Looking for a nice fruity liquid yeast

[jcorn]

Ok so I have used dry yeast for 4 1/2 years now and am looking to try some liquid to enhance flavors since going into all grain within this past year. I usually make citra pale ales (ibu of 46ish and dry hop) and am looking for something to replace my Safale 05 and 04 (my beer always seem bland on the yeast side, especially with 05). My basement stays a nice 62 in the winter and high 60 in the summer. What liquid yeast would be a good go to for creating a nice clean flavor with some estery profile adding some fruit or citrus (definitely love orange in my beers)? Sedimentation is not a huge make or break for me. I cold crash alot anyways. Looking to finish a beer (1.012- 1.016) in just a couple weeks. I have noticed Wyeast Whitbread says it delivers this and american ale yeast 2. Any recommendations?

 

[aiptasia]

I'd suggest other varieties of English ale yeasts. It's a tricky pick, as i've found yeasts that have the best character of flavor also have their quirks, such as being lazy fermenters, poor floculation, etc.. I would suggest using yeasts like Thames Valley or Burton Ale yeast. Burton's adds some very nice honey and pear highlights if allowed to ferment towards its higher temperature range. Windsor (dry yeast) is also an interesting pick but lazy. Less lazy, but very clean yeasts like WLP007 (English II) and Pac-Man yeasts are monsters that rip through wort fast and floc out hard (I hear Chico is similar but I haven't used that yet). I'm also experimenting with yeasts that aren't specific to brewing such as lalvin V-1116. This yeast is extremely floral and fragrant and adds a very complex smell to table beers.

You might try making five gallons of a basic citra pale ale and then divide it up into five different one gallon batches, with a packet/vial of different types of yeast in each one. That way, you will discover what each yeast profile can bring to the beer and which taste you find most pleasing for a bigger batch. Also, if the beers suck, it's much easier on the heart and the wallet to pour out a one gallon batch than a five gallon batch.

 

[AerationStation]

Wlp001 or wyeast 1056 are both supposed to be the same strain as 05. It's a great clean yeast that has a big temp range and ferments with high apparent attenuation (usually around 75% for me). Use this yeast with plenty of late/dry hops for those citrusy notes

I'll second the wlp007 as a nice choice if you want a cleaner English strain

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Wyeast 1028 has been a workhorse for me, I use it for just about anything. fermented on the warm side (70-73F) it will yield some nice fruity esters.

Wyeast 1968 is quite aromatic but it does have issues with stopping short, especially with OG over 1.050.

MC

 

[LLBeanJ]

You mentioned Wyeast American Ale II (1272), which may be right up the alley you're looking for. It's a solid fermenter that will produce some nice tangy/citrus notes when fermented around 72-74°. It's one of my favorites and I use it a lot for American wheat brews.

 

[masonsjax]

You could try some Belgian strains too. I really like WLP400. Wyeast Forbidden Fruit is quite fruity in an apple/pear/banana kinda way.

 

[TrickyDick]

Wlp644 is supposedly a fruit bomb. Its a Brett. Read up on several threads. When used for primary ferment with no aeration it appears to generate extreme fruit aromas. It's well suited for IPA and APA apparently.

TD

 

[jbsg02]

As a couple of people have already said, wlp007. It's my new go to yeast. It does everything, great flavor, attenuates well, ferments fast, and flocculates well, what's not to like? Very versatile strain, I just used it in a russian imperial stout

 

[jcorn]

I'd suggest other varieties of English ale yeasts. It's a tricky pick, as i've found yeasts that have the best character of flavor also have their quirks, such as being lazy fermenters, poor floculation, etc.. I would suggest using yeasts like Thames Valley or Burton Ale yeast. Burton's adds some very nice honey and pear highlights if allowed to ferment towards its higher temperature range. Windsor (dry yeast) is also an interesting pick but lazy. Less lazy, but very clean yeasts like WLP007 (English II) and Pac-Man yeasts are monsters that rip through wort fast and floc out hard (I hear Chico is similar but I haven't used that yet). I'm also experimenting with yeasts that aren't specific to brewing such as lalvin V-1116. This yeast is extremely floral and fragrant and adds a very complex smell to table beers.

