Do You Have a Go-To Yeast Brand?

[shavy]

Nice, and thanks! Haven't run across Mangrove Jacks. I'll have to check them out.

Love Mangrove Jacks. M44 makes a great IPA. Here’s a link for William brewing:
https://www.williamsbrewing.com

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Love Mangrove Jacks. M44 makes a great IPA. Here’s a link for William brewing:
https://www.williamsbrewing.com

Cheers!

 

[scrap iron]

I am using Omega yeast currently for liquid. My LHBS quit carrying Wyeast and went with Omega. I've had good luck with them, and they are fresh coming from Chicago to the KC area. The LHBS also can get Imperial that is good too. The Omega Extra Special makes a nice Bitter and so does Imperial Pub. I have Boh-Pils Lagering now with Omega Pilsner1 and a sample is promising.
In the dry yeasts I like Lallemand Diamond for Lagers and Bry-97 for Ales.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

I am using Omega yeast currently for liquid. My LHBS quit carrying Wyeast and went with Omega. I've had good luck with them, and they are fresh coming from Chicago to the KC area. The LHBS also can get Imperial that is good too. The Omega Extra Special makes a nice Bitter and so does Imperial Pub. I have Boh-Pils Lagering now with Omega Pilsner1 and a sample is promising.
In the dry yeasts I like Lallemand Diamond for Lagers and Bry-97 for Ales.

My LHBS also stocks Omega, but nothing else

 

[sibelman]

I've been mostly standardized on Imperial for a number of years. Their Flagship handles IPAs and CDAs well, and I use their Tartan for DIPA. Pub has performed well for English styles. The high cell count means I don't usually bother making a starter.

 

[DosGatosBrewing]

I like a radical approach. Do you find different kinds don't need different attributes?

I use it for Pales, some IPA's, Moktoberfest, etc. Kind of my go-to b/c it finishes clean. (Cleanly? IDK). Of course, if a recipe or style calls for a different yeast variety, I will likely follow what the style guidelines.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I'm an unabashed man whore when it comes to yeast companies.

For lagers I use 34/70, S-189, and Diamond depending upon what I'm trying to achieve and what time of the year it is. Diamond is useful for July and August beers, when you want to suck the soul out of them via attenuation. S-189 is spectacular for fat winter and early spring beers. 34/70 is a nice compromise between the two and the one I use most.

For UK stuff I like Imperial's Pub and WY1469--all the other stuff seems really bland.

For US stuff I've never understood the knock against US-05 for being peachy, but I've been using Cellar Science Cali for the last couple years because I got a bunch of it for cheap when it first released. The first pitch on BRY-97 can be a real dog, but it's nice afterward. I seldom see it at a good price and the beers I'm using it in don't require its subtle differences from the generic Chico clones. I wouldn't mind using it more, but I don't see the point in spending extra for it and I don't brew enough US beers, so the 1st pitch lag thing is an issue for me.

I'm extra special whore-ish when it comes to specialty yeast. I brew them so infrequently that I'll pitch anything liquid with a good reputation. I think Imperial's Cable Car is amazing. I'm also a big fan of Omega Bananza. It makes a dreadful hefe that is a dead ringer for the travel-damaged bubblegum and banana bomb bottles of Franziskaner that we used to get in the Pacific NW back in the early 90s. Of course, we didn't know that at the time, so we all forced it down and said, "Oh, wow, that's amazing beer!" I can't recommend it, but it reminds me of a pleasant time in my life.

 

[Bramling Cross]

I no longer have an LHBS in my area, and I just don't trust mail order for liquid.

I can't say I blame you and I'm always nervous whenever I do it, but depending upon where you live it *can* work. To accommodate my brewing schedule (and to limit the time I spend driving in N. Virginia) I'll order liquid yeast 1-2 times a year--almost every year for a my spring specialty and sometimes to establish my yearly pitch of Pub or Wy-1469 in the Fall. I don't see much point in liquid lager yeast, but that's just my opinion.

