Yeast for a smoked porter

Planning on a smoked porter this weekend and have a few choices for yeast. I have WLP 002, WLP 013 and WLP 001. I was leaning to 013 but considered using 001 to allow the smokey/scotchy flavor come through a little clearer. Ive used 002 in the past for a stout, but it seems more suited to a mild or a bitter with its flocculation. It seems like 002 might not attenuate enought to get my FG where I want it.

Course I could always just pick up a pack of nottingham or windsor.

Any suggestions?

How are you doing the smoke taste? if smoked malt, anythoing more than a half pound is going to overwhelm the yeast so much that it won't matter.

I'd choose a netural yeast that has attenuated well for you, and mash low if your grainbill has a lot of munich/crystal malt/roast malts.

I am just checking final gravity on the Brewing Classic Styles smoked porter I brewed with Wyeast 1056 (used yeast nutrient/proper volume stirred starter per Mr Malty/aeration) and it's 1.020, mashed at 154F. I hoped for a drier finish and will definitely consider a 150F mash next time.

The 3# of Weyeremann Beechwood smoke malt definitely isn't overwhelming, other smoked malts might be.

The first time I made a smoked porter I used WLP001. The next time I made it I used 002. I definitely liked the 001 better. I didn't care for the British yeast character in that particular beer with 002.

thanks for the imput.

im using 1-2 ounces of peat smoked malt. ive used 3-4 oz in the past & it was overwhelming. I was planning on mashing low, probably 150 as well.

think im going for 001.

WesleyS said:

The first time I made a smoked porter I used WLP001. The next time I made it I used 002. I definitely liked the 001 better. I didn't care for the British yeast character in that particular beer with 002.

Click to expand...

i have done the exact same (s05 and 1968) and come to the exact same conclusion. i love fullers yeast but i didn't like the english esters and low attenuation and bit of diacetyl with the smoke at all, it just didn't work. i would only go with a neutral american yeast. i also agree that weyermann's beech smoke malt is pretty light on the smoke (and also seems a bit variable) but i won't be afraid to bump it up at around 50% of the grain for my next porter. my last rauchbier was ~50% smoked and it's not at all overwhelmingly smoky. never used peat malt though

I used us-05 for both smoked porters I brewed. I have nothing to compare it against, but both turned out well and the yeast didn't appear to impart any flavors. One was fermented closer to 68, while the other was closer to 62.

I'm doing a smoked porter this fall and planning on using 1728 Scottish ale yeast. Figured it'd be good since its fairly clean and imparts a slight smoke character all on its own.

Sounds like the style (Due to use of peated malt versus other smoked varaiety) is more akin to a Scottish-Style Ale versus a traditional smoked porter. Granted, I don’t know your grain bill but as a suggestion, based on my last Scottish Wee Heavy (Full pound of peated malt! YAY!) I used WLP028 (Edinburgh Scottish Ale)…It came out really good. My mistake was in pH and water profile but I’m getting better at matching my water and faithfully checking pH as I go. I’ve even gone so far as to “season to taste” at bottling… None-the-less, I really liked the WLP028 for what its worth. It produced a little diacetyl but it worked because of the desired caramel notes (Good for style).

For me I like a little more hop character so if the water is conducive to style the WLP028 won’t mute hop character like WLP002. The 028 is definitely malt-forward and creates a rather complex and flavorful brew…

Cheers,

-JM