For a master list of all beer yeasts, check out my primer on yeast.
Barleywine/Imperial Stout Yeasts
These beers pack a punch, usually hitting the 8-12% ABV mark, hence the word wine. Barleywines are, of course, beers. Just strong ones at that. Same with Imperial stouts, which are intensely malty and deeply roasted. In any case, when you get to ABV levels of this kind, you need a yeast strain that can cope in that environment. These ones are built tough for the job.
Wyeast American Ale 1056
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Low/Med
- Attenuation: 73-77%
- Temperature: 60-72°F, 15-22°C
- Flavour: Very clean, crisp flavor characteristics with low fruitiness and mild ester production. A very versatile yeast for styles that desire dominant malt and hop character. This strain makes a wonderful “House” strain. Mild citrus notes develop with cooler 60-66°F (15-19ºC) fermentations. Normally requires filtration for bright beers.
Siebel Inst. American Ale BRY 96
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium-Low
- Attenuation: High
- Temperature: 64-72°
- Flavour: This is a flocculent top fermenting ale yeast from a brewery formerly operating on the East Coast of the United States. It produces a very clean ale flavour which has been well accepted in a number of breweries.
White Labs American Ale Yeast Blend WLP060
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 72-80%
- Temperature: 68-72°F, 20-22°C
- Flavour: This blend celebrates the strengths of California- clean, neutral fermentation, versatile usage, and adds two other strains that belong to the same ‘clean/neutral’ flavour category. The additional strains create complexity to the finished beer. This blend tastes more lager like than WLP001. Hop flavors and bitterness are accentuated, but not to the extreme of California. Slight sulfur will be produced during fermentation.
White Labs Bourbon Yeast WLP070
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 75-80%
- Temperature: 72-77°F, 22-25°C
- Flavour: From a tradtional distillery in the heart of Bourbon country, this strain produces a carmel, malty character with balanced ester profile. Suitable for Bourbon or other American Whiskey with barley, rye, or corn as the base grain. Used in high-gravity beers.
White Labs California Ale V WLP051
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Med/High
- Attenuation: 70-75%
- Temperature: 66-70°F, 18-21°C
- Flavour: From Northern California. This strain is more fruity than WLP001, and slightly more flocculent. Attenuation is lower, resulting in a fuller bodied beer than with WLP001.
White Labs California Ale WLP001
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 73-80%
- Temperature: 68-73°F, 20-23°C
- Flavour: This yeast is famous for its clean flavours, balance and ability to be used in almost any style ale. It accentuates the hop flavours and is extremely versatile.
White Labs Dry English ale WLP007
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: High
- Attenuation: 70-80%
- Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
- Flavour: Clean, highly flocculent, and highly attenuative yeast. This yeast is similar to WLP002 in flavor profile, but is 10% more attenuative. This eliminates the residual sweetness, and makes the yeast well suited for high gravity ales. It is also reaches terminal gravity quickly. 80% attenuation will be reached even with 10% ABV beers.
White Labs East Coast Ale WLP008
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Low/Med
- Attenuation: 70-75%
- Temperature: 68-73°F, 20-23°C
- Flavour: White Labs’ “Brewer Patriot” strain can be used to reproduce many of the American versions of classic beer styles. Similar neutral character of WLP001, but less attenuation, less accentuation of hop bitterness, slightly less flocculation, and a little tartness. Very clean and low esters. Great yeast for golden, blonde, honey, pales and German alt style ales.
White Labs Neutral Grain WLP078
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 77-84%
- Temperature: 76-85°F, 24-29°C
- Flavour: Marked by a clean, fast fermentation, this strain is ideal for any neutral grain spirit. Alcohol and temperature tolerant. Used in high-gravity beers.
White Labs Super High Gravity WLP099
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: >80%
- Temperature: 65-69°F, 18-20°C
- Flavour: Can ferment up to 25% alcohol. From England. Produces ester character that increases with increasing gravity. Malt character dominates at lower gravities.
White Labs Tennessee WLP050
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 75-80%
- Temperature: 75-79°F, 23-26°C
- Flavour: Suitable for American-style whiskey and bourbon. This yeast is famous for creating rich, smooth flavors. Clean and dry fermenting yeast. Will tolerate high alcohol concentrations (15%), and ester production is low. Also popular in high-gravity beers.
Fermentis US-05
- Type: Dry
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: 77-81%
- Temperature: 59-75°F, 15-24°C
- Flavour: American ale yeast producing well balanced beers with low diacetyl and a very clean, crisp end palate. Forms a firm foam head and presents a very good ability to stay in suspension during fermentation.
Real Brewers Yeast Lucky #7
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: High
- Attenuation: 70-80%
- Temperature: 68-75°
- Flavour: This yeast is dry and chews up and spits out higher gravity worts for up to 10% ABV. The flocculation phenotype is strong. Once “Lucky #7 starts fermenting, it is hard to stop, so leave some headspace! Most active at 65-70°F.
Fermentis Safbrew S-33
- Type: Dry
- Flocculation: Med/High
- Attenuation: 75%
- Temperature: 59-75°F, 15-24°C
- Flavour: General purpose ale yeast with neutral flavor profiles. Its low attenuation gives beers with a very good length on the palate. Particularly recommended for specialty ales and trappist type beers. Yeast with a good sedimentation: forms no clumps but a powdery haze when resuspended in the beer.
East Coast Yeast Scottish Heavy ECY07
- Type: Liquid
- Flocculation: Medium
- Attenuation: Medium
- Temperature: 60-68°F, 15-20°C
- Flavour: Limited availability. Leaves a fruity profile with woody, oak esters reminiscent of malt whiskey. Well suited for 90/shilling or heavier ales including old ales and barleywines due to level of attenuation (77-80%) – recommend a dextrinous wort.
Lallemand Windsor (British Ale)
- Type: Dry
- Flocculation: Low
- Attenuation: Medium
- Temperature: 64-70°F, 17-21°C
- Flavour: Windsor ale yeast is a true English strain that produces a beer which is estery to both palate and nose with a slight fresh yeasty flavor. Beers created with Windsor are usually described as full-bodied, fruity English ales.