Recommend a clean house strain

[shoreman]

I’ve been in the search for a house yeast or kveik strain for a while and would like to get some recommendations from others that have one. Here’s the qualities:

- good temp swing 65-78
- clean character at all temps
- drops clear quickly
- can bottle/keg condition without repitch
- good attenuation
- covers most american/british ales

These are the two strains that I’ve been most successful with:

https://wyeastlab.com/yeast-strain/west-coast-ipa
https://omegayeast.com/yeast/ales/dipa-ale
Any ideas on something else to try to fit the bill?

 

[couchsending]

Those are two rather different strains.

If you want something that would work better for both English and American styles I might recommend Wyeast American Ale II 1272. It’s a bit fruitier than standard Chico (1056, 001) and floccs better. Chico might be a bit cleaner at elevated temps but 1272 will add more “character” to beers IMHO.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Conan as a “house” strain either. It can be kinda finicky, attenuation can be all over the board, and it doesn’t flocc all that well. I find the strain from The Yeast Bay to be the best Conan option personally.

1318/Juice might be the best option for an English Ale yeast to use for all styles. Everyone likes to make hazy beer with it but if you ferment it a little cooler it works really well for just about anything. You can make pretty passable lager with it at 54 if you pitch enough yeast. Know a brewery that’s won piles of American style ale awards with it fermented at 66. It floccs really well, especially after the first gen. You won’t get fusels in the low 70s. I don’t know about 75 but 72 is no prob, just a bit more fruit. It will always leave a sweeter finish regardless of gravity so you might need to mess with water or bitterness if you want something to be perceived as more dry or crisp.

 

[Miraculix]

Lutra, as far as I read about it, should tick all the boxes you want.

 

[shoreman]

Thanks Couchsending - those are two different strains but I haven't experienced any issues with Conan like you have, it's a pretty easy yeast to use - maybe try the omega strain. Conan can drop really clear in a beer quickly that doesn't contain many hops, like a mild. I've never taken it above 74 though. Its origins are supposed to be english but its up for debate I guess.

Chico is out, takes too long to drop clear and start, but I'll check out 1272. West Coast IPA 1217-PC is a derivative of Chico as well but is much more user friendly.

1318 is out because of the residual, I like my beers dry and attenuated.

 

[shoreman]

Lutra, as far as I read about it, should tick all the boxes you want.

Currently trying out Lutra on two beers and I'm not sold on it yet - I had to pitch more yeast to keg condition which is kindof a pain. The beer that I have on tap now has changed dramatically the longer it is aging, which is challenging. I get excited about the 3 days to turn beer out, but you have to condition these beers to get rid of some of the yeast flavors just like any other yeast. With a NEIPA I think that gets masked by the hop charges.

 

[couchsending]

Thanks Couchsending - those are two different strains but I haven't experienced any issues with Conan like you have, it's a pretty easy yeast to use - maybe try the omega strain. Conan can drop really clear in a beer quickly that doesn't contain many hops, like a mild. I've never taken it above 74 though. Its origins are supposed to be english but its up for debate I guess.

Chico is out, takes too long to drop clear and start, but I'll check out 1272. West Coast IPA 1217-PC is a derivative of Chico as well but is much more user friendly.

1318 is out because of the residual, I like my beers dry and attenuated.

1318 can attenuate a beer no problem. You can get 80+ attenuation out of it with the right mashing and grain bill. It’s a good option for a lot of people with really hard water as it can soften the negative aspects that can contribute to a beer.

1217 in my experience is the exact opposite. It tends to amplify bitterness and is rather sharp, almost too much so. Stone ferments it at 72 so it’s rather forgiving of higher temps.

 

[Twinkeelfool]

WLP 029 German ale
Cleanest strain I’ve used, let’s hops shine and high attenuation. My house strain for blondes and hoppy pales. I have used it for stout with great results

 

[Twinkeelfool]

Currently trying out Lutra on two beers and I'm not sold on it yet - I had to pitch more yeast to keg condition which is kindof a pain. The beer that I have on tap now has changed dramatically the longer it is aging, which is challenging. I get excited about the 3 days to turn beer out, but you have to condition these beers to get rid of some of the yeast flavors just like any other yeast. With a NEIPA I think that gets masked by the hop charges.

