liquid yeast favorites

[yum beer]

I use Wyeast and White Labs. My usual supplier stocks both and it depends what I am brewing and/or what they have in stock as to which I use.
I like the vial with White Lab because you can keep washed yeast in them easy in the fridge.
Wyeast contains more liquid which makes them easier to split.
Favorites are White Labs Mexican and Wyeast London Ale....though liquid yeast experience is limited.

 

[brewtas]

The only real difference between them seems to be packaging. On that front I think Wyeast are ahead. Other than that, I regularly use both and haven't had any problems I could blame on either company. They each have some good, unique strains and have plenty of crossover so for me it usually comes down to whichever one is most fresh.

 

[MaltyHops]

I like the vial with White Lab because you can keep washed yeast in them easy in the fridge.

+1 - though the vials are surprising small holding only 40mL but if you manage to fill that with mostly pure yeast, it makes subsequent yeast starters take off really quickly at an advanced stage.

 

[mje1980]

Pretty much only wyeast, but that's just because of availability. Around the early 2000's I used white labs because I used to go up to esb at peakhurst and that's what they sold. I think they're both as good as each other, though I do love the smack pack idea. Great simple way of seeing how healthy your yeast are. I make a starter almost all the time. The only exception is if the beer is under 1.045, and the pack I've swollen takes off like a rocket within a few hours. Outside those circumstances, I make a starter.

 

[Yob]

Ive got to agree with many of the points already posted, Ive used both, but I really do like the glass vials for re-use and staorage of yeast, Im practically making starters ofr every batch so it makes little difference to me for splitting.

just my 2 bob

 

[pedleyr]

I've not used a hell of a lot of liquid yeast but I have liked White Labs when I've used it - as people have said, having the vial left over is nice, plus they take up less room in the fridge. No really noticeable difference for me in terms of quality of the finished product.

Having said that I tend to buy Wyeast more because that's what G&G stock and that's where I buy my grain, so it makes sense to do it all in one order.

 

[Spiesy]

How do they validate the yeast? How is that different to a starter?

You're dropping nutrients into the yeast with the smack pack in order to get them ready for fermentation.

With a starter, you're introducing the yeast to wort, in order to grow the yeast population.

From Wyeast's website:
The cell count does not increase significantly when the package is activated.. The smack-pack is not designed to dramatically increase the cell count, it simply “activates” the yeast metabolism.

EDIT: added link.

 

[Bribie G]

Whitelabs vials are not custom made for them, they are simply PET bottle blanks as they come from the factory before they are "blown" at the bottle manufacturers.

Having said that they are handy and sturdy for postage and it was a flash of genius for Whitelabs to think of using them. I've only ever had two Wyeast packs swell in the post.

Back on topic my favourites in the Wyeast are

1084 Irish Red
1187 Ringwood
1469 West Yorkshire
1769 PC when I can get it

I've more or less given up on the London style yeasts, I find it hard to clear them and they take yonks to attenuate, often still working away in the keg slowly which is what they are bred to do in the cellar in the cask I guess, but the ones I listed above seem to attenuate more cleanly. (edit: I do realise 1769 is a "London" but I only ever use it in around 4.5% beers so it does run through a lot quicker than my ESBs).

For anything APA-ish I have migrated to BRY-97. I've used gallons of Wyeast equivalents in the past but find that the BRY does a very good job. As most of my Americans are American Wheat, uber clarity not important.

 

[bcp]

WY3068 Weihestefan Weizen = Delivers clove down low and then this massive banana at higher temps. Wild ferment too.
WY3463 Forbidden fruit = Agree with Newtown Clown. Lovely complex flavours going on.

But not the ones I use the most. That'd be
1056 American & 1469 West Yorkshire.

And still consider myself someone working through the list slowly rather than anything like an expert.

 

[jaypes]

My LHBS stocks WL, but I have not been able to get a vial that has not frothed over upon opening yet - this really pisses me off.

I do like WY as I can split the pack and grow starters for each easily - WL I have it all dripping over my hand - which really pisses me off

The LHBS says that WL is **** but I have had great results with both

Brewed a smash with an almost expiring WY Northumberland Ale - had to make a starter but it was absolutely fantastic

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Have you tried putting the vials in the fridge before opening. Should lessen the fizz

 

[DU99]

Wyeast 1450 have used because it's so versatile..

