056 with but had to use US_05 in a pinch. Fermented at 64 then ramped to 70. I really feel this is the best Cream ale from the recipe yet. No off flavors at all (even the peach I read a lot about). For liquid I would say 001/1056 hands down though

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1463190156.798636.jpg

 

[Michigan_Wolfman]

For me, it's a toss up between SafAle US-05 and White Labs 029 German Ale/Kolsch. I've used both and I've never had anything I would consider to be off flavors in my brews.

 

[Mer-man]

Wlp090
It does nothing but convert sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

 

[BigMack]

Wlp090
It does nothing but convert sugars to alcohol and carbon dioxide.

WLP 090 would be my choice as well. Ferments super clean over a really large temperature range.

 

[AnOldUR]

Pacman

 

[MrPowers]

At the proper pitching rates, WLP029 ferments extremely clean at 68 and clears very quickly as well. It will probably become my house yeast.

I also recall Nottingham fermenting very clean, but haven't used it in awhile.

 

[NatureOfTheYeast]

I'm with others in saying Wyeast 1007, but only at low fermentation temperatures. Like, 55F-58F low. For me, anywhere in the 60's and I get a cherry-ish, strawberry-ish ester. I like to pitch that yeast at as close to 55F as possible, let it rise to 58F MAX, hold it there for 4-5 days, then once fermentation begins to slow, I ramp slowly to 67F-70F for another 7-10 days before I start the cold crash. I fermented a Pilsner and a Helles with that yeast and they're easily the cleanest beers I've made.

I cold crash at near freezing for 3 days, then bottle very cold, which really does the trick for settling the yeast. I only have a dusting of yeast on the bottom of the bottles, versus the 1/8" layer of sludge I had with this same yeast when I used it before I started cold crashing.

I've also found that the beers I ferment with this yeast have the least amount of haze of any other yeasts. I've fermented lots of styles with this yeast, too; pseudo lagers, IPAs, APAs, Altbier, even did a 9% Baltic porter. It's a great house yeast, just remember to use a blowoff tube. Even at cold temps, this yeast wants to jump out of the fermenter. Your ceiling will thank you

-

As for US-05, don't count it out, either. My first attempt at a Racer 5 clone used 05. I heard on a Brewing Network podcast (Jamil Show or Brew Strong) that Sierra Nevada has taken Chico (001, 1056, US-05) down to the mid-upper 50's, so I did an experiment of my own. I pitched it at 57F and fermented at 58F for 5 days before I ramped it to 70F for finishing. Super, super neutral with none of the funky peach ester others report when fermenting with 05 cool. I cold crash that yeast without clarity issues, also. I think I only used 1 packet when I did that, too, but if I were to do it again today, I'd probably use 2 just to be safe. Definitely rehydrate.

 

[Yesfan]

I gotta ask.


For those comparing 1056 to US05, how can one be peachy at cool temps and the other not, if they are the same strain? (Chico).


Not trying to be a smartass. I've read here that WY1056, WLP001, and US-05 are the same strain, Chico, so how can there be differences between them?

 

[FlyDoctor]

wouldn't that be a lager yeast?



IMHO, US05 hands down. I've been running tests lately with various yeasts in split 5 gallon batches. 05 always yields the cleaner brew, although if you like complexity or sometimes muddiness that might complement a style like a rich soupy stout, or if you simply have more patients than me, you might like some of the other yeasts that are out there.



I'm really thinking about ending trials other than 2nd and 3 generation pitches of 05.

I think the ironic humor in my post was lost on you. Yes, it's a lager yeast. My point was that apparently a lager yeast can behave as a clean ale yeast in controlled situations.

 

[FlyDoctor]

Also, recent experimental brewing podcast showed that despite the identical parentage of WLP001 and Wyeast1056, there was a detectable difference in flavor according to a panel of tasters. They may have had the same origin, but clones diverge over time

 

[MaryB]

And aren't ales supposed to have some estery notes? You want clean brew a lager!

 

[Mer-man]

Depends on the style intended. "West Coast" beers tend to be very neutral on the ester front.

 

[Yooper]

I gotta ask.


For those comparing 1056 to US05, how can one be peachy at cool temps and the other not, if they are the same strain? (Chico).


Not trying to be a smartass. I've read here that WY1056, WLP001, and US-05 are the same strain, Chico, so how can there be differences between them?

