Ale yeast with a dry finish?

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

Hello,

If all goes as planned, I'll be brewing this weekend. I'm looking for suggestions for an ale yeast I can use in malty beer (all-grain if it makes a difference), that ferments cleanly and with a dry finish. The tricky part is that I'll be using a large amount of rye, and I'm hoping to have a yeast that will compliment the flavor imparted by the rye. Fermentation will be three weeks in a primary before bottling, and temperature is whatever the ambient temperature is on any given day. (Typically ranging between 68F/20C-75F/C) Available options at the LHBS are Safale 04 and 05 as well as a full range of White Labs yeasts (non-specialty strains).

Any suggestions?

 

[JakeSparrow]

What style/recipe are you brewing?

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

I'm actually not really working with a style on this one. Maybe something like a cross between a Roggenbier and a Mild. I don't want the full 50% (or higher) rye content, but I want it to be over 20% of all my grain, and noticeable. IBUs will be about 20. If this is a style I freely confess my ignorance of it, but for me this will be more of an experiment.

 

[JakeSparrow]

Ah okay. I'm not very familiar with those styles, but what about using a Kolsch yeast?

 

[Yooper]

You can't get Wyeast? My two favorite strains that bring out the malt flavor, but still finish dry are Wyeast strains- Denny's Favorite 1450 and Wyeast 1335, an English strain without the esters.

For White Lab strains, I'd go with something like WLP002, but ferment it quite cool to avoid too much in the way of esters.

The problem is that with ambient temperatures of 68-75 degrees, there really are NO yeast strains that can do that and still have a nice flavor. Unless you can somehow do a water bath to keep fermentation temperatures under about 72 (beer, not ambient temperature), you will be dealing with off-flavors with any strain you choose.

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

Sadly, I have little choice when it comes to temperature control during fermentation. I'm fortunate that where I live is not too hot. (I truly feel bad for people who brew in say, New Orleans or Arizona.) Space is an issue for me as well so my brewing needs to be able to be tucked away in corner. Not just because I live in an apartment, but with three people (a spouse and a small child) brewing isn't always practical. Using a water color may be a problem. It's a great idea though.

I've made a note about the Wyeast strains, and will try them out when an oppurtunity arises that I'm able, but thank you for the suggestion on WLP002.

As well for the Kolsch Yeast suggestion Jake Sparrow. I believe it is WLP029, and the specs look interesting.

 

[JKaranka]

10% invert sugar, just replace some malt. Works well in milds too (it's quite typical).

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

Cool. Thank you for the inverted sugar idea. I had never heard of that before. Mild is one of my go to styles so I've made a note about this little trick.

 

[ArcaneXor]

006 is nice and dry, and tastes delicious.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

Since you've said you want it to finish out dry, I'd try WLP007 rather than 002 since the attenuation is about 10% better.

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

Also a good suggestion. I've made a little list to take with me to the LHBS so I can have options depending on what's in stock.

 

[ddrrseio]

WL090 is wonderfully dry, fast and flocculent.

 

[Phil_Ozzy_Fer]

Thank you for the suggestion, and for all the ideas. I went with WLP002 simply because, based on the information available on the White Labs website, it looked and sound like it would leave behind the fewest esters, was available when I bought my ingredients, and produced malty beers. Thanks again!