Any suggestions? Or should I just stick with WLP036 or WY1007?
This isn’t a cost thing, rather more of a “shipping liquid yeast in the summer” issue. I won’t be brewing this until the fall but need to source my ingredients sometime in the next few months. My on-line supplier is usually excellent at getting an order on my porch ASAP, but I always get a bit queasy about ordering liquid yeast in the warmer months. Unfortunately, a LHBS is not an option.
If there are no reasonable dry choices, I can always push the beer back until it gets cold again. Searching the Lallemand and Fermentis websites reveal hardly any helpful information on Altbier.
I have brewed quite a few and have always used WLP036 or (long ago) WY1332. I understand the issue of liquid yeast in the summer and have been using more dry yeasts lately, but not for this style.
I’d stick with 1007. Although I once won a award for an alt made with 1056, as a starter for a BW. I’d say any clean yeast that can ferment at low temps would work. I generally run 1007 at 52-55F.
For a true altbier, I’m a fan of 1007 and not substituting with anything else.
It so happens that this same topic was covered on another forum recently. In there I tossed around the ideas of using S-04 or S-189 fermented warm. But still I do think 1007 is your best bet, if you can get some that arrives healthy on your doorstep.
In no universe would I ever recommend K-97. Don’t use that one. Please. Just don’t.
I have…had pretty decent experiences with K-97. I would recommend it as a backup yeast, if you have a dead liquid batch. It’s slow to clear (my chief complaint), but I have had good luck with it in terms of flavor/aroma when fermented at appropriate temperatures. The clarity issue could pretty easily be fixed by time or finings.
The Köln strain from Lallemand was my favorite as a German ale dry yeast, but it’s no longer available.
I would say hard pass on 04. My experience is that it’s tart and ready. 189 maybe, but it doesn’t seem to make a particularly crisp beer, which is what I feel alt needs.
Novalager is one I am interested in experimenting with more. Possibly OK and maybe even very good in an altbier.
@Denny, I hear what you are saying about S-04, and that might have been true years ago; however I am finding that in recent years S-04 is exceptionally clean, NOT tart, NOT bready, not like it perhaps was long ago. When is the last time you’ve tried it? Might be worth another shot IMO.
@Dave - I hear you on K-97. I (mis)used that yeast once and it was a sulfur-bomb that just took too long to clear up. In the end, the beer wasn’t that bad, but why go through that again? I don’t doubt others have had success with it, but for me - apparently - there’s an unnecessary learning curve involved.
@Denny, Richard - 036 and 1007 are at the top of my list, assuming there is no consensus on dry.
@tommy - I considered this yeast, as well as 34/70. Breaking the rules, but who cares?
If an Alt needs a clean yeast with solid attenuation, why not BRY-97? I’ve had success running with that at cold-ish ale temps.
I can’t see why US-05 wouldn’t work. Maybe it’s my lack of experience with the style, but what am I really asking from the yeast here? Attenuate, and stay out of the way. Or is there more to it than that?
I am fermenting a batch of alt right now with Cellar Science German Lager, which I believe it Weinstephan/ 34-70. I chose it for the reasons you mention and because I had a slurry of it available. I’ve used us-05 for the same recipe with good results.
I used S04 about 4 months ago because I wanted to give it another try. I haven’t used it in over 10 years and both my wife and I noticed a tart flavor with a some bread like notes.
