Your Favorite Liquid Yeast Brand?

[Knightshade]

Genuinely curious if you all out there have a preferred brand, or if it is about identifying a specific character that a yeast may provide so brand be damned.

I just got brave enough to use liquid yeast a couple of weeks ago and used White Labs. The recipe actually called from a Wyeast strain, but I looked up something comparable for the sole reason that White Labs is maybe a 15 minute drive from me and I figured it would be fresher than what the LHBS might be carrying? Not sure if this is true or not, but knowing how my brain works I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself continuing to use White Labs yeast just due to familiarity. I find myself using Safale dry yeasts for the same reason, the first couple of kits provided that brand so I've stuck with it.

 

[codysorgenfrey]

I go with the yeast lab closest to me for best viability.

 

[Dgallo]

Imperial by a long shot. Twice the pitch rate per pouch for 2 dollars more and their customer service response is quick and accurate

 

[Gnomebrewer]

I don't go for one 'brand' over another, but in general have preferred Wyeast strains over White labs (3522, 3068, 1968, 1318). WLP001 is the only whitelabs I prefer over Wyeast. I don't have access to Imperial or Omega and very limited access to Gigayeast, so it's a bit of a two-horse race.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, if the question was "rank your most-used yeast brands" it would be Wyeast, Imperial, White Labs, 1-2-3, with Wyeast getting the nod for its diversity and it being almost ubiquitously available locally...

Cheers!

 

[Gnomebrewer]

fwiw, if the question was "rank your most-used yeast brands"

Then mine would become Whitelabs. It's the only one I can get locally.

 

[CaveHomeBrewing]

Escarpment Labs is top notch.

 

[jcav]

I use mainly Wyeast for German, Belgian, English, and American beer styles that I make. I have used Imperial Harvest for a Vienna Lager which was wonderful. I also have used White Labs Bock and Kolsch yeasts, which were both very good also.

John

 

[palmtrees]

I have used Omega the most recently. They have some interesting exclusive strains, like Lutra, which I really love. And while I hate to admit it, because I get that it's just marketing manipulation, I really do enjoy their pouch art.

 

[Deadalus]

Genuinely curious if you all out there have a preferred brand, or if it is about identifying a specific character that a yeast may provide so brand be damned.

I just got brave enough to use liquid yeast a couple of weeks ago and used White Labs. The recipe actually called from a Wyeast strain, but I looked up something comparable for the sole reason that White Labs is maybe a 15 minute drive from me and I figured it would be fresher than what the LHBS might be carrying? Not sure if this is true or not, but knowing how my brain works I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself continuing to use White Labs yeast just due to familiarity. I find myself using Safale dry yeasts for the same reason, the first couple of kits provided that brand so I've stuck with it.

White Labs is what I started using a long time ago and then when I reentered homebrewing, I continued to use them when available. Mainly from a replicability standpoint. I will use Wyeast if my preferred White Labs variety is not available when I order. I think between those two there are some common strains. I have used a couple of strains from Gigayeast and Omega. If there is something on sale and I don't already have that style, I've given them a whirl. I lean mostly towards English, American, and German styles and have tried a good number of White Labs yeast in those categories. I have a number of them banked. I just recently picked up two seasonal/vault varieties from White Labs, their Yorkshire and Munich Helles yeasts. I have the Yorkshire in a carboy now with a new recipe and plan to use the Helles soon.

 

[Bramling Cross]

Although I had a slight preference for Wyeast, I used to use Wyeast and White Labs interchangeably based on freshness and availability. I slowly gave up on White Labs because I never cared for their various packaging formats and I never found a White Labs strain that I thought was superior to its Wyeast equivalent.

More recently, I've started to favor Imperial over Wyeast. I have a strong preference for Pub over WY1968, but I think the rest of the strains are a bit of a wash. Imperial gets the nod because it's more cost-effective.

I haven't explored the newer labs chiefly because I've been brewing for a good long while and I have a long roster of recipes that I love, but it can be a couple of years between subsequent batches. There's not a lot of motivation to start mucking around with exotic new strains when you can barely run the rotation of recipes that you already love. I don't doubt that I'm missing out, though.

Last Fall, I decided to reacquaint myself with dry yeast and I have to say that I've been blown away by both Fermentis and Lallemand.

So I guess White Labs gets the short end of the stick. Sorry, White Labs.

