Pseudo lager yeast choices

[New Brew]

Some of my favorite beer styles are lagers (Vienna/Marzens, Oktoberfest, Pilsners), and I don't currently have temperature control suitable for genuine lagering, but I'd still like to brew something close to these styles. So I'm trying to pick a yeast to use that will give me lager-like characteristics, or at least not scream, "I'm an ale!" in the finished product.

I realize this has come up before, and it's given me a few options I'm now trying to choose from:

- California Common yeast (steam beer); WY2112/WLP810
- Kolsch yeast; WY2565/WLP029
- California Ale yeast; WY1056/WLP001

With my setup, I can probably achieve and hold fermentation temps in the low 60's F, but no lower than that.

How are the flavor profiles of these 3 yeasts going to compare when fermented this way? I've seen all three recommended to brew pseudo-lagers, so I'm wondering what the deciding factors are to settle on one over another.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[nilo]

WY1007 German Ale, can be fermented as low as 55F. I used for a pseudo bock.
Flocculation: low
Attenuation: 73-77%
Temperature Range: 55-68° F (13-20° C)
Alcohol Tolerance: approximately 11% ABV

 

[Poobah58]

wy1007 german ale, can be fermented as low as 55f. I used for a pseudo bock.
Flocculation: Low
attenuation: 73-77%
temperature range: 55-68° f (13-20° c)
alcohol tolerance: Approximately 11% abv

+1

 

[zgoda]

I can recommend Wyeast California Lager (or equiv.). Last year they fermented for me 4 ordinary lagers, buckwheat amber and quasi-maibock. Cleans quickly, but beer needs longer maturation, like ordinary lager yeast. Wyeast German Ale is fine too, but they remain in suspension for prolonged time, 10 weeks is nothing unusual. Wyeast Kolsch settle quickier.

Other way, my friends have similar experiences with Nottingham dry yeast.

 

[sagnew440]

I've used the califorina lager in a swartzbier and a amber lager and they both turn out really clean. I'm going to give the WLP080 cream ale a shot this time, aparently it's two different ale strains with the califorina lager strain also.

 

[New Brew]

Looks like I'll have to add WY1007 to my list then.

Luckily, as I said, Oktoberfest/Vienna are one of my favorite styles, so maybe I'll just brew a string of them, trying the different yeast options to see what turns out best. If some of them turn out more like an amber ale, they should still be more than drinkable.

 

[beeber]

1056 american ale has a very neutral profile, even more so below 65 degrees. I have made pseudo-steams fermenting at up to 70 degrees with very good results.

 

[electric_beer]

I'll add Pacman to the list. If fermented low it is really clean as well.