So I was able to get my Hands on 4 pks of fresh 34/70 for$10. I have never used it and was wondering what everyone thought. Thinking of a pilsner and maybe a Dortmunder? Does it give any character ? Malty per say
Only a little experience and the beer was a good tasting German lager.
Often said to be the same as wlp830 or Wyeast 2124.
I’ve used it 3-4 times and have pretty much the same assessment. I know I used it for German pils, but I can’t recall what else.
I use it extensively & find it is excellent for the maltier German styles: Maibock, Oktoberfest, Vienna, Schwarz, even Helles. It makes a pretty decent Pilsner too.
Long long lag time when you pitch it the first time. Like 48 hrs or more. Start it in a beer under 1.055. I usually do a Helles or Schwarz at around 1.048-1.050 to get it going. Then I usually re-use 4 times, it takes off like a rocket then.
It’s a pretty bland yeast. Or clean, however you want to look at it. No need for diacetyl rest as it really doesn’t produce any, doesn’t hurt to do one anyway. As far as dry yeasts go, it’s a good one, I’d say.
I find it to be pretty clean. I use it in American lagers and lagers I don’t really mind not having a bit more malt character left behind in. For lagers that need a bit more malt presence, I usually use WLP830.
Perhaps the best beer I have made was with 34/70. It was a Czech Dark Lager. Very malty. I am going to brew it again with 833 to see what the impact of the yeast was, but that was one fine brew.
It’ll be better, trust me. Maybe you should try one of the Czech strains for that one.
I currently have a CAP on tap that was brewed with 34/70 and it is out of this world good! Especially considering how hot and dry it is right now. The recipe for 10 gallons of 1.055 CAP:
13 lbs. Rahr Six row (it was the last of my 6-row, or I would have used all 6-row)
5 lbs. Malteurop Two-row
4 lbs. flaked corn (and the last of my corn)
6 oz. acid malt
Mashed between 145-155°F for 90 min.
2 oz. Hallertauer Mittelfrueh FWH
1.5 oz. Cluster 90 min
1 oz. Tettnanger 15 min
1 oz. Strisselspalt at knockout.
Fermented at 52° for one month, lagered at 35°F for 10 weeks. Crystal clear, creamy white head, beautiful. 8)
I used it a number of times years ago before the price doubled. It did make a nice clean malty lager, but I found the first pitch anyway, it really needed a diacetyl rest.
It’s a great yeast. I used it for a Munich helles. For me it did not produce any diacetyl, which is worlds different from a lot of other liquid lager yeasts that have thrown a lot of diacetyl for me. Sulfur wasn’t bad either, low when young and totally gone within a couple weeks of bottling. I think this is going to be my primary lager yeast from here on – cheap, easy, clean, and very effective.
Is it still your primary lager yeast?
Actually no, I don’t have a primary. I continue to play around with different yeasts. Currently my favorite go-to lager yeast is Wyeast 2206, and I think it might stay that way. But W-34/70 is a great yeast anyway.
I was hoping you would see this 
I’ll give the yeast a whirl and see what happens. Cheers!
It’s a very forgiving lager strain and cleanly ferments even in the sixties. It is, however, bland as far as lager strains go. It works well for those hoppier craft lagers where the nuances of other strains might be lost or even undesirable.
Agreed. I’ve used it on “IPLs” before and have really liked the outcome.
I don’t know if I’ve ever really thought of it as bland, but I get where you’re coming from. It is quite neutral, with very low sulfur production. W34/70 is the US-05 of lager strains.
I prefer WY2278 for hoppy lagers and WY2633 for malty lagers, but 34/70 will do a fine job for any lager (and most ales).
I am a beginner lager brewer with about 7 or so batches under my belt. I have used 34/70 for all of them with very good results. It is very easy to use, predictable, and very forgiving as others here have mentioned. I think it is the perfect strain for a first attempt.
A friend of mine swears WLP833 is the secret to the finest lagers and I totally believe him, as they’re great.
Now today I just read on Brulosophy.com that people can’t taste the difference between WLP833 and W-34/70. So there’s that.
There’s a lot less variation between lager yeasts than there is in ale yeast. Doesn’t really surprise me that people have a hard time telling them apart.