 

[jaypes]

Have tried both room temp and fridge temp, still get gushers. Mostly opened at room (pitching) temp to reduce temp stress

 

[kenlock]

dunna dunna dunna dunna
dunna dunna dunna dunna
Pacman

 

[black_labb]

You're dropping nutrients into the yeast with the smack pack in order to get them ready for fermentation.

With a starter, you're introducing the yeast to wort, in order to grow the yeast population.

From Wyeast's website:
The cell count does not increase significantly when the package is activated.. The smack-pack is not designed to dramatically increase the cell count, it simply “activates” the yeast metabolism.

EDIT: added link.

My original post was specifically referring to old wyeast packs suggesting low viability. A fresh pack with high viability the nutrient pack will do very little for growing yeast numbers. When there is low viability the ratio of yeast to wort/nutrients is at a level that there will be a more significant multiplication happening.

It's the same thing with making yeast starters. If you have a high yeast to wort ratio there isn't going to be much multiplication of the yeast and the yeast will mostly take up some nutrients and ferment what is there. As your wort levels increase, or your yeast levels decreased (ie low viability) the ratio swings to where you get more multiplication happening.

Wyeast knows yeast but they didn't want to overcomplicate things with conditions that can't really be quantified. Also they view their market as being america mostly where brew shops don't mind getting deliveries very regularly instead of big shipments every 1-3 months with some packs carrying over longer we would like.

 

[Batz]

1318
2000
2001
2042
2308
3942

 

[tyoung]

Not sure of the numbers but:

The cider one
The Belgian Wit one
The Berliner Weisse one

 

[DennisKing]

Interesting that Wyeast is a lot more popular in your part of the world, is it more to do with availability. Here in the UK we can get both, quite often from the same supplier, and Whitelabs seems by far the more popular.

 

[lael]

It is completely availability based. Not many stores stock white labs here. As such people recommend what they know, which is wyeast. Which means (potentially) that lbhs are more likely to stock wyeast etc.

Yob, if this is market research for a foray into liquid yeast, I reckon go white labs.

 

[black_labb]

It is completely availability based. Not many stores stock white labs here. As such people recommend what they know, which is wyeast. Which means (potentially) that lbhs are more likely to stock wyeast etc.

Yob, if this is market research for a foray into liquid yeast, I reckon go white labs.


What is your reason for that suggestion? Is it simply due to the fact that many already carry wyeast?

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[lael]

Yep! Get some variety in the market, and allows access to a range that wyeast doesn't have. Not an especially considered or researched opinion

 

[Spiesy]

Yep! Get some variety in the market, and allows access to a range that wyeast doesn't have. Not an especially considered or researched opinion

White Labs have close to 100 different strains of yeast available... crazy!

 

[np1962]

Interesting that Wyeast is a lot more popular in your part of the world, is it more to do with availability. Here in the UK we can get both, quite often from the same supplier, and Whitelabs seems by far the more popular.

I stock both Whitelabs and Wyeast.
It seems to me that many brewers will buy the Wyeast as it is what they are used to and the whole smack pack swelling gives them a warm fuzzy feeling that the yeast is good to go no matter the date on the pack.
I am talking the majority of brewers here not the minority that are well researched and aware of pitch rates etc.
Whitelabs vials are slightly more expensive and the small margins on yeast mean it can soon become difficult if you import more than you can sell.
Another issue may be the dates on the package. Wyeast give manufacture date and say its good for 6 months whereas Whitelabs have a use by date on the package which is only 4 months after manufacture.
I use both when I brew. I have my favorites in both ranges. I generally use out of date stock and a starter. I'd use a starter anyway if the yeast was more than four weeks past manufacture but that's a personal choice. Beer will be made without one. Better beer with.
Much prefer WLP001, 002, 004, 005, 007, 300 and several others over Wyeast equivalents.
Wy1469 and 3711 being 2 of my favorite Wyeast strains.
Cheers
Nige