 

[Bramling Cross]

And while I hate to admit it, because I get that it's just marketing manipulation, I really do enjoy their pouch art.

I've had a pack of Bananza! sitting in my fridge for a couple months and I'll admit that I'm going to miss that package when I finally sneak it into my schedule.

Their art is outstanding.

 

[palmtrees]

I've had a pack of Bananza! sitting in my fridge for a couple months and I'll admit that I'm going to miss that package when I finally sneak it into my schedule.

Their art is outstanding.

I feel the same about the pack of their lacto blend sitting in my fridge!

 

[CascadesBrewer]

White Labs is my go to brand. I appreciate the effort that Chris White has put into the homebrewing community (book, podcast and seminar appearances, etc.). I like the compact packaging and the FlexCell packaging process is innovative. Wyeast packaging is pretty bulky (especially when a pack swells up) and I find the smack pack thing to be a bit too gimmicky, but I have had good luck with their yeast as well.

While I appreciate Imperial, $12 per pack with limited strains and nothing really unusual has stopped me from using them. I have used a few Omega strains with good results. I have been starting to look closer at dry yeast lately.

 

[Dgallo]

While I appreciate Imperial, $12 per pack with limited strains and nothing really unusual has stopped me from using them. I have used a few Omega strains with good results. I have been starting to look closer at dry yeast lately.

don’t forget imperial is 200 billion cell packs verse the others 100 billion

 

[rallenhall]

I lean toward Wyeast ... like the smack pack as it gives me a heads-up on yeast condition. I'm probably the odd one here, but I don't like White Labs new packaging and wish they'd go back to the blanks.

 

[Immocles]

I’m mostly a dry yeast user, but when I do go for liquid I nearly always reach for wyeast. I prefer their Hefeweizen and kolsch strains.

 

[Gozie Boy]

I focus on viability, and thus like WL especially in warmer months since they are just a half hour away from me. Having said that, their shop does not always sell the freshest of yeast. I was in last week and their English Ale yeast was within 2 weeks of its sell-by date (i.e. almost 6 mos. old). Certainly usable (if you are ready to brew soon), but not what you would expect with the lab being right onsite! (Note that they have more than one lab, and some varieties are brought in from their other labs since not all strains are made in each facility). But it is still a comfort factor, since you can assume they handle and transfer their product from facility to facility properly, versus an online provider who may send you some warm product despite an ice pack.

 

[ThenFalcon]

Escarpment Labs is top notch.

I like them too. I have 7 strains in my freezer bank.

 

[MaxStout]

Don't have a "best" brand, as yeast selection is more recipe-driven. Over the years I've leaned toward Wyeast. Would love to try Imperial, but the stock at the LHBS tends to be months out of date, negating the advantage of having a larger pitch. I'm not going to pay a premium for old yeast.

But the last couple years I've been brewing almost exclusively with dry yeast. The selections are getting better, and I can usually brew what I need. My initial experience with Mangrove Jack's (M21) has been good.

 

[couchsending]

East Coast Yeast

The Yeast Bay

 

[bwible]

What OP said about familiarity. I’ve been homebrewing almost 25 years. I started with Wyeast. Smack packs don’t look a whole lot different now than they did then. I’m pretty sure Wyeast was first, White Labs came along after. White Labs was the first I recall advertising “pitchable yeast”. Many of us at first were skeptical. With Wyeast, you smacked the pack and you knew the yeast was active.

I used to own a homebrew shop, which I closed up in 2004. To this day, I still know the vast majority of Wyeast strains by their numbers without having to look them up.

I tried White Labs a few times in the mid 2000s. As others said, I didn’t find it to be superior in any way. Not knocking it, White Labs does make a variety of good strains.

I’ve been too lazy to read up on the new companies out there and what they have. Though I did look up Imperial Pub one day, thought it looked interesting.

25 years ago it was drilled into everybody that dry yeast is bad. So I never used dry yeast.

It comes down to familiarity and personal preference. I am a Wyeast guy.

 

[Snuffy]

I lean toward Wyeast ... like the smack pack as it gives me a heads-up on yeast condition. I'm probably the odd one here, but I don't like White Labs new packaging and wish they'd go back to the blanks.

I am over the smack pack. Probably used them a dozen times over the years and have had maybe 2 pop correctly on the first try. I've even cut them open and created a starter independent of the pouch to keep from committing total yeast disrespect. Good yeast. Just annoying delivery.
Decent idea in theory but I want my yeast now. Not tomorrow.

