Top 5 Dry Yeasts?

[govner1]

I keep the following on hand:
US-05
04
BRY-97
Belle Saison
London ESB
Abbaye
T58

I started with Wyeast 12 years ago but I no longer have a convenient LHBS and I’m very hesitant to order liquid yeast online.
My LAST purchase from Northern Brewer arrive late and the interior temp of the package was almost 100°F despite having paid for Overnight FEDEX!
The included “ice pack” was half the size of the yeast packs with no insulation!

 

[dmtaylor]

Not to stray too far from the original topic, but I suppose my other question/concern regarding dry yeast would be how often I hear people mention weird unwanted characteristics that often pop up with these dry strains. Especially when speaking in the context of a dry strain compared to its liquid counterpart. Often it’s mentioned as a form of tartness, a sharpness, or a fruit component. I feel like the same sort of feedback doesn’t pop up when discussing/comparing liquid strains. However, I can totally see this being a remnant of the “liquid is better than dry” stereotype of the old days. If anyone still finds this to be true however, are there process-related solutions or ways to avoid these troublesome characteristics of some dry strains?

This is a great point. I find that in general, yes, it is true -- as a very general thing, for whatever reason, many dry strains do tend to lend an additional tartness or yeastiness that you don't usually get from most liquid strains. It is a common occurrence, that only seems to happen some of the time, to some dry strains, not all. On the other hand.... if you have experienced this in any strain several years ago, I suggest trying the same strain again. It seems in recent years, this stuff hardly ever happens anymore, compared with 5+ years ago. I honestly believe that the dry yeast manufacturing and packaging have truly gotten that much better in recent years.

 

[grampamark]

I only use dry yeast, partly for convenience, but mainly because I’m far enough off the beaten path that I can add a day, or two, to the estimated delivery time, in a place that’s as hot as Phoenix in July, as cold as Fairbanks in January, and delivery trucks aren’t climate controlled.

I went through my yeast stash before posting and found US-05, S-04, Nottingham, K97, BRY 97, Munich Classic, 34/70, and Diamond Lager. And, way in the back, a pack of T-58 which expired in 2013. I’m tempted to make a starter with it and if it takes off, brew a Wit.

If I had to limit myself to 5 dry yeasts I could probably brew everything I like to drink with Nottingham, K 97, BRY 97, Munich Classic and 34/70. If push came to shove, I could use Notty for ales, 34/70 for lagers and Munich Classic for wheat ales. I don’t brew Belgians; never developed a taste for them.

 

[Onthebrew]

1. American Ale - US05
2. English Ale -Liberty bell
3. Belgian Ale - no comment
4. All-purpose -no comment
5. Random one you just really love - Verdant

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

For those who do follow yeast lab / product brand information, it may be reasonable to consider the web site to be the primary source of current information and the sachet as a 'point in time' summary.

At the Fermentis site (link) with emphasis added:

Note that you could find different temperature recommendations on our 11,5grs sachets or on an old version of our TDS. [..] For sustainable reasons, we made the choice to use our remaining stock of printed sachets before we re-print new ones, this is the reason why you could find differences on usage recommendations between sachets (or older versions of our TDS) and our website.

 

[bwible]

I’ve also been a liquid yeast guy since I started 25 years ago. I use Wyeast 99% of the time. So following with interest.

The one dry yeast I have used and really like is Saflager 34/70. My club did a presentation at one of our meetings on warm fermenting this yeast at 65 degrees. I tried it and loved it. Eliminates the need for the controlled 50 degree primary place. You still have to lager though. Just primary doesn’t have to be 50 degrees.

 

[superiorsat]

1. US-05
2. S-04
3. S-33 for Wit only ( it is a strong starter and quits early, so with bitter and sweet orange peel and some residual sweetness this hits the spot on this 1 style for me,
, think no orange slice needed aka blue moon add on) otherwise liquid
4. I don't typically do lagers unless I'm gonna hybrid with liquid for flavor profile and co-pitch with a US-05 so I don't have to make a starter.
5. Kveik Voss or Lutra because who doesn't want the option of grain to keg in a week or less. Got to mention Verdant also as I like it as an option for NEIPA's.

