yeast to avoid?

[user 70770]

I will never brew with Nottingham. I brew once every other month so it's too much a gamble to see if the brew will ferment cleanly or taste infected.

I also avoid the fuller's strain (WLP 002 or Wyeast 1968) for two reasons. First, I found it a bit difficult to handle. It tends to flocc out if you just look at it wrong and the attenuation is totally underwhelming even by British ales standards. The ester profile is also a bit weird if fermented at anything above 68F. And secondly, I have never been able to achieve the fuller's flavor. It's always turned out way fruitier than fuller's even when fermented cool.

My go to yeast right now is Whitbread 1099. Nice malt and ester profile. It's also fairly clean at lower temperatures. Attenuation is advertised as a bit lower, but I've had success with good attenuation with proper mash handling. It's just a nice flexible yeast imho.

 

[jjones17]

I tried Danstar Windsor. Hated it.

I second this - I made the all time worst beer ever with that yeast, and not bragging here but pretty much all my beers have turned out quaffable at worst.

Also, S-23 I hated.

Though OP - the only liquid strains I disliked were, funny as it is, from the discount bin at the LHBS. I can attest that it was because I did not use Mr-Malty at the time, and did not step up my starters enough. I still would avoid really old liquid yeast just based on the cost of DME used to step up your starter like 3-4 times to get enough yeast for a good 5 Gallon batch.

 

[iasquith]

The only two that I'd never use again are Winsdor and S-33 I gave up after repeatedly finishing up with high FG's and way too estery\ nosy esp.(windsor)

 

[rgarcia78147]

By far the the worst yeast ever: WLP002 English Ale Yeast, Wyeast 2565 Kolsch, Dry Windsor Yeast!!!!!!!!

The three best i have ever used WLP060 American Ale Yeast Blend, WLP029 German/Kolsch Yeast, Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale

Best Lager yeast: WLP838 Southern German, and WLP810 San Francisco Yeast!!!!!

 

[beergolf]

Hah, Yeah, I wonder how many people who poo-poo a yeast strain are actually using proper pitching rates/temp control?

This is so true. Pitching a good healthy starter and controling temp is the key.

Surprised no one has mentioned Wyeast 3724 yet... Belgian Saison... Unless you live in the 9th circle of hell, you won't have enough heat to keep this beast happy.

Perfect example..... Get the temps right and it is a fantastic yeast. I put my fermenter in a cooler with water and an aquarium heater. Get the temps right. I just checked my last brew, at two weeks it is already down to 1.004. Never had aroblem with this yeast.

 

[thegerm]

I also avoid the fuller's strain (WLP 002 or Wyeast 1968) for two reasons. First, I found it a bit difficult to handle. It tends to flocc out if you just look at it wrong and the attenuation is totally underwhelming even by British ales standards. The ester profile is also a bit weird if fermented at anything above 68F. And secondly, I have never been able to achieve the fuller's flavor. It's always turned out way fruitier than fuller's even when fermented cool.

That's probably because fuller's fermentation schedule is psycho. that and partigyle. most sane homebrewers don't do either. the yeast is an all-star in the appropriate beers, however.

Here's the fuller's fermentation schedule that I got from the interview with the master brewer from the original fuller's can you brew it interview:

pitch at 17C
raise to 20C over 10 hours.
hold at 20C for 30 hours (half gravity).
chill to 17 over 3 hours.
hold at 17 till 1/4 to 1/5 gravity.
chill to 6 (1C/hour) over 11 hours.
hold at 6 for 36 hours.
rack off yeast.​

I wanted to attempt this schedule but I was sort of forced to bring the temp of the carboy up to room temp at the end of fermentation due to kegerator constraints... so I think that allowed the yeast to eat up some of those esters that would have otherwise remained in the beer if I'd kept the temp down. Also, just fermenting at a constant 68F gives a fine result as well.

 

[osagedr]

Another year into this thread; must be time for another post. I still haven't found any yeasts that I truly hate. I guess I wasn't a fan of the PC Wyeast Thames Valley II, but that was my fault for not doing a long enough d-rest with a couple of batches made with that yeast. The batch that was on the yeast for a month turned out fine.