 

[bwible]

I want my yeast now. Not tomorrow.

Never had issue with this. I plan all my brews in advance anyway. I can’t ever recall a day I woke up and thought out of the blue “I think I’ll brew today”. Smacking a pack 3 or 4 days in advance is no big deal.

 

[Golddiggie]

I've been using Wyeast from the start. Initially because that's what the first HBS I went to carried. Later it was due to how much info they had on the strains (easy to find). I've used White Labs once for a mead, and the strain didn't perform to spec.

I'm using two strains for the majority of my brews currently (1318 and 1335). If 1882-PC is available in the coming PC collection release (for the quarter starting in July) I'll probably grab a pack for my mocha porter. Otherwise, I'll be using 1318 for the recipe. I would just use the tubes of frozen I have from 2012, but I had a freezer failure the other month and I'm not sure if they handled the thaw/freeze cycle well. I might do a starter from what's left to see. It would be better, IMO, if I could just get a fresh pack of the yeast and use it. I might get two, and simply make a 1L starter with the second pack, condition that and freeze it.

I do starters for my beers (every batch), so the 'smack pack' aspect is no biggie to me. I simply tear open the pack (without smacking it) and pour it into the starter wort.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Mine would be GigaYeast, WYeast, WL, then Imperial. Imperial is only last because of local availability. Giga, 021 in particular, has become increasingly difficult to source. Wish I could find a source for W-177 Kolsch yeast. Each company has a specific strain I use that isn’t ubiquitous.

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

Mine has always been White Labs. I really miss the cool plastic test tubes that it used to be packaged in, because you could clean them out, sanitize them, and re-use them to store harvested yeast slurry from a previous batch of beer.

 

[Miraculix]

Imperial by a long shot. Twice the pitch rate per pouch for 2 dollars more and their customer service response is quick and accurate

Exactly what I thought! Plus they got the real Fuller's strain which no other lab seems to have.

 

[Snuffy]

Never had issue with this. I plan all my brews in advance anyway. I can’t ever recall a day I woke up and thought out of the blue “I think I’ll brew today”. Smacking a pack 3 or 4 days in advance is no big deal.

I brew on the spur of the moment quite a bit. My wife gripes about the smell, so when I’m thinking about brewing and she pops up with a shopping day with her sister, it’s on with short notice. Dry fits that nicely. If I have time to plan a brew with a buddy or something, I’m much more likely to spring for liquid yeast at the LHBS.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Smacking a pack 3 or 4 days in advance is no big deal.

I am a little curious about what exactly the Wyeast smack pack contains or does. I have heard opinions that it does more harm than good (that it is just enough to wake up the yeast but not enough to sustain the yeast so they are in a starvation mode) but that info is probably from their competitors. My understanding is that the Wyeast nutrient pack is a tiny vitality starter in which case I would not activate it 3-4 days ahead of time. I try to avoid direct pitching a Wyeast or White Labs pack into a full 5-gallon batch without a starter, so I generally make a vitality starter the night before brew day if making a 5-gallon batch.

I am also a bit curious if the viability of the White Labs packaging is as good as Chris White claims. I suspect it is not. While I have had good luck with White Labs yeast, I notice viability issues with any brand's 4+ month old packs I have used.

I brew on the spur of the moment quite a bit. My wife gripes about the smell, so when I’m thinking about brewing and she pops up with a shopping day with her sister, it’s on with short notice. Dry fits that nicely. If I have time to plan a brew with a buddy or something, I’m much more likely to spring for liquid yeast at the LHBS.

I have been moving toward dry yeast more lately as well. It is not so much that I wake up and decide to brew a batch (which has happened) but that I decide 3-4 days ahead and I don't want to fit in a special trip to the store just to get a fresh pack of liquid yeast. Also, I have had poor results with mail order liquid yeast in the past. I am much more comfortable with stocking 10 packs of dry yeast or adding some dry yeast to a mail order. Though some of my favorite and most used strains are liquid and I have not fully found a replacement dry yeast.

 

[Ogilthorpe2]

Omega, due to proximity to the source lab, is the most widely available near me, so it wins by default, but I have also been very happy with the products.

 

[Conehead]

Escarpment Labs is top notch.

Not even on the list.

 

[bwible]

My understanding is that the Wyeast nutrient pack is a tiny vitality starter in which case I would not activate it 3-4 days ahead of time.