Edit: I rehydrated for years but eventually switched to just sprinkling in the fermenter and pumping the wort in on top splashing it around with the same results and less effort. I do use yeast nutrient every batch dry or liquid.

 

[Steveruch]

@Steveruch What has been your experience with K-97? From my understanding that seems to be a very polarizing strain among the members here.

I've used it in alt and American wheat. I was happy with the results both times.

 

[McMullan]

1. Diamond Lager - actually quite nice repitched wet.
2. ?
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?

 

[Pehlman17]

Edit: I rehydrated for years but eventually switched to just sprinkling in the fermenter and pumping the wort in on top splashing it around with the same results and less effort. I do use yeast nutrient every batch dry or liquid.

I was just thinking about this very idea! I wondered if you could just empty the packet into the fermenter and just transfer the cooled wort on top of it. My ground water here in SoCal is fairly warm and my beer is typically still around 80F when it goes into the fermenter. I usually let it cool in my fermentation chamber until it’s below 70 and then I’ll pitch. For most ales, would there be any foreseeable problem with pumping 80 degree wort over dry yeast and just putting the whole thing in my ferm chamber set to 66F?

 

[Miraculix]

I was just thinking about this very idea! I wondered if you could just empty the packet into the fermenter and just transfer the cooled wort on top of it. My ground water here in SoCal is fairly warm and my beer is typically still around 80F when it goes into the fermenter. I usually let it cool in my fermentation chamber until it’s below 70 and then I’ll pitch. For most ales, would there be any foreseeable problem with pumping 80 degree wort over dry yeast and just putting the whole thing in my ferm chamber set to 66F?

Depends how long it takes to cool down. Especially during the first two days, higher temperature can quickly ruin the beer and promote fusels.... You don't want that headache beer!

 

[superiorsat]

IIRC most rehydration instructions call for using warmer water than actual fermentation temps. I usually pitch at fermentation temp as I do a 2 stage chiller method. The thing I was worried about when I switched to this method was if the yeast landing and sticking to the wet Starsan residual solution would hurt anything. I transfer right after I add the yeast and no harm done IMO.

 

[Pehlman17]

Depends how long it takes to cool down. Especially during the first two days, higher temperature can quickly ruin the beer and promote fusels.... You don't want that headache beer!

It’s usually at my fermentation temp within a couple hours of putting it in my chest freezer. I’ve got my InkBird probe taped the side of the vessel (corny keg) under a piece of insulation. So the freezer knocks it down fairly quickly.

 

[Miraculix]

It’s usually at my fermentation temp within a couple hours of putting it in my chest freezer. I’ve got my InkBird probe taped the side of the vessel (corny keg) under a piece of insulation. So the freezer knocks it down fairly quickly.

Could be ok, could be not... I wouldn't risk it tbh, but I had to dump some beers due to baaaad hangovers after only one beer and obvious fusels. So I'm a bit overcautious maybe....

 

[ncbrewer]

For dry pitching, Fermentis recommends against pitching dry yeast on foam. Their procedure, paraphrased, is 1) Fill the fermenter to 1/3 full 2) Sprinkle the yeast on top 3) Finish filling, to get the yeast stirred in. When I emailed Fermentis about this, I was told that sprinkling on foam leaves the yeast out of the liquid for some period of time, and this is not good. It makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

From their Tips & Tricks brochure (sorry, no page number in the online version I looked at):

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Certainly try it both ways (pitch on form or pour it in the port hole). When one pitches on foam, measure how long it takes for the foam to disappear and the yeast settle into the wort. I casually measured this on a couple of batches, and I'm willing to be 4th or 5th in providing that measurement.

 

[dmtaylor]

I accomplish approximately the same result by sprinkling on top, then rocking the fermenter a little bit to get the yeast to sink in. Simple, if you don't have a ginormous fermenter.

