Would anyone say that the safale US-05 is a bit boring?

[Elysium]

I am wondering if it is only me.....but after spending 1 year drinking american pale ales such as doggie style, or Punk IPA.......I find my homebrews slightly boring.

I am still trying to find the perfect combination of malts and hops....but the closer I am getting to the recipe I like, the more I realize that it is maybe the yeast to blame.

I have only used US-05. Maybe I should give a try to other, liquid yeasts too.

What do you guys think?

 

[airdog_47]

US-05 is a great yeast for starters. I don't believe it's you problem though. Those styles of beer do not necessary call for any great yeast profile characteristics. If you want a yeast character in your beer look into Hefe some belgain styles etc. Sounds to me you need to branch out from the PALE / IPA Ale category. Try some Bitters / Pilsners / explore.

 

[wingedcoyote]

American pale ales very rarely have any noticeable yeast character, with the exception of some peach/apricot esters that you see in beers like Heady from time to time. If that's the flavor you're going for, US-05 can actually kick out something similar -- try pulling the temp down to 62 or so and see what it does. Beyond that, there are other yeasts that can give you slight differences without taking you out of PA land. I know some people have had great results with Kolsch yeast, for one.

Honestly, if there's a zip you're looking for in commercial hoppy beers that you aren't getting at home, I think it's more likely something else. Just increasing your late hops and dry hopping might be the answer.

 

[CastleHollow]

Water profile can also be an issue. Doggie Style is high in calcium & carbonates, and very high in sulfates. Adjusting your chemistry can really have an impact on the sensory perception of your beers.

 

[stpug]

I don't think it's boring. I think it stays out of the way when that's what I want from my yeast, but I'm not using it on my Belgian beers

 

[stpug]

If you want to up the yeast contributions to your PAs and IPAs, try something with more character (1272, s04, 1968, 3787 even). It really comes down to what you want out of your beer, and making the necessary adjustments.

 

[Thedutchtouch]

S-05 isn't boring, but doing the same thing over and over can be! Switch it up, I've been using a lot of wyeast 1968 for my pale ales and IPA recipes. Give it, or something else, a shot.

Edit:I'm not entering competitions yet, so can't really speak to if this yeast changes the style, I still call them pale ales/IPAs.

 

[Elysium]

If you want to up the yeast contributions to your PAs and IPAs, try something with more character (1272, s04, 1968, 3787 even). It really comes down to what you want out of your beer, and making the necessary adjustments.

I really like the description of this one: http://www.wyeastlab.com/hb_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=11

1272...."Ferment at warmer temperatures to accentuate hop character with an increased fruitiness."

So....do you use this strain a lot? Tell me a bit about it, please.

 

[Elysium]

S-05 isn't boring, but doing the same thing over and over can be! Switch it up, I've been using a lot of wyeast 1968 for my pale ales and IPA recipes. Give it, or something else, a shot.

Edit:I'm not entering competitions yet, so can't really speak to if this yeast changes the style, I still call them pale ales/IPAs.

wow and wow....this 1968 yeast seems to have a really nice profile.
Interesting the fact that they recommend high 21-23 ºC fermentation for increased fruitiness. Do you use it a lot?

 

[Thedutchtouch]

wow and wow....this 1968 yeast seems to have a really nice profile.
Interesting the fact that they recommend high 21-23 ºC fermentation for increased fruitiness. Do you use it a lot?

I've used it many times in the last few months, has been working great.

 

[Elysium]

Water profile can also be an issue. Doggie Style is high in calcium & carbonates, and very high in sulfates. Adjusting your chemistry can really have an impact on the sensory perception of your beers.

This is the water profile I use.

I use 2 types of bottled, mineral water...and add salts to adjust the water to the pH we need. Which is normally 5.6.
We mash low for better attentuation.

What do you think? Are we low on certain minerals that emphasize hops or maltiness?