Recommend a strain for my nano

[rexbanner]

Hey guys, I am opening a nano in six months and need some help picking a yeast. I need a yeast that will work for an IPA, hoppy American brown, and ESB. For the longest time I thought I would go with 1056, but I thought that maybe I would like a yeast with a little more fruitiness. Then I started using 1272, but it just isn't a fast enough fermenter for me. I've used 1968 a lot, but doesn't have enough attenuation for my dry IPA and sometimes requires a d-rest.

Anyways, the criteria are:

Relatively neutral
Works really fast. I need FG in a week or less.
Floccs well
No d-rest required

Any suggestions?

 

[Ma23456]

Us 05 if you wash and make starters is great

 

[Wayne1]

One of the more popular pub strains is NCYC1187. Otherwise known as Ringwood. You have to make sure you are pitching the correct amount of cells and give it plenty of O2.

It will reward you with extremely quick ferments. Very high flocculation. With most beers at 1.050 and under, fermentation will be done in 3-4 days.

If underpitched or not given enough O2 it can turn into a diacetyl bomb, so be careful.

 

[rexbanner]

One of the more popular pub strains is NCYC1187. Otherwise known as Ringwood. You have to make sure you are pitching the correct amount of cells and give it plenty of O2.

It will reward you with extremely quick ferments. Very high flocculation. With most beers at 1.050 and under, fermentation will be done in 3-4 days.

If underpitched or not given enough O2 it can turn into a diacetyl bomb, so be careful.

Thanks, I did a bit of reading on ringwood and decided I'll be using it for the next two months. What temps do you recommend? Is a diacetyl rest necessary?

 

[Golddiggie]

Try a batch, or three, with Wyeast 1318 too. How fast it ferments really depends on YOU... Make a starter so you pitch enough yeast cells, do proper temperature control, and then monitor it. Also, IMO, wanting it done in a week, or less, is a mistake. With proper handling 10-14 days from pitch to finish should be achievable. At least for moderate OG batches (in the area of 1.060, or less). Bigger brews can need more time, depending on more factors.

BTW, I've also had good/solid results with Wyeast 1335.

 

[mewithstewpid]

s-04 or WLP 007 (different strains, but very similar nonetheless)

Both floc like mo fo's, ferment really fast (2 days for me), and you can control the fruitiness by adjusting the temps

rich

 

[brew2enjoy]

s-04 or WLP 007 (different strains, but very similar nonetheless)

Both floc like mo fo's, ferment really fast (2 days for me), and you can control the fruitiness by adjusting the temps

rich

I'll 2nd WLP007, that was the first one that came to mind. If I was ever to open a brewery that would be my choice.

 

[rhamilton]

I'll 2nd WLP007, that was the first one that came to mind. If I was ever to open a brewery that would be my choice.

I'll +1 WLP007 also -- especially if you like beers on the dryer side.

 

[Wayne1]

Thanks, I did a bit of reading on ringwood and decided I'll be using it for the next two months. What temps do you recommend? Is a diacetyl rest necessary?

NCYC1187 is very happy at 20C (68F). No rest is needed if you pitch enough and use LOTS of O2.

Talk to the folks at The Brewing Science Institute when you are ready to order a pitchable quantity for your nano. They also offer a really nice clean and feed kit for your yeast.

 

[Golddiggie]

Make sure you properly oxygenate the wort before you pitch the yeast too.

 

[bierhaus15]

Wlp006 Bedford Bitter.

Although a LOT of micros use Ringwood for good reason. Ferments out in two days, clears the next, and can produce very clean, neutral beer when treated properly.

 

[sudbuster]

Anyways, the criteria are:

Relatively neutral
Works really fast. I need FG in a week or less.
Floccs well
No d-rest required

Any suggestions?

WLP090 San Diego Super

 

[Brew-boy]

To me that calls for 2 different yeast. A ESB in my opinion needs and English style while your other two beers need an American style.
Try some small test batches and find one that will give You what you are looking for.

 

[jammin]

1056/001/us05

if you're focus is on speed.... I feel that is the wrong emphasis.

Why not focus on flavor? Isn't that what really matters?

 

[Beernip]

I've seen breweries use us-05 or 1272 to accomplish this. I think that you would be better off using 1968. Ninkasi uses that as their house yeast for IPA's, pales, and stouts. Pitched at proper amounts you shouldn't need a d-rest.

 

[Mainelybeer]

Nottingham! Very neutral, gets you to FG in 3 or 4 days. I know of a local brewery that uses it as their yeast for all ales.

 

[Jukas]

1056/001/s-05 is always a good choice.

Notty/s-04/007 if you like an english yeast.

Tried Pacman? I'm a gigantic fan and use it in most of my pale ales, ipa's and even blondes/wheats.

 

[logdrum]

1098 is one of my personal faves, just enough character to be interesting, clears quick& attenuates a bit more than 1272 or 1968. Never tried 1187 though

 

[klnosaj]

if you're focus is on speed.... I feel that is the wrong emphasis.