The simple answer is that they are not. They may be derived from a similar or even the same strain, but they are not the same strain. There are distinct differences. My preference is WLP001, and I use it often.

 

[Denny]

I gotta ask.


For those comparing 1056 to US05, how can one be peachy at cool temps and the other not, if they are the same strain? (Chico).


Not trying to be a smartass. I've read here that WY1056, WLP001, and US-05 are the same strain, Chico, so how can there be differences between them?

1056, 001, and Us 05 may have the same heritage, but there have been changes due to storage mutations and drying that give them differences. They are not identical.

 

[mattdee1]

I used to favor Notty for a "clean" yeast, but I'm not so sure anymore, based on my last Notty-fermented beer (a stout) that is really good overall, except for a lingering tartness. I think I probably would have attributed that to the roasted ingredients, if it weren't for the benefit of comparison. It was a split batch and the other yeast (Windsor) did not give the tartness at all.

So now, I think the front-runners for me on the "clean" front are S-05 and Bry-97. Incidentally, I just drank the first samples of a simple split batch blonde ale (75% 2-row / 25% Vienna / 22 IBU with Magnum @ 60 only) that I'm about to bring "online" in the next week or so, and these are the two yeasts that were used. Both beers were great, but they're still ale yeasts and thus still have quite noticeable signatures when tasted back to back. I had the Bry-97 first, so when I had the first few sips of the S-05, I detected a faint almost saison-esque note to the flavor that I've never experienced before with that yeast. Don't know if it was just "palate shock" or what, but it was interesting. Certainly not bad, I enjoyed the beer a lot.

EDIT: small aside, the least clean yeasts I've tried would have to be Windsor and T-58. Not in a bad way, though. The Windsor was used in a 2-row smash, and came out quite fruity. The T-58 was used in a simple wheat-heavy bill, and it was funky as all get out for the first 2 months, then rounded out to an amazing beer after that.

 

[serum]

WLP011 is pretty clean and good for malty beers

 

[BrewinBromanite]

The simple answer is that they are not. They may be derived from a similar or even the same strain, but they are not the same strain. There are distinct differences. My preference is WLP001, and I use it often.

What temp do you prefer to ferment with this for a good clean profile?

I've used it a couple times a few years back very early in my brewing days, and when temp control was nonexistent, and wasn't too impressed (not surprising). Also used US-05 with temp control, but made the mistake of holding at 62-63 for the first couple weeks, and encountered the not so good peachy chemically esters.

Been wanting to give WLP001 another go, but not sure of the best temp to avoid any strange flavors. Seems the most lacking piece of info when folks suggest a strain (not always, but often), is what temps to ferment it with for the flavor profile they are going for. With some strains, a few degrees can such a huge difference.

For the OP, I really enjoy WLP007. Very clean between 63-65, relative speaking (and has great attenuation and flocculation), for hoppy ales that have a little extra malt backbone and all sorts of darker styles. Haven't tried it in more delicate lighter styles, though.

 

[Aristotelian]

Not sure if Saison counts but 3711 is very clean and dry to boot.

 

[Denny]

Not sure if Saison counts but 3711 is very clean and dry to boot.

I've used 3711 a lot and clean is not a descriptor that ever crossed my mind.

 

[Morrey]

For me, it's a toss up between SafAle US-05 and White Labs 029 German Ale/Kolsch. I've used both and I've never had anything I would consider to be off flavors in my brews.

+1 on the WLP029. It is truly a versatile yeast and tolerant of a very wide range of ferm temps. Very clean.

 

[NatureOfTheYeast]

For the OP, I really enjoy WLP007. Very clean between 63-65, relative speaking (and has great attenuation and flocculation), for hoppy ales that have a little extra malt backbone and all sorts of darker styles. Haven't tried it in more delicate lighter styles, though.

Oh I forgot about 007! That was a great yeast to use, too. Not super clean, but the yeast flavors it gives are very nice and go well with almost any style. For me, as long as the temp stayed below 66F, the yeast was mellow and cleaner. Above 66F, and it's cherry and plum city. Not that it's a bad thing, but not desirable if you're looking for clean or neutral flavors.

 

[jjeffers09]

No doubt Kolsch is the best ale yeast for clean high attn and hop flavors. And as far as the amount of styles you can do with that yeast, American ipa/apa/brown/honey/cream/alt/dusseldorf/fruit/holidy or specialty. It is not a bad yeast to have around for sure.