You might try making five gallons of a basic citra pale ale and then divide it up into five different one gallon batches, with a packet/vial of different types of yeast in each one. That way, you will discover what each yeast profile can bring to the beer and which taste you find most pleasing for a bigger batch. Also, if the beers suck, it's much easier on the heart and the wallet to pour out a one gallon batch than a five gallon batch.

I have read some stuff saying that the Thames Valley and Burton can produce alot roasty type of flavors? Even sour apple? I have used the windsor in a wheat beer and also t58 which was great for a saison.

 

[jcorn]

Wlp644 is supposedly a fruit bomb. Its a Brett. Read up on several threads. When used for primary ferment with no aeration it appears to generate extreme fruit aromas. It's well suited for IPA and APA apparently.

TD

Wouldnt a brett make my beer sour?

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

White Labs WLP007 = Wyeast 1098 = Safale S04

It's the Whitbread "B" strain.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

Fruity is American Ale II, London Ales II and III, Ringwood ale
Ferment them about 69-71 and you are set for some fruitness.

I like them all pretty well

 

[solbes]

The yeast cultured from Bells can get quite fruity when fermented into the upper 60's. And not in a bad way in an aromatic IPA. Alternatively it will ferment quite clean in the low 60's. I love it!

I would avoid the Whitbread, as I think it's the same as S-04 which I have used. Estery for sure, but more twangy and not nice fruity.

 

[masonsjax]

Common misconception. Brett adds lots of fruity kinda funky complex flavors, not really sour. Sour comes from other bacteria like lactobacillus.

 

[LLBeanJ]

+1 on Bell's. It's very similar to 1272 American Ale 2. Nice and citrusy when fermented in the low 70s.

 

[jcorn]

Thank you guys for taking time for all of the responses. I have used bells yeast in a batch before for an Oberon clone. I cannot remember much about it though. I need to go back through my notes for it.
I think I may give this american ale #2 a shot. It sounds very good for some orange. I wonder what a good wit or wheat would be like as well.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

One of my favorite fruity English yeast cultures is Young's. I used to have the real-deal in my old bank. It produces an ester known as ethyl heptanoate. Ethyl heptanoate smells just like a grape lollipop. The ester dissipates with time, but it makes for a beer with a candy like aroma when the beer is finished with Goldings. Yum!

From what I understand, Wyeast 1768 is allegedly Young's yeast. The description for Wyeast 1768 appears to support this allegation.

"Similar to 1968, slightly less flocculent. Produces light fruit ethanol aroma. Mild malt with a neutral soft finish. Very clean."

Ethyl heptonoate is formed when ethanol combines with heptanoic acid. Heptonic acid is a medium-chain fatty acid that is formed during fermentation.

 

[jcorn]

One of my favorite fruity English yeast cultures is Young's. I used to have the real-deal in my old bank. It produces an ester known as ethyl heptanoate. Ethyl heptanoate smells just like a grape lollipop. The ester dissipates with time, but it makes for a beer with a candy like aroma when the beer is finished with Goldings. Yum!

From what I understand, Wyeast 1768 is allegedly Young's yeast. The description for the Wyeast 1768 appears to support this allegation.

"Similar to 1968, slightly less flocculent. Produces light fruit ethanol aroma. Mild malt with a neutral soft finish. Very clean."

Ethyl heptonoate is formed when ethanol combines with heptanoic acid. Heptonic acid is a medium-chain fatty acid that is formed during fermentation.

I think all fermentation has ethanol alcohol but this yeast wouldnt produce more by this theory would it? Wouldnt want a bad hangover yeast.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

I think all fermentation has ethanol alcohol but this yeast wouldnt produce more by this theory would it? Wouldnt want a bad hangover yeast.

No, ethyl heptanoate is just an ester. All fruity aromas and tastes that are produced by yeast cultures are esters. Esters are formed when an alcohol combines with an acid. The banana aroma/taste found in German-style wheat beer and some Belgian beers is an ester called isoamyl acetate (isoamyl acetate can also smell like pear). It is formed when isoamyl alcohol combines with acetic acid. If you have ever had a beer with a pineapplish aroma, that smell is an ester called ethyl hexanoate (ethyl hexanoate can also smell like apple), which is formed when ethanol and hexanoic acid combine. Heck, Juicy Fruit chewing gum is a just a cocktail of esters.