I know lager yeasts a bit better than I know ale yeasts. W-34/70 is my workhorse strain, has a big temperature range where it works effectively, and my beers fermented with it have brought home a dozen medals (and counting) in competition in 2012. S-189 is not that easy to get but is a nice, if somewhat maltier, yeast as well. It's done well for me in competition too, even in styles it was not suited to. Some people are leery about S-23 but I've done a couple Bohemian Pilsners with it (one fermented cool, one warm) that have also done well this year. I think it's a real winner for lager brewers who want/have to ferment on the warmer side due to lack of temperature control or whatever.

I like S-05 (1056) and Wyeast 1728 for ales. Clean, flocculant, attenuative. I'm turned off British-style beers but if I had to make one S-04 would be my choice although I don't know much about the liquid British strains.

I'm really not into wheat beers or Belgians. I should brew a few a year just to have for competitions.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

There's no 'bad yeast', just bad brewers. This thread is perfect evidence of that.

 

[SwampassJ]

There's no 'bad yeast', just bad brewers. This thread is perfect evidence of that.

You're right. My taste buds telling me I don't like Nottingham in anything is my fault for not liking it's taste.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

You're right. My taste buds telling me I don't like Nottingham in anything is my fault for not liking it's taste.

I don't like ketchup, but it doesn't mean ketchup is bad, it just means I, personally, don't care for it. Not saying it's your fault that you don't like what Notty imparts in a beer (I think it sucks, too), but it's not the yeast's fault either.

 

[befus]

Not a Danstar fan, esp. Windsor, nor will I use any yeast which comes taped to a can. Had terrible results with Munton's, Montmellick's and Cooper's back in the extract days.

 

[rjwhite41]

Though OP - the only liquid strains I disliked were, funny as it is, from the discount bin at the LHBS. I can attest that it was because I did not use Mr-Malty at the time, and did not step up my starters enough. I still would avoid really old liquid yeast just based on the cost of DME used to step up your starter like 3-4 times to get enough yeast for a good 5 Gallon batch.

+1

I've had yeast that I don't care for the flavor of and I've had yeast that needs more attention than others but all yeast, in my experience, do what they are supposed to. The finicky one's tend to have unique flavor profiles that are worth the effort to me. The only yeast I've had that really pissed me off was old. I made a starter according to mr. malty and followed my fermentation profile and it just didn't do what I wanted it to. I suspect the viability was near zero. I've used the yeast since, with a fresher smack pack, and had great results. The yeast was 3787, but it wasn't the yeast's fault it was the bargain bin that was at fault.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

The only yeast I've had that really pissed me off was old.

agreed!



I actually had a yeast really chap my a$$ one day. I brewed up this batch of beer, OG 1.087, didn't aerate, pitched one smack pack at 95 degrees and placed it under a south window in a 80 degree room. For the next three weeks I screamed and hollered at those little buggers to do their f'n job. When I went to bottle the beer, it tasted like crap, gave me a headache and no matter how many times I dumped corn sugar into the bottles, they were still flat the next day when I tried them. Then they exploded. I'll never use XXXX yeast again.





No, really, there's no bad yeast, just bad brewers.

 

[TimTrone]

agreed!

I actually had a yeast really chap my a$$ one day. I brewed up this batch of beer, OG 1.087, didn't aerate, pitched one smack pack at 95 degrees and placed it under a south window in a 80 degree room. For the next three weeks I screamed and hollered at those little buggers to do their f'n job. When I went to bottle the beer, it tasted like crap, gave me a headache and no matter how many times I dumped corn sugar into the bottles, they were still flat the next day when I tried them. Then they exploded. I'll never use XXXX yeast again.

No, really, there's no bad yeast, just bad brewers.

Haha true. Every strain has its place whether you like them or not.

 

[noiz2]

On that note... I use notingham all the time and have had very good results in IPA's and such. Windsor has also worked well and S58 has made some very tasty Belgian doubles. S33 I had some issues with, didn't like the esters. But I used it in a chocolate stout and it came out really well. These are all dry yeasts but I'm moving into liquid yeasts and starters et all because I want to try out a bit more variety. So I may cone back and say that the abbey yeast I'm pitching in a couple of days blows s58 out of the water but I suspect that it will be good in a different way. Some beers that I didn't like the profile of - my tests with S33 - my neighbors have loved so no waste, just learning.

 

[pohldogg]

It's not about bad yeast and bad brewers. Some strains just don't fit all breweries. 565 works great for me, but I pitch bugs that take advantage of it stalling out. The same goes for 1968, pretty much everything I make is mashed at 149 and I've never had an attenuation problem. That's just because they fit in with my style of brewing, not because I'm a better brewer than the folks that don't like them. Personally, 1388 and 540 don't like the way I brew. I'm sure with more research and practice I could figure them out. But I don't want to change my mash temps, aeration regimen, or fermentation process for one off batches especially when I have a number of strains that like the way I do business. Bigger fan of consistent brewing process because there's fewer areas for mistakes when I do the same thing every time.