As a resident of the Mid-Atlantic, I'm lucky. Stuff hits my doorstep 2-3 days after it ships. With the use of all of the insulation and chilling options (typically an extra ten bucks--but I'll happily pay that to not have to drive in N. Virginia) my yeast arrives reliably cool to the touch.

That said, I never buy liquid yeast between May-September or December-February.

You *can* do it, it's just a little more costly and a lot more seasonal. When a beer is vastly improved by liquid yeast, it's worth the low level of risk.

Hope you found this helpful. You're a great brewer and I'm sure not trying to lecture you! Rather, I'm trying to encourage you. I hope you accepted my post in that light.

 

[MaxStout]

I can't say I blame you and I'm always nervous whenever I do it, but depending upon where you live it *can* work. To accommodate my brewing schedule (and to limit the time I spend driving in N. Virginia) I'll order liquid yeast 1-2 times a year--almost every year for a my spring specialty and sometimes to establish my yearly pitch of Pub or Wy-1469 in the Fall. I don't see much point in liquid lager yeast, but that's just my opinion.

As a resident of the Mid-Atlantic, I'm lucky. Stuff hits my doorstep 2-3 days after it ships. With the use of all of the insulation and chilling options (typically an extra ten bucks--but I'll happily pay that to not have to drive in N. Virginia) my yeast arrives reliably cool to the touch.

That said, I never buy liquid yeast between May-September or December-February.

You *can* do it, it's just a little more costly and a lot more seasonal. When a beer is vastly improved by liquid yeast, it's worth the low level of risk.

Hope you found this helpful. You're a great brewer and I'm sure not trying to lecture you! Rather, I'm trying to encourage you. I hope you accepted my post in that light.

Thanks, I do appreciate the tips and encouragement!

You're fortunate to have an oceanic climate, which tends to moderate things. You get some winter wx, but spring starts in March, when it should. Cherry blossoms in D.C., and all that. I'm stuck in a colder, continental climate and it's unpredictable. Spring can come in April, or we can have blizzards. May wouldn't be bad for shipping, as winter is done and it rarely gets hot. But in June the temps can rocket upward and stay there past Labor Day. This September we had a bunch of 90-plus days. October has been mild and would've been perfect. Then we usually get slammed with winter in November. Spring and fall are very short here and tip-toeing around the weather is tricky. And honestly, I don't miss liquid yeast that much. Most of the styles I brew do fine with dry and it gets me close enough for the girls I date.

Though I'd love to try Pub for an English bitter. Everyone talks about that marmalade thing, and S-04/Notty/Windsor won't get me there.

 

[Bramling Cross]

Gotcha, Max.

As a final note, I would encourage you to take a chance on Pub. It reliably delivers superior UK ales and is well worth the twenty dollar gamble. Moreover, it's a ridiculously easy strain to keep alive year-round--just pop the fermenter open on day two and scoop a bunch of yeast off the top and put it in a jar, then pour bottled water over the top of it. Later, you can use one of the beers you brewed with Pub. It's really that easy.

Also, it's so distinctively flocculent that it's quite obvious when it's healthy. It's a true no-brainer yeast for re-use. If it behaves like clay, it's healthy!

You can do it!

 

[sibelman]

fwiw, another vote for Pub, which produced quite fine results for an ESB.

 

[fluketamer]

update on baja yeast : i just sampled the citra hopped lager i made with this yeast and its as crisp and clean as diamond lager . at 3.99 a pack from morebeer this will be my new house lager strain .

 

[JoshuaWhite5522]

I used to exclusively use white labs, but they have been harder to get in my area lately. Now I use whatever is convenient. (It's a shame too bc I have 600 some packages saved up for the customer club)

I got about 25 various free packets from a homebrew festival recently so I am working through that.

 

[AmarikinBrew]

I use mainly yeasts from a Glasgow company called Crossmyloof and they sell (and probably pack) clones of familiar yeasts. For example I us:
Midland = Nottingham
Five = US05
Hell = S23
Clipper = London Ale 3
Gretel = WB-06

I just get my pusher... Benny the yeastman. 1st ones free!