Why not focus on flavor? Isn't that what really matters?

This is kinda what I was thinking, especially if you're a nano where the only thing that matters is flavor. Why cut corners? I imagine it's not why you're getting into what can be a heart breaking, back breaking business.

 

[rexbanner]

Guys this is mostly a tasting room and if I run out of beer it would be a serious issue. I am not talking about cutting corners, just can't be waiting a long time for fermentation to finish or yeast to flocc. Only have a 1 bbl system.

I normally use the chico, fullers, and westmalle yeasts and they can finish a beer in one week. If it needs to age, it can do it in the keg.

 

[rexbanner]

NCYC1187 is very happy at 20C (68F). No rest is needed if you pitch enough and use LOTS of O2.

Talk to the folks at The Brewing Science Institute when you are ready to order a pitchable quantity for your nano. They also offer a really nice clean and feed kit for your yeast.

So after reading an article on ringwood, Alan Pugsley said that open fermentation is absolutely necessary with ringwood. This kind of scares me, because I will be using window AC units to cool the fermentation room. Any thoughts?

 

[broadbill]

So after reading an article on ringwood, Alan Pugsley said that open fermentation is absolutely necessary with ringwood. This kind of scares me, because I will be using window AC units to cool the fermentation room. Any thoughts?

Alan Pugsley makes all of his beers to have that diacetyl component to them, similar to the original ringwood brewery in the UK. So if you want all of your beers to be butter-bombs like Shipyard then go for it.

In fact that was the first thing I thought when people were suggesting Ringwood as your house yeast....why the hell would you want that? I didn't know that under different conditions you would get a nice, clean, fast fermentation.

...and I disagree with the others about taking your time so you get better flavor. First, I don't think more time necessarily gets you anything substantial in terms of flavor; and Second, this is the pros here-not homebrewing....scale and consistency are the names of the game. Then again, I'm not a pro.

 

[Tantalus]

I'd use Wyeast 1318 certainly for your ESB, not a particular expert on brewing American-style Brown Ales or IPAs. Almost anything English profits from 1318 though.

Also, don't be afraid to open ferment if you can. Just be sure to get your beer into an airtight container as soon as high krausen starts to subside.

 

[Wayne1]

I've used NCYC1187 with "open" fermenters (Glycol jacketed and insulated vessels with a removable stainless steel lid), and uni-tanks. The yeast is happy in almost any design of fermenter. I've always taken the yeast from the bottom of the tank for re-use.

As was mentioned earlier, if you treat the yeast correctly, you will get a very clean, neutral flavor. I've won awards at GABF and World Beer Cup using 1187 in IPAs, stouts, brown ales, wheat beers, and blonde ales.

For a brewpub the yeast is great as it allows you to free up a fermenter quickly and drops very bright. If you are able to use a conditioning tank, it will drop bright within 2-3 days so there would be no need to filter.

It doesn't store that great so you must use your cropping within two weeks at the most.

Many breweries in CO are using this strain. If you ever get a chance to visit the state you will find many styles made with the yeast. Try it out on your home system. Try both the White Labs version and Wyeast. I do know the BSI version did come directly from the National Collection of Yeast Cultures in Great Britain.

 

[kingwood-kid]

I'm reading that you want to use only 1 strain for all your beers, and I think you have one fermenter. For that, you need a yeast that gives you very neutral fermentation when treated one way, and more yeast-driven flavors when temp, pitch rate and oxygen levels are manipulated. Changing those conditions would change your times as well, but if the yeast was quick for IPAs and browns, and a couple days slower for the ESB, maybe that would be an acceptable compromise. From what I've read, 005, 007 and 1335 are all viable candidates, but my having used these yeasts a grand total of once discourages me from naming one as the absolute best.

 

[mewithstewpid]

Alan Pugsley makes all of his beers to have that diacetyl component to them, similar to the original ringwood brewery in the UK. So if you want all of your beers to be butter-bombs like Shipyard then go for it.

In fact that was the first thing I thought when people were suggesting Ringwood as your house yeast....why the hell would you want that? I didn't know that under different conditions you would get a nice, clean, fast fermentation.

...and I disagree with the others about taking your time so you get better flavor. First, I don't think more time necessarily gets you anything substantial in terms of flavor; and Second, this is the pros here-not homebrewing....scale and consistency are the names of the game. Then again, I'm not a pro.

haha, i said the same thing. why the hell ringwood when you can use a better english yeast like wlp 002 or 007 and not have to worry so much about diacetyl

 

[mewithstewpid]

WLP090 San Diego Super

forgot about this (even though i have a ton of it in my fridge)

can i change my vote from 007 to 090??? lol

 

[duckmanco]

I'd go with 1968 and for your IPA's I'd mash low (cool) use 5% sugar (save you on base malt I'd imagine) and ferment cool 64-66 for the first few days and then let free rise to drive attenuation and finish up.

