W34/70 vs S-189

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

I have been wanting to use S-189 but am stuck on 34/70 due to it’s reliability and ease of use. How do they compare? Is there anything I should know about using S-189? Is it more prone to diacetyl? I normally ferment lagers at 50F with an accelerated schedule.

I am planning a schwarzbier soon. Would 189 be a good choice for that? What are other good styles for it? Should I ask more questions?

[hopfenundmalz]

I will often divide a batch of lager and ferment with 2 or 3 yeasts to taste the differences.

I have a Dunkel that was split 3 ways, WLP-830 (34/70), WLP-833, and WLP-835 lager X. I like the 830 best on this go round.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@hopfenundmalz

I will often divide a batch of lager and ferment with 2 or 3 yeasts to taste the differences.

I have a Dunkel that was split 3 ways, WLP-830 (34/70), WLP-833, and WLP-835 lager X. I like the 830 best on this go round.

Is one of those yeasts the same strain as 189?

[hopfenundmalz]

@goschman

@hopfenundmalz

I will often divide a batch of lager and ferment with 2 or 3 yeasts to taste the differences.

I have a Dunkel that was split 3 ways, WLP-830 (34/70), WLP-833, and WLP-835 lager X. I like the 830 best on this go round.

Is one of those yeasts the same strain as 189?

No, 835 Lager X=Kloster Andechs, 833=Ayinger, S-189 is Hürlimann, a Swiss brewery.
34/70 is from the Hefe Bank Weihenstephan.

[denny]

@goschman

I have been wanting to use S-189 but am stuck on 34/70 due to it’s reliability and ease of use. How do they compare? Is there anything I should know about using S-189? Is it more prone to diacetyl? I normally ferment lagers at 50F with an accelerated schedule.

I am planning a schwarzbier soon. Would 189 be a good choice for that? What are other good styles for it? Should I ask more questions?

I generally think pf 189 as more for malty styles and 34/70 for styles that don’t have as much body.  Both are equally easy to use and reliable.  I think for a schwarz I’d go with the 34/70.

[system]

Sadly I think they are both sad excuses for real yeast… sorry

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

Sadly I think they are both sad excuses for real yeast… sorry

Thanks for your sympathy

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@denny

@goschman

I have been wanting to use S-189 but am stuck on 34/70 due to it’s reliability and ease of use. How do they compare? Is there anything I should know about using S-189? Is it more prone to diacetyl? I normally ferment lagers at 50F with an accelerated schedule.

I am planning a schwarzbier soon. Would 189 be a good choice for that? What are other good styles for it? Should I ask more questions?

I generally think pf 189 as more for malty styles and 34/70 for styles that don’t have as much body.  Both are equally easy to use and reliable.  I think for a schwarz I’d go with the 34/70.

Thanks Denny

[denny]

Sadly I think they are both sad excuses for real yeast… sorry

Happily, many of us disagree.

[majorvices]

@denny

Sadly I think they are both sad excuses for real yeast… sorry

Happily, many of us disagree.

+1 - if you use dry yeast these two strains can both pull of fantastic results. I did an Imperial Pils a couple years ago that was superb. And I have subbed 34/70 for our house lager yeast (WY2124) when necessary with little perceivable difference (and quite acceptable results).

[rookie_l_a (Steve Ruch)]

@denny

I generally think pf 189 as more for malty styles and 34/70 for styles that don’t have as much body.  Both are equally easy to use and reliable.  I think for a schwarz I’d go with the 34/70.

The last beer I used 34/70 on (pilsner) I got 84% attenuation and the last S-189 I used (maibock which got my second highest score ever) got 79%.
Yes on the Schwarz with 34/70.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

@denny

I generally think pf 189 as more for malty styles and 34/70 for styles that don’t have as much body.  Both are equally easy to use and reliable.  I think for a schwarz I’d go with the 34/70.

The last beer I used 34/70 on (pilsner) I got 84% attenuation and the last S-189 I used (maibock which got my second highest score ever) got 79%.
Yes on the Schwarz with 34/70.

So you agree that 189 is better suited for maltier lagers as well?

[ynotbrusum]

I use S-189 on a variety of lagers, especially American focused lagers with adjuncts.  I like 2206 for most Southern German lagers, but will use 830/2124 for Northern German Pils to hit the crisp finish that seems to go well in matching the style.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

@ynotbrusum

I like 2206 for most Southern German lagers, but will use 830/2124 for Northern German Pils to hit the crisp finish that seems to go well in matching the style.

Same here. I like the 2206 tendency to drop out pretty easily, too.

[goschman (Iliff Ave)]

Thanks all. So 2124 is the same as 34/70 right? I’ve got my first pilsner/hoppy lager with 34/70 ready to keg that I am super excited about.

I am brewing an Amber Lager Friday and a Schwazbier the following week so was just considering switching it up. The Amber Lager is an adjunct lager with corn. Maybe the 189 there?

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

@goschman

So 2124 is the same as 34/70 right?

Yup. Those beers sound good, too.

[system]

While the dry do start out life as the liquid strain equivalents, they don’t really exhibit the same properties. For instance 34/70 can throw lemon( I have never had 2124/830 do that), and none throw enough sulfur to help you post fermentation. Also interestingly they don’t have the same attenuation or floccuation characteristics. I have gone though my fair share of 500g bricks of both of these yeast, but for flavor and post fermentation protection nothing beats the liquid strains IMO, especially when you go with low oxygen brewing techniques. The game changes then.

[jonhughey_att.net (HoosierBrew)]

While the dry do start out life as the liquid strain equivalents, they don’t really exhibit the same properties. For instance 34/70 can throw lemon( I have never had 2124/830 do that), and none throw enough sulfur to help you post fermentation. Also interestingly they don’t have the same attenuation or floccuation characteristics. I have gone though my fair share of 500g bricks of both of these yeast, but for flavor and post fermentation protection nothing beats the liquid strains IMO, especially when you go with low oxygen brewing techniques. The game changes then.

I agree that there are definite differences in fermentation characteristics/performance between dry and liquid. I much prefer liquid cultures myself.

[system]

While the dry do start out life as the liquid strain equivalents, they don’t really exhibit the same properties. For instance 34/70 can throw lemon( I have never had 2124/830 do that), and none throw enough sulfur to help you post fermentation. Also interestingly they don’t have the same attenuation or floccuation characteristics. I have gone though my fair share of 500g bricks of both of these yeast, but for flavor and post fermentation protection nothing beats the liquid strains IMO, especially when you go with low oxygen brewing techniques. The game changes then.

I really wanted to love the dry lager yeasts, not having to oxygenate your wort could have been a huge benefit, but in the end the flavor, just didn’t work for me.

I agree that there are definite differences in fermentation characteristics/performance between dry and liquid. I much prefer liquid cultures myself.

[Philbrew]

While the dry do start out life as the liquid strain equivalents, they don’t really exhibit the same properties. For instance 34/70 can throw lemon( I have never had 2124/830 do that), and none throw enough sulfur to help you post fermentation. Also interestingly they don’t have the same attenuation or floccuation characteristics. I have gone though my fair share of 500g bricks of both of these yeast, but for flavor and post fermentation protection nothing beats the liquid strains IMO, especially when you go with low oxygen brewing techniques. The game changes then.

Where I live (110 mi. to nearest LHBS), the convenience of having 6-8 different dry yeasts in the fridge is a big plus.
In my two lodo attempts so far, I’ve used dry yeasts in a SNS starter to get the yeast going strong and the cell count up.  Thoughts?