Wheat Beer Yeast List

For a master list of all beer yeasts, check out my primer on yeast.

Wheat Beer Yeasts

Just as sure as the sun rises, those of us living in cold climates will instantly order a tall glass of hefeweizen the first day patios open. There’s nothing quite like sipping on a delicious wheat beer with overtones of banana and clove as you take in some sun after months spent in hibernation. Orange slice completely optional! Of course, you don’t need to wait for patio season. Any excuse will work, frankly.

White Labs American Hefeweizen Ale 320

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 70-75%
  • Temperature: 65-69°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: This yeast is used to produce the Oregon style American Hefeweizen. Unlike WLP300, this yeast produces a very slight amount of the banana and clove notes. It produces some sulfur, but is otherwise a clean fermenting yeast, which does not flocculate well, producing a cloudy beer.

White Labs Bavarian Weizen Ale 351

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 19-21°C
  • Flavour: Former Yeast Lab W51 yeast strain, acquired from Dan McConnell. The description originally used by Yeast Lab still fits: “This strain produces a classic German-style wheat beer, with moderately high, spicy, phenolic overtones reminiscent of cloves.”

White Labs Belgian Wit Ale 400

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 74-78%
  • Temperature: 67-74°F, 19-23°C
  • Flavour: Slightly phenolic and tart, this is the original yeast used to produce Wit in Belgium.

White Labs Belgian Wit Ale II 410

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 70-75%
  • Temperature: 67-74°F, 19-23°C
  • Flavour: Less Belgian-like phenolics than WLP400 and more spicy. Will leave a bit more sweetness, and flocculation is higher than WLP400. Use to produce Belgian Wit, spiced Ales, wheat Ales, and specialty Beers.

White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 72-76%
  • Temperature: 68-72°F, 20-22°C
  • Flavour: This famous German yeast is a strain used in the production of traditional, authentic wheat beers. It produces the banana and clove notes traditionally associated with German wheat beers and leaves the desired cloudy look of traditional German wheat beers.

White Labs Hefeweizen IV Ale 380

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 73-80%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Large clove and phenolic aroma and flavor, with minimal banana. Refreshing citrus and apricot notes. Crisp, drinkable hefeweizen. Less flocculent than WLP300, and sulfur production is higher.

Wyeast American Wheat 1010

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 74-78%
  • Temperature: 58-74°F, 14-23°C
  • Flavour: A strong fermenting, true top cropping yeast that produces a dry, slightly tart, crisp beer. Ideal for beers where low ester profile is desirable.

Wyeast Bavarian Wheat 3638

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 70-76%
  • Temperature: 64-75°F, 18-24°C
  • Flavour: A complex alternative to the standard German wheat strain profile. This strain produces apple, pear, and plum esters in addition to the dominant banana character. The esters are complemented nicely by clove and subtle vanilla phenolics. The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Decreasing the ester level will allow a higher clove character to be perceived. Sulfur is commonly produced but will dissipate with conditioning. This strain is very powdery and will remain in suspension for an extended amount of time following attenuation. This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermenter headspace of 33%.

Wyeast Bavarian Wheat Blend 3056

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 64-74°F, 18-23°C
  • Flavour: This proprietary blend of a top-fermenting neutral ale strain and a Bavarian wheat strain is a great choice when a subtle German style wheat beer is desired. The complex esters and phenolics from the wheat strain are nicely softened and balanced by the neutral ale strain.

Wyeast Belgian Ardennes 3522

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 72-76%
  • Temperature: 65-85°F, 18-29°C
  • Flavour: One of the great and versatile strains for the production of classic Belgian style ales. This strain produces a beautiful balance of delicate fruit esters and subtle spicy notes, with neither one dominating. Unlike many other Belgian style strains, this strain is highly flocculent and results in bright beers.

Wyeast Belgian Wheat 3942

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med
  • Attenuation: 72-76%
  • Temperature: 64-74°F, 18-23°C
  • Flavour: Isolated from a small Belgian brewery, this strain produces beers with moderate esters and minimal phenolics. Apple, bubblegum and plum-like aromas blend nicely with malt and hops. This strain will finish dry with a hint of tartness.

Wyeast Belgian Witbier 3944

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med
  • Attenuation: 72-76%
  • Temperature: 60-75°F, 16-24°C
  • Flavour: This versatile witbier yeast strain can be used in a variety of Belgian style ales. This strain produces a complex flavor profile dominated by spicy phenolics with low to moderate ester production. It is a great strain choice when you want a delicate clove profile not to be overshadowed by esters. It will ferment fairly dry with a slightly tart finish that compliments the use of oats, malted and unmalted wheat. This strain is a true top cropping yeast requiring full fermenter headspace of 33%.

Wyeast Canadian/Belgian Ale 3864-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 65-80°F, 18-27°C
  • Flavour: This alcohol tolerant strain produces complex and well-balanced Belgian Abbey style ales. Banana and fruit esters are complemented nicely with mild levels of phenolics and hints of acidity. Ester levels may be elevated by increasing gravity and fermentation temperatures.

Wyeast Forbidden Fruit Yeast 3463

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 63-76°F, 17-24°C
  • Flavour: A widely used strain in the production of Witbier and Grand Cru. This yeast will produce spicy phenolics which are balanced nicely by a complex ester profile. The subtle fruit character and dry tart finish will complement wheat malt, orange peel and spice additions typical of Wits.

Wyeast German Wheat 3333

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 63-75°F, 17-24°C
  • Flavour: A highly flocculent German wheat beer strain that is the perfect choice for use in Kristallweizen. This yeast strain produces a beautiful and delicate balance of banana esters and clove phenolics similar to the popular Wyeast 3068. However, this strain will sediment rapidly, resulting in bright beer without filtration. The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Sulfur is commonly produced, but will dissipate with conditioning.

Wyeast Weihenstephan Weizen 3068

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 64-75°F, 17-24°C
  • Flavour: The classic and most popular German wheat beer strain used worldwide. This yeast strain produces a beautiful and delicate balance of banana esters and clove phenolics. The balance can be manipulated towards ester production through increasing the fermentation temperature, increasing the wort density, and decreasing the pitch rate. Over pitching can result in a near complete loss of banana character. Decreasing the ester level will allow a higher clove character to be perceived. Sulfur is commonly produced, but will dissipate with conditioning. This strain is very powdery and will remain in suspension for an extended amount of time following attenuation. This is true top cropping yeast and requires fermenter headspace of 33%.

Siebel Institute Bavarian Weizen BRY 235

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 50-57°F, 10-14°C
  • Flavour: A traditional Bavarian weizen yeast. Top fermenting and normally used at room temperatures to give a very vigorous fermentation. Produces a very estery beer with a mild clove-like spiciness.

Fermentis Safbrew WB-06

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 64-75°F, 18-24°C
  • Flavour: Produces subtle estery and phenol flavor notes typical of wheat beers.

Mangrove Jack Bavarian Wheat

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 59-86°F, 15-30°C
  • Flavour: Lots of classic banana and clove esters, balanced with clove and cinnamon-like phenolic aromas.

Lallemand Munich (German Wheat Beer)

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Very Low
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 63°F, 17°C
  • Flavour: Estery to both palate and nose with typical banana notes.

Brewferm Blanche

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 64-73°F, 18-23°C
  • Flavour: Ferments clean with little or no sulphur.

Brewferm Lager

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 50-59°F, 10-15°C
  • Flavour: Develops Witbeer aromas like banana and clove.

East Coast Yeast Belgian White ECY11

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 70-76°F, 21-24°C
  • Flavour: Produces flavors reminiscent of wit biers.