Yeast Choices

[davidabcd]

It's always a positive to support the local business.
Threads do turn after any valuable/useful/pertinent info available has been put out there. Then a thread will begin to wander. I've seen it more than once.
Your answer is the yeast suggested or provided is sufficient, especially for a new brewer and you'll get good beer. The other option is to to use something with teeth like a kveik and you will get good beer. There aren't any magic solutions; almost all yeast is good--you match the yeast with the style. Tons of variables, controlled, make beer better which comes with knowledge and practice.
The good thing is that you can make a ton of mistakes and still get pretty decent beer.

 

[AlexKay]

My brewing improved quite a bit when I brewed the same simple beer over and over for a year. (or very slight variations that changed only one thing, like use a different yeast, or different hops, or 2-row instead of pils) If I recall correctly it was 85% cheap pilsner malt, 15% Munich, and modestly hopped.

Though there's something to be said for not being too simple. Just a pilsner SMaSH would be meh, but add in the 15% Munich and you've got something good.

 

[madscientist451]

Brand new to brewing. My starter kit arrives tomorrow with a kit. So I’m looking at kits for my second brew - but there’s like a list of yeasts with each one … grrrr. How do I know which yeast is best for the kit ?

Just save the slurry from batch #1 and use it for batch #2.

 

[bwible]

… is there a database of yeast strains for popular commercial beers ?

Wyeast and White Labs both have charts on their websites and list individually under each of their strains the beer styles the yeast is good for. Not so much individual breweries or beers. I don’t know of any such chart for dry strains because I haven’t been using them. I’d imagine if you go on Lallemand’s site or other sites for the dry yeast companies they probably tell you too.

 

[Steveruch]

There is definitely a cost savings in ingredients with all-grain brewing. 6 lbs of Briess DME will cost me around $30 at my local store.
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I'm all for patronizing local shops, but I wouldn't pay $15 for 3 pounds of dme.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I'm all for patronizing local shops, but I wouldn't pay $15 for 3 pounds of dme.

I guess...but that is the exact same price as MoreBeer: Pilsner Dry Malt Extract (DME) | MoreBeer

$17 at Northern Brewer! Briess Pilsen Light DME - Dry Malt Extract

Cheaper at places like RiteBrew, but you have a shipping charge to add on: 812315 - Briess Dry Malt Extract - Pilsen Light - 3 lbs.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

Wyeast and White Labs both have charts on their websites and list individually under each of their strains the beer styles the yeast is good for. Not so much individual breweries or beers. I don’t know of any such chart for dry strains because I haven’t been using them. I’d imagine if you go on Lallemand’s site or other sites for the dry yeast companies they probably tell you too.

This. If you reach out to the good folks at White Labs and ask, they will gladly send you a poster of all of their strains. I have one on my wall next to be brew table in the garage, also have one from Imperial. Too bad Wyeast only offers the digital poster now...

 

[bwible]

I'm all for patronizing local shops, but I wouldn't pay $15 for 3 pounds of dme.

When I had my store it was $11.99 for 3 lbs. I closed up in 2004. And the price of everything has been going up since Jan 20th or so… The way things are going I guess we should just be happy there is some on the shelf to buy.

 

[Steveruch]

I guess...but that is the exact same price as MoreBeer: Pilsner Dry Malt Extract (DME) | MoreBeer

$17 at Northern Brewer! Briess Pilsen Light DME - Dry Malt Extract

Cheaper at places like RiteBrew, but you have a shipping charge to add on: 812315 - Briess Dry Malt Extract - Pilsen Light - 3 lbs.

$9.19 at ritebrew. My last order included 4 of them times almost $8 less more than covered the shipping. With the $5 discount for my order being over $50 and shipping was less than $9.

 

[Merz69]

I still like to keep my LHB store happy. If I need to buy something in an emergency - it’s nice to know there’s someone nearby that can help . For an extra $20 here and there - worth it

 

[Merz69]

Though I did get my starter kit from online (before I knew where my LHB was)

 

[Homebrew Harry]

I still like to keep my LHB store happy. If I need to buy something in an emergency - it’s nice to know there’s someone nearby that can help . For an extra $20 here and there - worth it

A few bucks here and there is one thing, but I'll never pay an extra 20 if I can help it

 

[davidabcd]

DME prices might be a price-shock. Sometimes I get it for a little less, sometimes a little more. For me, it beats making it myself. 16oz beers still come in around a $1 as opposed to $5 per bottle if I buy beer from a store.
Using a privately owned place keeps them around. The subject is definitely not black and white.

 

[z-bob]

This thread has seemed to turn. I’m not trying to complicate any variables. Just looking to pick a good yeast from a drill down menu on some extract kits. I was expecting the store to put the proper yeast in with the kit … but they’ve gone and made things difficult by giving me a choice ! Lol !! Thank you all for solid advice. I actually found a LHB shop today, so I think I will get my next kit there rather than order it from an online source … you know … support my local merchants .

Probably all the choices are good, and it really doesn't matter. (I *hate* trying to make choices like that) Just keep things simple and work on you technique.

Don't do like I did years ago and go out and buy a 30 pound jug of liquid malt extract. It will go bad before you use it all up. (unless you use the whole jug quickly) It won't exactly spoil, it just oxidizes and your beers turn out darker and have a "twang" to them that you'll have a devil of a time figuring out what causes it. It starts out subtle and gets worse. Other than that, extract beer is fine; don't apologize for it. I do all-grain now because it's cheaper and I enjoy the process. I should buy a few extract kits for when I don't have time to do a full brewday. BTW, I don't think DME goes bad like LME does, it just turns into a rock once the bag is open.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Secrets to Keeping your Liquid Extracts Fresh (link) has a section on storing LME.

BYO Big Book Of Homebrewing (p 19) has a process for determining the color of the LME for an OG 50-ish wort. BYO Magazine, Dec 2020, has a article with a similar process. Either process can be adjusted for lower/higher OG. If you do this process at the start of the brew day, you should be able add the wort from the measurement to the kettle.

Basic Brewing Radio (either Aug 25, 2005 or Nov 17, 2005) has a measurement for the darkening that occurs during a 45 minute boil (hint: the value is less than 2).

 

[IslandLizard]

Though I did get my starter kit from online (before I knew where my LHB was)

That equipment starter kit was a very decent deal. The free recipe kit was a nice bonus too.

Chances are you've gotten a better, heavier duty quality kettle than buying one from your LHBS, for the same price.

AFAIK, Fermonsters are not commonly sold by a typical LHBS.
For example, my LHBS sells some Fermonster parts, such as lids, carrier, strainer, wrench, etc. they don't sell the vessel itself.

 

[IslandLizard]

BTW, I don't think DME goes bad like LME does, it just turns into a rock once the bag is open.

That's correct!
I've used DME that ended up being over 10 years old, leftover from my beginning years, after I switched to all-grain. This was DME sold inside the common 3# (LD Carlson) factory sealed bags that had gotten rock hard. After putting a mallet to it, I used it for starters and never had any problem using it. The quality was A-OK, I tasted it many times, for the record.

 

[PCABrewing]

That's correct!
I've used DME that ended up being over 10 years old, leftover from my beginning years, after I switched to all-grain. This was DME sold inside the common 3# (LD Carlson) factory sealed bags that had gotten rock hard. After putting a mallet to it, I used it for starters and never had any problem using it. The quality was A-OK, I tasted it many times, for the record.

I had a similar experience.
I had LME cans unopened and bulging.
My DME of the same vintage (~10 yrs) was fine, not even clumped.
I'll add that it was stored in various conditions including about a year in a box in the garage.