 

[UdonPete]

Verdant IPA – always keep a couple of packets on hand, works with most brews

 

[Zambezi Special]

I find it quite strange that there are so many people not liking Belgium beers?
Maybe I've just been lucky getting the real deal easily?
They are very popular in the Netherlands (neigbouring country to Belgium). Anyway, I like them and it is what I mainly brew, but not enough ecperience to say something about yeast choices

 

[eshea3]

US-05
Lallemand ESB
T-58 (I like the flavor of Belle Saison better, but it is a diastaticus strain and I got an infection from it once so I'm gun shy of using it)
W34/70, you can ferment it really warm and quick and still get a clean lager out of it
Random Lallemand Koln Kolsch makes a fantastic fruity kolsch and a good NEIPA

Going to give the Lallemand Koln a try in an American Wheat beer very soon

 

[Oleson M.D.]

Even though I've been brewing off and on for about a decade now, I'm one of those guys that started with liquid yeast from the start. And on top of that, I've been pretty much an exclusively White Labs user (for no particular reason I guess). I've been considering venturing into dry yeasts and was wondering what those of you with a lot of experience with dry would recommend. I know there are fewer options when it comes to dry, but that's actually what I find appealing about them. I think we could all do with fewer options to choose from sometimes. (I'm generally a classic styles sort of brewer for what it's worth.)

What would be your go-to for these styles/categories?
1. American Ale
2. English Ale
3. Belgian Ale (Trappist/Abbey styles specifically)
4. All-purpose Lager
5. Random one you just really love.

And if you're willing to share your general process or tips you've found helpful that would be great too!

Cheers!

4. All purpose lager = Diamond Lager Yeast
5. Random one we just really love = Diamond Lager Yeast

 

[DBhomebrew]

I find it quite strange that there are so many people not liking Belgium beers?
Maybe I've just been lucky getting the real deal easily?

Over here in the States, Belgians are often on the shelf, but rather expensive. Out of the range many are willing to pay for exploration.

American-made beers of Belgian styles are often not on par with the real deal. Under-attenuated, over-phenoled, over-spiced, Americanized hop schedule, etc, etc. Belgian beers are all about drinkability, subtlety, and balance. The US market doesn't usually prize such things. Nor is the average American pallate accustomed to drinking the riot of flavors produced by Belgian yeasts. Here, the market is swamped with Chico and Conan. Both pretty neutral.

On the other hand, breweries such as Ommegang in New York and Unibroue in Quebec have introduced many to well-executed Belgian beer. This hemisphere even had a real deal Trappist brewery for a while in Massachusetts. Sadly, they are closed or closing.

 

[Oleson M.D.]

Over here in the States, Belgians are often on the shelf, but rather expensive. Out of the range many are willing to pay for exploration.

American-made beers of Belgian styles are often not on par with the real deal. Under-attenuated, over-phenoled, over-spiced, Americanized hop schedule, etc, etc. Belgian beers are all about drinkability, subtlety, and balance. The US market doesn't usually prize such things. Nor is the average American pallate accustomed to drinking the riot of flavors produced by Belgian yeasts. Here, the market is swamped with Chico and Conan. Both pretty neutral.

On the other hand, breweries such as Ommegang in New York and Unibroue in Quebec have introduced many to well-executed Belgian beer. This hemisphere even had a real deal Trappist brewery for a while in Massachusetts. Sadly, they are closed or closing.

The only place we have had good Belgian Beer was in...Brussels.
By comparison, the US version is pee water.

 

[rallenhall]

It's not that I or my fellow brewers dislike Belgian beers. It's just that I haven't found a dry yeast strain that can compete with the classic liquid strains. Same with German wheat beer yeasts in my opinion. Tried Munich Classic for my spring hefeweizen ... OK, but muted compared with the one's I've brewed with WY3068.

 

[AlexKay]

I like Lallemand Abbaye for Belgian ale. I think it's supposed to be the same strain as WY1214 (which is Chimay?) In any case, while I've only done sequential batches (rather than direct side-by-side comparison), Abbaye and 1214 seem really quite similar to me. And I like them both.

Totally agree with you on Munich Classic, though. Muted, maybe, or maybe just ... off.

