In order to brew a truly great beer, yeast selection is of prime importance. There's no point in gathering together the finest malts and hops and then using a yeast which is meant for baking bread to ferment the brew! Brewing and baking yeasts have totally different characteristics and some dried yeasts packaged for the home beer making market would certainly be more at home in a bakery.

Wyeast Liquid Cultures

Wyeast Laboratories is the leading supplier of fermentation cultures for brewers throughout the world. Wyeast supplies yeast strains for all varieties of beer styles by selecting yeast cultures from the areas where the beers are produced. These yeast cultures are supplied in special 'slap-pack' foil pouches, which also contain nutrients separated from the yeast by an inner membrane. To activate the yeast, simply slap the package to rupture the membrane and knead to mix the contents. When left in a warm place the yeast will grow and the pouch will expand, the yeast is then ready for pitching. Wyeasts can be re-pitched several times for consistency and economy. N.B. Liquid yeast must be kept refrigerated.

Ale Yeasts

Ales are typified by rich, full-bodied profile with a fruity nose and taste. Each strain has unique characteristics, which can be enhanced or minimised depending on formulation and fermentation temperatures.

#1007 German: Ferments dry and crisp, leaving a complex but mild flavour. Produces an extremely rocky head and ferments well, down to 55°F. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (55-68°F).

#1028 London: Rich, mineral profile, bold and crisp, with some diacetyl production. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (60-72°F).

#1056 American: Used commercially for several classic American ales. This strain ferments to dry, finishes soft, smooth and clean, and is very well balanced. Flocculation: low to medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (60-72°F).

#1084 Irish: Slight residual diacetyl and fruitiness; great for stouts. Clean, smooth, soft and full-bodied. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 71-75%. (62-72°F).

#1098 British: From Whitbread. Ferments dry and crisp, slightly tart, fruity and well balanced. Ferments well down to 65°F. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-75%. (64-72°F).

#1214 Belgian Abbey: Abbey-style top-fermenting yeast, estery, suitable for high gravity beers. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 72-76%. (58-78°F).

#1275 Thames Valley: Produces classic British bitters, rich complex flavour profile, clean, light malt character, low fruitiness, low esters, well balanced. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 72-76%. (62-72°F).

#1388 Belgian Strong Ale: Robust flavour yeast with moderate to high alcohol tolerance. Fruity nose and palate, dry, tart finish. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (65-75°F).

#1728 Scottish: Ideally suited for Scottish style ales, and high gravity ales of all types. Flocculation: high. Apparent attenuation: 69-73%. (55-75°F).

#1968 Special London: London ESB Ale Yeast. A highly flocculent top fermenting strain, with a rich, malty character and balanced fruitiness. This strain is so flocculent that additional aeration and agitation is needed. An excellent strain for cask conditioned ales. Flocculation: high. Apparent attenuation: 61-71%. (64-72°F).

#2565 Kölsch: A hybrid of ale and lager characteristics. This strain develops excellent maltiness with subdued fruitiness, and a crisp finish. Ferments well at moderate temperatures. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (56-70°F).

#3056 Bavarian Wheat: A blend of top fermenting ale and wheat strains producing mildly estery and phenolic wheat beers. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (64-74°F).

#3068 Weihenstephan Wheat: Unique top fermenting yeast which produces the unique and spicy weizen character, rich with clover, vanilla and banana. Best results are achieved when fermentation is held around 68°F. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (64-75°F).

#3787 Belgian Trappist: Robust top cropping yeast with phenolic character. Alcohol tolerance to 12%. Ideal for Biere de Garde. Ferments dry with rich ester profile and malty palate. Flocculation: low. Apparent attenuation: 75-80%. (64-78°F).

#3944 Belgian White Beer: A tart, slightly phenolic character capable of producing distinctive witbiers and grand cru style ales alike. Alcohol tolerant. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 72-76%. (62-75°F).

Lager Yeasts

Lager beers are typically lighter and dryer than ales with a crisp finish. Lager yeast generally produces significant amounts of sulphur during cooler fermentation, which dissipates during ageing, an important profile in great pilsner beers.

#2007 Pilsen: A classic American pilsner strain, smooth, malty palate. Ferments dry and crisp. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 71-75%. (48-56°F).

#2112 Californian: Particularly suited for producing 19th century West Coast style beer. Retains lager characteristics at temperatures up to 65°F, and produces malty, brilliantly clear beers. Flocculation: high. Apparent attenuation: 67-71%. (58-68°F).

#2124 Bohemian: Pilsner yeast from the Weihenstephen. Ferments clean and malty, with rich residual maltiness in full gravity pilsners. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (48-58°F).

#2206 Bavarian: Used by many German breweries to produce rich, full-bodied, malty beers. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (46-58°F).

#2278 Czech Pils: Classic pilsner strain from the home of pilsners for a dry, but malty finish. The perfect yeast for pilsners and bock beers. Sulphur produced during fermentation dissipates with conditioning. Flocculation: medium to high. Apparent attenuation: 70-74%. (50-58°F).

#2308 Munich: Unique strain, capable of producing fine lagers. Very smooth, well rounded and full bodied. Flocculation: medium. Apparent attenuation: 73-77%. (48-56°F).

Dried Yeast Cultures

For best results, rehydrate the active dried yeast by pouring the sachets contents into a sterilized flask and adding 50ml of cooled boiled water at 40°C (104°F). Stir lightly and allow the yeast suspension to stand for at least 15 minutes but no more than 30 minutes, then stir again. To start the fermentation of the wort, pour in the yeast suspension.

Danstar Nottingham: Selected for its highly flocculent and relatively full attenuation properties. His yeast produces low concentrations of fruity and estery aromas and has been described as neutral for an ale yeast, allowing full natural flavour of malt to develop. Good tolerance to low fermentation temperatures, 14°C (57°F), allow this strain to brew lager style beers. Recommended 14° to 21°C (57° to 70°F) fermentation temperature range.

Danstar Windsor: Originating in England, this yeast produces a beer, which is estery to both palate and nose with a slight fresh yeasty flavour. These are usually described as full bodied, fruity English Ales. Depending on the substrate, the Windsor demonstrates moderate attenuation, which will leave a relatively high gravity (density). Recommended 17° to 21°C (64° to 70°F) fermentation temperature range.

Danstar London: Produces a beer, which is clean and well balanced. Attenuation midway between the Nottingham and Windsor strains. Some secondary and tertiary sensory contributions are observed from the London strain. Recommended 17° to 21°C (64° to 70°F).

Danstar Manchester: The Manchester strain shows sensory contribution in the tradition of Old English style beers. It produces very complex, woody and full-bodied ales when fermented at warm temperatures, medium attenuation, similar to the London. Recommended 17° to 21°C (64° to 70°F) fermentation temperature range.

Gervin English Ale: Top fermenting yeast, good attenuation and flocculation.

Gervin Continental Lager: True bottom fermenting yeast, ferments at lower temperatures.