 

[DannPM]

If you're a woman, avoid the yeast that causes a yeast infection...

3711 might do that to particularly vulnerable users

 

[lou2row]

bread yeast.

Unless of course you're baking bread.

 

[AleDave]

I've also had issues with the Yorkshire Square yeast. First time I fermented cool around 62 in a marris otter ekg smash. The result was that it tasted belgian instead of english haha. Lots of spiciness.Still good just not expected.

I re-pitched that yeast into a northern english brown and fermented higher at 65 and the results were much better. Could have been the higher temp or the darker malts. It did take some time for the flavors to meld though.

No problems with attenuation like the other poster had. Although I like the yeast it does take some getting used to.

As far as go to strains, WLP001/US-05, WLP002, WLP028 & WLP004 but still looking for more

I bought Yorkshire Square because it's from my favorite brewery and reused it in a few different beers. Results tasted fine but the yeast tended to settle easily and I had to give the carbohydrate a shake a few times in the first weeks.

 

[ColeBeer78]

I only had one batch of yeast give me problems.... Nottingham. Never again!

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I bought Yorkshire Square because it's from my favorite brewery and reused it in a few different beers. Results tasted fine but the yeast tended to settle easily and I had to give the carbohydrate a shake a few times in the first weeks.

You know that Tadcaster has to rouse their yeast daily for that exact reason. It's highly flocculent and really drops fast. I've avoided that strain for that reason, but I bet it makes an amazing ale. Not that it's bad, cuz it's not, but because I'm lazy and don't wanna wreck a beer cuz I forgot to rouse the yeast every day. I love Sam'l Smith's beers... check out my profile pics, I have a great li'l tribute I made to them using labels and coasters, it's hanging in my bar room.

 

[thetragichero]

us-04 for sure
can't get rid of the sour flavour three months later

wyeast kolsch and cali lager are my favourites so far
us-05 is a nice standby too

 

[bottlebomber]

us-04 for sure
can't get rid of the sour flavour three months later

wyeast kolsch and cali lager are my favourites so far
us-05 is a nice standby too

I have only used -04 once and have a strong tart flavor in my beer as well. I wasn't sure where it was coming from, and it actually compliments the beer nicely but I won't be using it again on account of subpar attenuation.

 

[sentfromspain]

I had the same result with us-04 and wb-06. Just a sour flavor that wouldnt go even after 1 month between fermenters, and 4 months bottle conditioning.

I find us-05 works really well for just about any ale, even hefs.

 

[thegerm]

bread yeast.

/thread

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

I only had one batch of yeast give me problems.... Nottingham. Never again!

I use notty frequently, what did it do to you?

 

[Calichusetts]

I use notty frequently, what did it do to you?

I am also wondering what the issue is for people with notty...I use it in all my "IPAs" that get above 7%, never an issue, certainly not the dryness someone commented on

 

[ao125]

I am also wondering what the issue is for people with notty...I use it in all my "IPAs" that get above 7%, never an issue, certainly not the dryness someone commented on

Dynamite is great. You can use it for construction, demolition, mining... hell, you can even use it for fishing - but if you use it improperly, you can blow off your hand or worse.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

I am also wondering what the issue is for people with notty...I use it in all my "IPAs" that get above 7%, never an issue, certainly not the dryness someone commented on

I guess some people have a different appreciation of dryness. I for one loathe sweet beers. Hand me a fruity lambic and i am looking for an ice cream to drop into it.

But i have never thought of notty as producing an excessively dry brew. More just right.

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

us-04 for sure
can't get rid of the sour flavour three months later

I have only used -04 once and have a strong tart flavor in my beer as well. I wasn't sure where it was coming from, and it actually compliments the beer nicely but I won't be using it again on account of subpar attenuation.

I had the same result with us-04 and wb-06. Just a sour flavor that wouldnt go even after 1 month between fermenters, and 4 months bottle conditioning.

I find us-05 works really well for just about any ale, even hefs.

Try fermenting cooler. 04 is an amazing yeast. Albeit it doesn't attenuate as well as 05, but it's an English yeast and those tend to attenuate less than American yeasts.