Yeast Selection

jrsdws · February 25, 2014, 11:31pm

I’m going to brew my first all grain this weekend…a Sam Adams Boston Lager clone recipe, except I want to ferment this as an ale with dry yeast if possible.

My basement is a fairly stable 52F to 57F temperature so I’d like to ferment there. Otherwise I’d be looking in the 68F to 72F range for a closet upstairs. I’ve had good luck doing other ales in the basement temperature using Safale US-05.

The recipe calls for Saflager S-23 or Wyeast #2112. I’ve read several threads about the S-23 giving an highly fruity flavor. That’s not appealing to me for this beer at all. I won’t have time to make a starter before brew day so the Wyeast is not a great option unless I buy multiple packs.

What other dry yeasts should be considered? Is a single pack rehydrated plenty for a 5 gallon batch?

beerginer · February 25, 2014, 11:59pm

I would use us-05 or safale 34/70 lager yeast. I’ve heard 34/70 will still make a nice beer at warm temps. On the fermentis website it says it’s ideal temp is 52f-57f I believe.

Edit: It actually says ideal temps are 53.6 - 59F for the 34/70

flars · February 26, 2014, 2:39pm

SA-05 and WY1056 should be used when you can keep the fermentation temperature 65° or slightly higher. Below 65° they will give a slight peach flavor.
Found out the hard way with a Dry Irish Stout brewed at 62°to 63°.

brew_meister_smith · February 26, 2014, 2:44pm

Your basement temps are great. Almost don’t even need a swamp cooler - though I’d probably use one anyway.

I don’t have as many issues with S-23 as others do. Not a perfect yeast, but the issues are overblown IMO. It would work.

US-05 would work. If you wanted to go ale yeast here, it would be the one.

^This one. Ferments cleaner IMO than both the 05 and the 23. Your basement temps are cool enough for it to do its thing very well. Can’t get much better for a lager recipe than this in a dry yeast strain.

Cool the wort a few degrees below your basement’s ambiant temperature if possible. Put your fermenter in a swamp cooler (cold water - no ice - should be fine at those temps). 34/70 all the way.

jrsdws · February 27, 2014, 12:16am

Thanks for the replies everyone. I might be switching the brew to a California Common, but the yeast options are the same. I think I’m going to pass on the S-23 and try the 34/70 lager yeast. If they don’t have it I’ll go with two smack packs of the 2112. In case of emergency US-05 has been very good to me.