 

[jcorn]

No, ethyl heptanoate is just an ester. All fruity aromas and tastes that are produced by yeast cultures are esters. Esters are formed when an alcohol combines with an acid. The banana aroma/taste found in German-style wheat beer and some Belgian beers is an ester called isoamyl acetate (isoamyl acetate can also smell like pear). It is formed when isoamyl alcohol combines with acetic acid. If you have ever had a beer with a pineapplish aroma, that smell is an ester called ethyl hexanoate (ethyl hexanoate can also smell like apple), which is formed when ethanol and hexanoic acid combine. Heck, Juicy Fruit chewing gum is a just a cocktail of esters.

Ok I see now! Thank you bringing me up to speed on that. I think I got crossed in the line of reading once that esters can be produced when a yeasts' max temp is hit creating stress/alcohol off tastes, enthanol alcohol/ and fruity flavors.

 

[FRS]

+1 on Bell's. It's very similar to 1272 American Ale 2. Nice and citrusy when fermented in the low 70s.

+2 on the Bell's yeast; I get a nice orange fruitiness from it around 70 F.

 

[jcorn]

Which Bell's beer did you harvest from? Oberon Im guessing? I harvested from the midwestern pale and amber ale and put it into a wheat and had a weird chlorine like cittus flavor (Oberon was not available at the time). The beer was fermented mid 70s which could have been a problem. That was a split batch that I also used American 1010 in the other which tasted exactly like Bell's Oberon. I forgot all about the 1010. I could use it in a pale for some fruit/citrus flavor.

 

[FRS]

Yes, I harvested from Oberon. I thought they use the same yeast for all their beers though. Perhaps the fermentation was a bit too hot in your case. How many times did you step up your starter?

I've not heard of 1010, maybe I'll try that next time I'm too lazy to harvest Bell's yeast directly.

 

[jcorn]

Man I tell ya that wyeast 1010 really surprised me. It was so dead on. I even had a buddy try one without telling him anything about the beer and he said "that tastes exactly like oberon".
I actually santized a flask and pitched all yeast I had from the bottom of tje bottles into it. Made one starter and was on my way pitching that next day. Probably over pitched if anything because I used like half a cup of yeast from the 12pk I had.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I got the Bell's yeast from another forum member, so I'm not sure what it was harvested from. I assumed the amber ale, but I really don't know. Unfortunately, I can't get Bell's brews in my neck of the woods.

 

[jcorn]

I got the Bell's yeast from another forum member, so I'm not sure what it was harvested from. I assumed the amber ale, but I really don't know. Unfortunately, I can't get Bell's brews in my neck of the woods.

Definitely give the 1010 a chance. I dont think you will be disappointed.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I'll do that. Thanks.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

Wyeast 1010 is is Widmer's yeast culture. It is just Wyeast 1007 with genetic drift. Both cultures originally came from the German alt brewpub Zum Uerige.

In my humble opinion, Bell's culture is same strain that Anchor uses for Liberty Ale (a.k.a Siebel BRY-97, Wyeast 1272, and WLP051).

 

[dbrewski]

Have you tried Wyeast 2112? It's the "steam beer" yeast, a lager that ferments at ale temps. Ferment at room temperature, you will get very fruity results. I use this all the time in pales and IPA's with big, citrusy hops like citra, simcoe, cascacde, mosaic, etc. I love this yeast. Doesn't floc the best, but no different than US-05.

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

Ok I see now! Thank you bringing me up to speed on that. I think I got crossed in the line of reading once that esters can be produced when a yeasts' max temp is hit creating stress/alcohol off tastes, enthanol alcohol/ and fruity flavors.

No, ester production is part of a yeast strain's fermentation profile. The practice of holding ale fermentation temperatures artificially low to prevent ester production appears to be unique to this forum.

A good test to use when selecting an ale strain is to see what it produces when the internal fermentation temperature is held between 18C/65F and 24C/75F. That's the "Goldie locks" zone for ale production in that it is the temperature band in which most of the ale strains that are in use today were domesticated.