 

[Yesfan]

...............On the other hand, breweries such as Ommegang in New York and Unibroue in Quebec have introduced many to well-executed Belgian beer. This hemisphere even had a real deal Trappist brewery for a while in Massachusetts. Sadly, they are closed or closing.

Spencer? I caught a Belgium beer video on YouTube and this brewery was the one mentioned as being the only one in the US. Are they really closing? I've gotten a bit on a Belgium kick lately and saw one of their beers in a store near me.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Spencer? I caught a Belgium beer video on YouTube and this brewery was the one mentioned as being the only one in the US. Are they really closing? I've gotten a bit on a Belgium kick lately and saw one of their beers in a store near me.

Buy it while you can.

https://spencerbrewery.com/

 

[Zambezi Special]

Spencer? I caught a Belgium beer video on YouTube and this brewery was the one mentioned as being the only one in the US. Are they really closing? I've gotten a bit on a Belgium kick lately and saw one of their beers in a store near me.

Yep, they are closing

 

[duncan_disorderly]

1. American Ale: Bry-97/M44 which seem the same to me. But US-05 too.
2. English Ale: Verdant IPA. Much better than anything else for me. It's basically 1318 London III that has developed a bit of a non English fruit character but it works well in the vast majority of English styles, I think. And produces a very nice texture, esp in ales with some darker grains involved.
3. Belgian Ale (Trappist/Abbey styles specifically): Lalbrew Abbaye and M41. The Mangrove Jacks Belgians are good. In fact the MJ range is worth exploring, they've produced some very nifty packages of yeast that provide interesting dry options.
4. All-purpose Lager: rarely do lagers, but my son's favourite beer ever of mine was a pilsner with M76 and Hallertau Blanc
5. Random one you just really love. None really. Notty is a great one to have in stock and some brewers only use Notty, esp here in the UK I think. It's fast and reliable, clears well, sticks to the bottle or keg, and can be used very successfully for English and American ales and makes a decent fake lager at low temps. I generally prefer more yeast character myself, though. I sometimes blend Notty with a character yeast. T-58 has proved interesting in blends for me, I feel it really transforms the hops. Had a couple of very lemony beers that were very refreshing. With non-lemony hops.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Not to stray too far from the original topic, but I suppose my other question/concern regarding dry yeast would be how often I hear people mention weird unwanted characteristics that often pop up with these dry strains. Especially when speaking in the context of a dry strain compared to its liquid counterpart. Often it’s mentioned as a form of tartness, a sharpness, or a fruit component. I feel like the same sort of feedback doesn’t pop up when discussing/comparing liquid strains. However, I can totally see this being a remnant of the “liquid is better than dry” stereotype of the old days. If anyone still finds this to be true however, are there process-related solutions or ways to avoid these troublesome characteristics of some dry strains?

I have issues like that with some dry strains and not others. Notty for me needs a few weeks to lose a bready yeasty thing I'm not too keen on. S-04 has a thing that puts me off it. Some dry strains improve with ageing the beer a little and/or with re-pitching, I think. Why use them the first time though? Because the issues are very slight, and the convenience of dry makes them attractive to use and they are cheap too. I don't get long lag times, I'm nearly always seeing activity within 12 hours and sometimes I have a krausen at 12 hours. I do pitch a little above my target fermentation temperature and let it drop. I pitch the yeast straight from the packet.

I think Verdant IPA is a breakthrough yeast in a way, it has none of the dry yeast issues and ferments and tastes as good as any liquid does. Lalbrew Abbaye also compete with liquid on an even footing. Bry-97 too, a lot of long time brewers still swear by it despite generally preferring liquid, it seems. I'm from England and have never left and I believe that liquid strains make the best English ales, if you want some yeast character - dry strains don't match up, apart from Verdant. The same may well apply with German and Belgian ales. I wonder how many Belgian brewers use dry Belgian strains? I know some do at least, so process may be a key factor too. German? Maybe the neutrality of lager yeast means dry yeast is nearly as good? I don't know, I don't have that drinking experience and that nuanced a palate for those beers.