Picking out a yeast for an American Brown

[jiffybrew]

I need some help picking out a yeast for an American brown (will be dry hopped too) i'm gonna be brewing. Problem is that i live in Southern California and the temps are rather warm right now. In the mid to upper 80's. I'm looking for a yeast that will do well in warmer temps but give too much off flavors.

 

[Oldsock]

Unless you can control the temps you are better off brewing something like a saison (maybe a dry hopped brown saison?). There are no strains that are going to be clean at those sorts of temps.

A small freezer off craigslist and a analog temperature controller from a homebrew store are a pretty easy/cheap way to really improve your beers and open up the exciting world of lagering.

 

[ChillyP]

Or do an Ice bath and toss in some frozen bottles...

 

[Coastarine]

Yeah, gotta work on some good method of temperature control. I use a mini fridge that my parents were getting rid of and a cheap johnson temp controller. If I had to pick a good American ale yeast that was resilient at a large range of temperatures, I don't think you can do much better than US-05. As it gets warmer it starts to throw a bit of peach and apple (that's how I taste it anyway) which does not offend me at all. I use it regularly for IPA's and for my winter brown ale.

 

[Saccharomyces]

I use the bucket-in-water-bath method with fine results (see my sig). My favorite yeast for a brown ale (yes, even American brown) is WLP002. You gotta keep it cool, like around 68*F, and give it a good long diacetyl rest after fermentation is complete before racking off the cake.

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

+1 on the US-05.

I have had the fewest fusels and other off flavors when fermenting at over 65*F when using US-05.

Your best bet is some kind of temperature control, though.

 

[jiffybrew]

Thanks! I've been using the bucket in water bath method but its hard for me to get a temp in the 60's. 70's is more hopeful for where i live. I'll take a look at US05 and the WLP002.

 

[petep1980]

Don't sleep on kits. Cooper's has some VERY forgiving yeasts for your situation. Cooper's ale yeast can ferment well into the 80s and still not be too bad.

 

[Araxi]

I use Wyeast American Ale II, great yeast for that.