The list of unbelievable IPA's made with this yeast (or close to it) is staggering:

Lagunitas
Stone
Ninkasi
Anderson Valley
Firestone f*ing Walker - UJ, Double Jack etc.

And then you also have arguably one of if not the best British Ale strains for anything you'd want when fermented slightly warmer. It's the one I'd go with if I were opening a nano.

 

[rexbanner]

I'd go with 1968 and for your IPA's I'd mash low (cool) use 5% sugar (save you on base malt I'd imagine) and ferment cool 64-66 for the first few days and then let free rise to drive attenuation and finish up.

The list of unbelievable IPA's made with this yeast (or close to it) is staggering:

Lagunitas
Stone
Ninkasi
Anderson Valley
Firestone f*ing Walker - UJ, Double Jack etc.

And then you also have arguably one of if not the best British Ale strains for anything you'd want when fermented slightly warmer. It's the one I'd go with if I were opening a nano.

I think you are right, and I already have a good amount of experience using it. 1968 has always been the fastest yeast I have used, regularly clearing in three days. I was only hesitant because of the low attenuation, and some wacky things that Fullers does with it.

The only dry beer I would be using it on is an IPA, which I definitely want to be dry. I think that is an excellent suggestion to use a little sugar. Thanks for the advice!

 

[daksin]

I'd go with 1968 and for your IPA's I'd mash low (cool) use 5% sugar (save you on base malt I'd imagine) and ferment cool 64-66 for the first few days and then let free rise to drive attenuation and finish up.

The list of unbelievable IPA's made with this yeast (or close to it) is staggering:

Lagunitas
Stone
Ninkasi
Anderson Valley
Firestone f*ing Walker - UJ, Double Jack etc.

Haven't bothered to look up the others, but Stone uses WLP007 almost exclusively- dry english ale, not the WLP002 1968 equivalent. Great yeast.

 

[Sinsecato]

A Nano in the DC area? Awesome!!! Where are you gonna be opening? As far as yeast, I've been brewing with 1187 a good bit and its performed well for me. I've got a keg of Union Jack on tap right now that I brewed using the clone recipe from CYBI but with 1187 and it came out quite dry like the original.

 

[sudbuster]

A Nano in the DC area? Awesome!!! Where are you gonna be opening? As far as yeast, I've been brewing with 1187 a good bit and its performed well for me. I've got a keg of Union Jack on tap right now that I brewed using the clone recipe from CYBI but with 1187 and it came out quite dry like the original.

Sinsecato
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Woodbridge, VA
Posts: 1

Hey! Welcome to HBT, dude... Yep, 1187 is a good all around ale maker.

 

[rexbanner]

A Nano in the DC area? Awesome!!! Where are you gonna be opening? As far as yeast, I've been brewing with 1187 a good bit and its performed well for me. I've got a keg of Union Jack on tap right now that I brewed using the clone recipe from CYBI but with 1187 and it came out quite dry like the original.

Hoping to open March 2013. If you'd like to learn more, check out my blog at crookedrunbrewing.wordpress.com and/or friend me on facebook: Jake Endres.

I got a few Shipyard beers and I have to say...not a fan. Since I won't have a dissolved oxygen meter I think I am going to steer clear of the Ringwood rather than risk a butter-bomb.

 

[jfr1111]

Hoping to open March 2013. If you'd like to learn more, check out my blog at crookedrunbrewing.wordpress.com and/or friend me on facebook: Jake Endres.

I got a few Shipyard beers and I have to say...not a fan. Since I won't have a dissolved oxygen meter I think I am going to steer clear of the Ringwood rather than risk a butter-bomb.

A lot of breweries use Ringwood without any diacetyl problems. I think, altough I'm not sure, Bob on here used to brew with it commercialy (as did Wayne in this thread, obviously). Pugsley really likes that butterscotch, borderline popcorn flavour in his beers. For my palate, the levels found in most Shipyard beers is too much and constitutes a flaw. He says that what he uses is not what Wyeast and White Labs sell, so there's that, but he probably tailors his fermentation to get diacetyl. I have used 1187 and without aeration, using open fermentation and regular rousing, I got FG in 3 days and no diacetyl.

If I were you, I'd go for one of the Whitbread strains (S-04, most notably). I know many don't like S-04 for its supposed tartness and funky esters when fermented high, but you'll be able to keep those in check and it does finish dry and neutral. Just ferment low (62-64F) for your IPA and Brown, and a bit higher (66-68F) for your ESB.

Another superb strain for your applications would be wy1275 Thames Valley, but it can be a slow flocculator, altough if your OG are not that high, I bet it would reach FG and clear well within a week if you pitched enough healthy yeast and cold crashed/fined.

 

[bierhaus15]

While they may be the CheezeWiz of yeast strains, Notty and S-05 are used in a lot of small breweries for good reason.

Profit over taste.

Amen.