What is the most neutral ale yeast ?

[wired247]

I am really not much into esters. What is the most neutral ale yeast available . OK I would like an extremely flocculent yeast . Any that are neutral and drop like a stone?

 

[beerbuddy]

Safale s04 in the mid 60 range is very neutral and drops very quickly.

 

[mc_eric]

US-05 is really clean as well. Not quite as flocculant as 04, but still clears up pretty quickly.

 

[GuldTuborg]

The Wyeast Scottish ale yeast is pretty darned clean at at low end of the recommended range, and it drops clear almost too quickly (which is why it can underattenuate if you're not careful in managing it).

Has anyone used 1338? That seems a likely contender, but I've never tried it. Usually, the alt strains are pretty low on esters.

 

[schweaty]

White Labs California Ale, Wyeast American Ale, and Fermentis Saf-Ale US05 fermented in the low 60's are all very clean.

I missed the flocculant part. WLP Cali ale and fermentis Saf-Ale US05 are both good flocculators. Wyeast AA isn't terrible but you just have to give it some time. Honestly, I don't think low flocculating yeast aren't such a bad thing as they spend more time cleaning up your beer and less time being lazy on the bottom Crash cooling and secondaries are the cure for medium-low flocculating yeast.

 

[Yooper]

Nottinham fermented at 54-62 degrees is almost lager-like. It's also very flocculant and forms a very tightly packed yeast cake and leaves a very clear beer.

 

[Bubba]

Im a big fan of Nottingham also, very good yeast no starter needed I just pitched 2 rehydrated packs into a 1.069 IPA I brewed this morning and its showing airlock activity 4 hrs later. Tight yeast cake and clean clear beer.

 

[GuldTuborg]

I forgot about Nottingham. That's a good choice.

 

[Nurmey]

Another vote for Nottingham here. It is my go to yeast for any brew that doesn't require a specific yeast.

 

[mfraier]

Notty or s-05. If you use notty I would stay on the low end of the temps. Like others have said around 60*

However; of the two I really prefer the S-05....its very clean tasting IMO.

 

[Calder]

PacMan

 

[wired247]

PacMan

The times I have tried pacman I had a hard time getting it to floc out in a reasonable time frame. I like to go brew to glass in a week to 10 days. I'm pretty sure just from the characteristics and flavor its the same yeast we used at pyramid ales 15+ years ago.

 

[weirdboy]

I get fruity esters from S-04, even in low 60's. It does flocculate extremely well, though.

US-05 ferments very clean in that range, though.

 

[redalert]

Wyeast 1007 German Ale is very clean but a poor flocculator even when cold crashing. If you have the patience this yeast will reward you.

 

[Ace_Club]

Add another vote for Nottingham when fermented at the low end of the temperature range.

 

[zgoda]

Wyeast 1007 German Ale is very clean but a poor flocculator even when cold crashing. If you have the patience this yeast will reward you.

Wyeast 2565 Kolsch is much better at flocculation, but not as clean as German Ale. And +1 for Notty.

Other way, if OP is not so tied to ale yeast, Wyeast California Lager flocculates quickly and has clean profile if fermented @58F.

 

[rayg]

I haven't tried them all but American ale yeasts like safale 05
or the wyeast type don't flocculate well and have a tart flavor,
also attenuation is too much and the beers are thin bodied
(which could be good if you use high carbonation). Wyeast
London ESB is too bready but good if you like Fuller's. Nottingham
gives you lots of esters but you may be able to control it
if you ferment low enough. I use Wyeast London ale III
because if flocs well and is very neutral, but keep in mind
that I use a temp controlled fridge to ferment. If you don't
control the temps you will probably get esters and other
things no matter what strain you use.

Ray

 

[mccabedoug]

I get fruity esters from S-04, even in low 60's. It does flocculate extremely well, though.

US-05 ferments very clean in that range, though.

+1

US04 is fruity to me. US05 tastes clean and neutral.

Haven't brewed with Nottingham since I moved and changed LHBS. My current one doesn't carry it.

 

[ksbrain]

NOT 1338. Unless you want to wait forever for the yeast to crash out. US-05 works for me (at least for the first few generations). S-04 is hardly neutral, IMO. Haven't tried it yet, but I have heard WLP051 is real neutral and flocculative (?)

 

[RavenChief]

The best I have found is White Labs 007, DRY ENGLISH ALE yeast. This stuff really leaves your beer very clean and dry. I would compare this yeast to Pac-man yeast. I haven't done a side by side but they seem to be comparable.

 

[storunner13]

Your current LHBS doesn't carry Nottingham?! Whoa, my heart goes out to you. I've loved the beers I've brewed with it..I'm not sure why I don't use it more often. However, I didn't find WLP007 Dry English Ale to be too clean, but perhaps we were fermenting at different temperatures.

 

[samc]

Interesting thread to read. It is funny to see how perception of various yeasts are so different, when a large part of the equation is not only temperature dependent but related to other factors that are apparently unknown/proven at this point.

At least that is what I found from the horses mouth: http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_clarification.cfm

btw - I'd choose S-05 with a cold crash after 2 weeks or so to clear it up.

 

[kcpup]

+1 for pacman. Looks like some others have had trouble with it, but I found it neutral, not too hop accentuating but allowing hop character to be present, and impressively flocculating. Note: I tend to leave my wort in primary for two weeks minimum before kegging or bottling. What blew me away was how tight the yeast was packed at the bottom of bottles. So flocculant that I could pour entire bottle and not worry that yeast would cloud the pour. I really love this yeast.

 

[Schwind]

The best I have found is White Labs 007, DRY ENGLISH ALE yeast. This stuff really leaves your beer very clean and dry.

+1 for 007. Pitch a big starter though because it can drop out before it's done it's job and cause poor attenuation.

I hear it's Stone's go to yeast. I like their beer.

Also Nottingham at 60 is awesome. As close to lager as you can get with an ale yeast.

 

[rayg]

Looking over my old recipes I can see I got good results
also with Wyeast 1098, which is the equivalent to White labs
007.

Rayg

 

[Teacher]

Add another vote for Nottingham when fermented at the low end of the temperature range.

And yet another from me.

 

[bovineblitz]

S05 or Pacman, IMO. S04 and Notty are good but I sometimes can't control temps all that well and I can wind up with fruity esters.

 

[kmk1012]

+1 for s05