Help me pick an English strain

[dfohio]

I'm looking for an English ale strain to add to my frozen yeast bank. I had been using Nottingham but with quality issues and unsatisfactory results (too high attenuation), I've decided I need a new strain.

I'm looking for a strain that is minimally fruity, clean and doesn't attenuate so much like Nottingham.

This strain needs to be used for a variety of beers; English Brown, Mild, Oatmeal Stout, Porter, English Pale...

I think I've narrowed it down to 1099 Whitbread, 1028 London Ale, and 1968 London ESB. Right now I'm leaning toward the Whitbread strain.

Can someone with more experience with strains give me some help deciding?

I'm the type of guy that likes to have a couple strains banked that cover all my bases, rather than going to the LHBS and trying out all different strains.

 

[jmo88]

Safale-04 is dry whitbread. It's terrific. Fast fermenting. 72% attenuation, give or take and sediments hard. Produces very clear beer. It's my goto English strain.

 

[ajf]

I've never used the 1099, but I have used the WLP007 (which is supposedly the same) and I didn't like it much. Don't let my tastes put you off though; it looks like it would fit your requirements pretty well. I didn't like it because it wasn't fruity enough for my requirements.
I've used the 1028 several times, and like it for bottled beers, but not draft. Fruity it isn't. Wyeast describe it as having a minerally profile, which I completely agree with. I find that the WLP013 is much cleaner tasting which I don't like, but you might.
As for the 1968 (or WLP002), I love them both for draft beers but not bottled, and can't tell them apart, but I wouldn't describe them as clean or minimally fruity.
Another one worth considering is Wy1275. Much less assertive than the 1968, and works for both draft and bottled.

FYI. My draft beers are very lowly carbonated, and similar to the English draught beers, while the bottled beers are more highly carbonated and could be compared to the English bottled beers available in the U.S.

-a.

 

[racin_ny]

I serve all my English beers on cask using 1968. They come out great, it drops out very clear something to consider if your serving on cask or keg.

 

[dfohio]

I believe the wlp007 is the same as 1098 whitbread dry. I am avoiding that one because I was afraid of it being too dry; hence the leaning towards the 1099 which wyeast says is similar to 1098 but not as dry or tart and is more flocculant.

racin and ajf, I know a lot of people like the 1068 but I have a feeling it might be to overpowering for me.

I will have to consider the 1275 now as well...how does it attenuate? Right now I struggle with dry beer no matter the mash temp.

Ok, 1028,1099,1275...please share some more experiences of these strains if you have used them.

BTW, for now I am strictly bottling.

 

[Freezeblade]

I use two strains for all my english beers WL023 (wy1275) for all my bitters and lighter beers that I want really fruity, and WLP005 (wy1187) for all my darker beers like porter, milds, browns, etc.

 

[dfohio]

If 1275 is really fruity, then I will cross it off of my list. It seems from what I have read that you have to baby the 1187 strain, so that isn't a good fit for me if that is true.

Brown, mild, oatmeal stout will be the main beer with this strain and I want it to come across as malty and mostly clean. For some reason I find fruity yeasts distracting. That is why I was leaning toward the 1099 or possibly 1028.

 

[Freezeblade]

If 1275 is really fruity, then I will cross it off of my list. It seems from what I have read that you have to baby the 1187 strain, so that isn't a good fit for me if that is true.

Brown, mild, oatmeal stout will be the main beer with this strain and I want it to come across as malty and mostly clean. For some reason I find fruity yeasts distracting. That is why I was leaning toward the 1099 or possibly 1028.

If you like it malty and mostly clean, check out the Wyeast 1469, West Yorkshire ale.

"This strain produces ales with a full chewy malt flavor and character, but finishes dry, producing famously balanced beers. Expect moderate nutty and stone-fruit esters. Best used for the production of cask-conditioned bitters, ESB and mild ales. Reliably flocculent, producing bright beer without filtration."

if you can find White Labs, they have the Samuel Smith strain out, WLP037:
"This yeast produces a beer that is malty, but well-balanced. Expect flavors that are toasty with malt-driven esters. Highly flocculent and good choice for English pale ales, English brown ales, and mild ales."

 

[StAnthonyB]

It should be arriving to my house any day now and I haven't used it yet, but...

WLP037 Yorkshire Square Ale Yeast (Samuel Smith)
This yeast produces a beer that is malty, but well-balanced. Expect flavors that are toasty with malt-driven esters. Highly flocculent and good choice for English pale ales, English brown ales, and mild ales.
Attenuation: 68-72%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-70F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium-High

Another good one....

WLP006 Bedford British (Charles Wells)
Ferments dry and flocculates very well. Produces a distinctive ester profile. Good choice for most English style ales including bitter, pale ale, porter, and brown ale.
Attenuation: 72-80%
Flocculation: High
Optimum fermentation temperature: 65-70°F
Alcohol Tolerance: Medium


EDIT: Just noticed someone already mention WLP037

 

[gplutt]

1275 doesn't seem that fruity to me. I usually ferment in the low 60's and have only had good luck getting a nice malt forward flavor out of it. You do have to watch the temps though, because if it drops to low it will stick immediately. If I was to say "I have a house yeast", I'd choose 1275.