Using only one strain

[Leadpencil]

I just finished listening to the lagunitas story, in it he talks about only using one strain of yeast for all of their beers. Has anyone here tried it?

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I just finished listening to the lagunitas story, in it he talks about only using one strain of yeast for all of their beers. Has anyone here tried it?

Tried Lagunitas? Sure, good beer!

But I assume you mean one yeast strain.
I think that's actually a pretty common practice for classic breweries, especially in Europe. Using special strains for every variety is a pretty recent development. At most, many old-school breweries had a lager yeast and an ale yeast, but that's about it.

 

[Jwin]

Rogue as well(pacman).
I'm to the point of only using two strains, Conan or pacman. Very happy with pacman for my dark brews and west coast IPAs. Conan is good in my hoppy wheats and low IBU pales.
I tend to shy away from the really yeasty English strains. They just jump out of the pint and hit me in the nose. Got a sixer of local porter a few weeks ago and can't hardly drink it because of the overwhelming stench of the yeast. While Conan contributes a lot in the yeast flavor department, it's nothing like some Brit strains.

 

[Leadpencil]

They make delicious beer. I can see why a large scale brewery would do that from a financial perspective.

Flavor wise using the same yeast from a Hefewiezen and a Porter. Both styles that I brew often what changes should I expect. Maybe I should experiment.

 

[coypoo]

Biggest issue is the cost of using a diff yeast for every beee. By sticking with a few they can repitch, save, etc

 

[TANSTAAFB]

I use Chico for 90% of my brews. Only use something other than S-05 when I brew a saison, other Belgian styles, lagers (pretty rare), and maybe a kolsch.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I just finished listening to the lagunitas story, in it he talks about only using one strain of yeast for all of their beers. Has anyone here tried it?

Is there a link to this podcast?

 

[Leadpencil]

Is there a link to this podcast?

It was a audiobook

 

[cegan09]

Rogue as well(pacman).
I'm to the point of only using two strains, Conan or pacman. Very happy with pacman for my dark brews and west coast IPAs. Conan is good in my hoppy wheats and low IBU pales.
I tend to shy away from the really yeasty English strains. They just jump out of the pint and hit me in the nose. Got a sixer of local porter a few weeks ago and can't hardly drink it because of the overwhelming stench of the yeast. While Conan contributes a lot in the yeast flavor department, it's nothing like some Brit strains.

Try conan in the dark beers. I've made a few porters and stouts with it that I really like.


Conan is my main strain, but I still play with other for fun.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

It was a audiobook

So which single strain did Lagunitas settle upon? WLP002 (Windsor? [disclaimer, the dry yeast association here being merely my speculation]) or WLP007 (S-04), or other?

 

[5mooth0perator]

I find many breweries only have one or two really good beers, the others are just there for completeness.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I find many breweries only have one or two really good beers, the others are just there for completeness.

I agree! And this seems particularly more likely to be true for those breweries which have settled upon a single yeast for all of their brews.

 

[Redtab78]

this is an interesting topic, because since I have started brewing, which has only been a year, I think I have used a different strain on almost every brew. Even though I have washed yeast and have a ton of mason jars with saved yeast, I like variance, and if I could find just one solid strain, and stick to it, I think I would be much happier. One thing I have not done (which I wish I would have) is saved yeast from my starters, which I will start doing from now on once I find my favorite.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

As I'm sure many homebrewers have, I have fantasized about bringing my beer to the masses, but there are real obstacles to doing that. I don't know for sure but my gut tells me making good homebrew and making good commercial brew (even at the micro level) are two different animals. I bet keeping 5 different strains of yeast from contaminating each other woukd be a nightmare.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Nottingham can be used at as low as 50 degrees F. for lagers (per the Lallemand catalog, see page 20), or at 60-65 degrees F. for clean ales, or a tad higher for more estery ales. It may be the most versatile single strain available.

Catalog: http://www.lallemandyeast.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/lallemand_catalog_2015.pdf?download=1

W-34/70 has just as wide a usable clean profile temperature range, if not wider. Another top single yeast candidate.

But if squeaky clean is not your game, and a bit of ester profile is desired, and you can forego lagers, then most likely S-04 will be your all purpose yeast.

Or if you like it clean, and can forego lagers, US-05 is the all purpose yeast for you.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The case for Nottingham's pronounced lager like neutrality is clearly evident in this yeast profile chart.

http://perfectpint.blogspot.com/2012/12/evaluating-yeast-character-part-i_28.html

In order to attenuate so highly it must have similar capabilities with regard to the fermentation of maltotriose as do bottom fermenting 'true' lager yeasts. In the end there is likely little difference in the outcome at 52 degrees F. vs. a true bottom fermenting yeast.

 

[5mooth0perator]

I agree! And this seems particularly more likely to be true for those breweries which have settled upon a single yeast for all of their brews.

To be fair many breweries will brew with the same water and fermenting containers buy grain from the same distributed and so on, therefore there are probably other factors involved beers tasting the same, or some beers being better than others at their site.

 

[tjmac5071]

I use wlp090 for 90% of my beers at least. I'm not a fan of yeast flavor and shy away from British yeast for that reason. I actually think the reason I can't make a decent dry stout is I always use Irish ale yeast thinking I have to. I recently made an alt like beer and split with alt yeast and wlp090 and the 090 is far and away better for me. I am also not a fan of s05 I pick up some funky flavor from it that takes away from the beer. I wish I liked it more for those surprise brew days. I've tried probably a dozen yeasts at this point and I think I'll be cutting it down to 3 going forward. 090, Conan and a dry saison for the rare Belgian I make for my wife.

I think reducing yeast choice to one only works if you like a narrow flavor profile like me. I am not sure how you could go to only one of you like heffs pale ale and Belgian. I think it would take a lot of trial and error to fine tune the temp schedule and it's just easier to pick up a vial for specific brews.