The old rule of thumb for Wyeast packs was to allow one day for every 2 months old the package was. That was a good rule of thumb for how long it takes for the package to fully swell. This is a little harder to figure out now because they are printing use by dates on the packages now instead of packaged on dates.

That said, when I had my store I would occasionally find an old Wyeast pack that had fallen to the back of the fridge and got lost and for fun I would use it. I have used many that were over a year old and at least one pack that was 3 years old. As I recall it took over a week to swell but It swelled up and I made beer with it.

 

[Golddiggie]

The old rule of thumb for Wyeast packs was to allow one day for every 2 months old the package was. That was a good rule of thumb for how long it takes for the package to fully swell. This is a little harder to figure out now because they are printing use by dates on the packages now instead of packaged on dates.

That said, when I had my store I would occasionally find an old Wyeast pack that had fallen to the back of the fridge and got lost and for fun I would use it. I have used many that were over a year old and at least one pack that was 3 years old. As I recall it took over a week to swell but It swelled up and I made beer with it.

IIRC, the new 'use by' dates are ~6 months from the production dates. I don't know who the brain trust lead was that decided to use a different dating method than everything else does. It does add more work/effort to enter the dates into software for figuring out starter sizes now. I do hope they reverse that decision and simply go back to the date it was packaged.

The last two starters I made were with yeast that was in the 1-2 month old range. The starters went full bore within a few hours, finishing in about 24-36 hours (from pitching the yeast in). One of those is still in the fridge since my brew date got pushed due to things going a bit wonky on last week's brew day. Planning to use it on the coming Saturday though.

 

[Bilsch]

Depends. I use different strains for different beers, some only available from one supplier. For example 835, 2565 and 2105.

 

[Brooothru]

Exactly what I thought! Plus they got the real Fuller's strain which no other lab seems to have.

Assume you're referring to A09 Pub? I had been using it for a while in place of Nottingham. I agree it's a great yeast though I haven't yet used it in a London Pride clone.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Propogate Labs, a little outfit located in Golden, Colorado. They have a wide variety of yeast strains and also advertise a large cell count in a homebrew pitch volume. I don't know why, but I get the impression they may have been around for a while on the commercial brew level but may be entering the HB market. Most of their yeasts are sold in brewery-level pitch volumes.

I ran across them about 6 months ago while trying to find an Andechs strain lager yeast, and got two of theirs when I couldn't find any from the usual suspects. So last week I finally got around to propagating it since it was passing its "best by" date. Threw 'em both in a 5 liter Erlenmeyer flask with 2 liters of 1.037 starter wort and let it spin. Took off like a rocket! It's cold crashing now, and I hope to get 200~300ml of highly viable yeast.

 

[bwible]

Exactly what I thought! Plus they got the real Fuller's strain which no other lab seems to have.

Wyeast 1968 was long considered by many to be the Fuller’s strain

 

[Miraculix]

Wyeast 1968 was long considered by many to be the Fuller’s strain

I know, same as wlp002, but the pub one is the only one that really delivers the fullers flavour. All the other ones seem to have shifted since they got it.

 

[Miraculix]

Assume you're referring to A09 Pub? I had been using it for a while in place of Nottingham. I agree it's a great yeast though I haven't yet used it in a London Pride clone.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Propogate Labs, a little outfit located in Golden, Colorado. They have a wide variety of yeast strains and also advertise a large cell count in a homebrew pitch volume. I don't know why, but I get the impression they may have been around for a while on the commercial brew level but may be entering the HB market. Most of their yeasts are sold in brewery-level pitch volumes.

I ran across them about 6 months ago while trying to find an Andechs strain lager yeast, and got two of theirs when I couldn't find any from the usual suspects. So last week I finally got around to propagating it since it was passing its "best by" date. Threw 'em both in a 5 liter Erlenmeyer flask with 2 liters of 1.037 starter wort and let it spin. Took off like a rocket! It's cold crashing now, and I hope to get 200~300ml of highly viable yeast.

It is a great yeast, but it is certainly not even close to Notti, but anyhow, if you like the result, keep going! I love this yeast!

 

[Brooothru]

Mostly I was commenting on it's speed and flocculance being like Notty, and specifically the difference between Pub and WLP-039 East Midlands liquid. I had mixed to poor results with 039, but always had good luck with Danstar dry Nottingham. Since I've started using Pub, I prefer it to Notty for English styles.