I’ve only done one lutra beer and I agree so far. However I will try again and give it a week in secondary before kegging. My first blonde with lutra was kegged on day 5 and still has a little yeast bite. My fault so I’ll try it again

 

[shoreman]

I’ve only done one lutra beer and I agree so far. However I will try again and give it a week in secondary before kegging. My first blonde with lutra was kegged on day 5 and still has a little yeast bite. My fault so I’ll try it again

I made a blonde as well. I'm also trying Opshaug kveik which is supposed to be clean as well and floc nicely. I haven't brewed with it yet, but hoping it will not have the same conditioning issues that lutra has.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I made a blonde as well. I'm also trying Opshaug kveik which is supposed to be clean as well and floc nicely. I haven't brewed with it yet, but hoping it will not have the same conditioning issues that lutra has.

I would say it is very clean, flocs in a nice tight cake too.

 

[BeerFst]

1272 fan here. it can also support a hazy beer with a solid dry hop, even post ferm. This was technically A15 Independence, but they are supposed to be the same

 

[hopjuice_71]

Those are two rather different strains.

If you want something that would work better for both English and American styles I might recommend Wyeast American Ale II 1272. It’s a bit fruitier than standard Chico (1056, 001) and floccs better. Chico might be a bit cleaner at elevated temps but 1272 will add more “character” to beers IMHO.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Conan as a “house” strain either. It can be kinda finicky, attenuation can be all over the board, and it doesn’t flocc all that well. I find the strain from The Yeast Bay to be the best Conan option personally.

1318/Juice might be the best option for an English Ale yeast to use for all styles. Everyone likes to make hazy beer with it but if you ferment it a little cooler it works really well for just about anything. You can make pretty passable lager with it at 54 if you pitch enough yeast. Know a brewery that’s won piles of American style ale awards with it fermented at 66. It floccs really well, especially after the first gen. You won’t get fusels in the low 70s. I don’t know about 75 but 72 is no prob, just a bit more fruit. It will always leave a sweeter finish regardless of gravity so you might need to mess with water or bitterness if you want something to be perceived as more dry or crisp.

This should have more likes. After 30 years of brewing I finally found 1272. Super versatile. I find it doesn't attenuate super well in WCIPAs but replacing a bit of the grain bill with dextrose fixes that. Even makes a good hazy where the hops, rather than the yeast, shines. Seems to be very forgiving with fermentation temp and is even available in a dry form.

 

[shoreman]

I’ll give 1272 a go - is this description from wyeast a thing?

“Expect a soft, clean profile with hints of nut, and a slightly tart finish”

 

[hopjuice_71]

I’ll give 1272 a go - is this description from wyeast a thing?

“Expect a soft, clean profile with hints of nut, and a slightly tart finish”

Soft and clean, yes, but I can't say I have ever detected nut or tartness.. ..and I hate tart, can't use US-04 because of it.

 

[Willum]

Those are two rather different strains.

If you want something that would work better for both English and American styles I might recommend Wyeast American Ale II 1272. It’s a bit fruitier than standard Chico (1056, 001) and floccs better. Chico might be a bit cleaner at elevated temps but 1272 will add more “character” to beers IMHO.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend Conan as a “house” strain either. It can be kinda finicky, attenuation can be all over the board, and it doesn’t flocc all that well. I find the strain from The Yeast Bay to be the best Conan option personally.

1318/Juice might be the best option for an English Ale yeast to use for all styles. Everyone likes to make hazy beer with it but if you ferment it a little cooler it works really well for just about anything. You can make pretty passable lager with it at 54 if you pitch enough yeast. Know a brewery that’s won piles of American style ale awards with it fermented at 66. It floccs really well, especially after the first gen. You won’t get fusels in the low 70s. I don’t know about 75 but 72 is no prob, just a bit more fruit. It will always leave a sweeter finish regardless of gravity so you might need to mess with water or bitterness if you want something to be perceived as more dry or crisp.

Interesting to me how so many people complain about conan being “finicky”. I have more trouble with 1318 then anything else. I use 0YL-052 for multiple different styles, i overbuild starters about 10 times before buying a new pack. It always performs the way I would expect it to.

 

[mashpaddled]

London Ale 3 is one of my favorite yeast to use. I know it is a common haze yeast but I like using it for all English styles and a lot of American styles.

However, if you want a beer that tastes like the classic American styles then Cal ale is really the only option. There are a couple more neutral British strains that can split the difference but they don't quite feel right. I'm not suggesting you can't make good beer with them but American ale for the most part is defined by the flavor (or lack thereof) and mouthfeel (or lack thereof) of Cale ale.