What is your favourite yeast for a bitter?

[IainM]

I do like a good pint of Bitter, and I'm looking for a characterful 'house' strain to keep on slant in the fridge. So, what have you used and enjoyed, and what would you recommend?

 

[Zephyr259]

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire has been my go to British yeast for the last 18 months. Used Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale a few time before that and it made a decent pint but my process wasn't as dialled in back then. I think you judged a bitter monthly comp and liked my bitter made with whitbread.

 

[foxbat]

+1 for 1469. Nice rounded character and flocculates well for a bright finish.

 

[Dutto]

Wilko Ale Yeast - aka Nottingham Yeast - aka Gervin 12 Yeast.

 

[The Baron]

I'me with Wilko/Gervin ale yeast it packs down well and always ferments well with a good taste

 

[Cwrw666]

Me also with the Gervin - seems totally reliable and cheap too (£1.85).

 

[IainM]

Thanks guys. I'll give West Yorkshire a try. I've used gevin a few times an it is good and clean.

 

[Clint]

I've used SO4,Wilko/Gervin/Notty and CML. I am currently using CML which I find ok but fancy trying a liquid yeast...but they ARE expensive!

 

[MyQul]

Gales - That I got out of a bottle of HSB. Very characterful. Nice and fruity

 

[Oneflewover]

I've got wyeast 1318 London ale lll in for a bitter next brewday. Clint is right, liquid is expensive, but I'm going to overbuild and keep 250ml in the fridge. Thought it might suit several styles. Also looking for a house yeast.

 

[MyQul]

I've used SO4,Wilko/Gervin/Notty and CML. I am currently using CML which I find ok but fancy trying a liquid yeast...but they ARE expensive!

The initial outlay is expensive but if you reuse them the price is negligable. Or you can do what I did and just culture one up from a bottle of bottle conditioned beer

 

[Covrich]

I find bitters quite difficult to get good, IMO yeast is one of the keys behind it

London Ale III is great and west youkshire

Liquid is expensive but you can use it on a few brews but far better than throwing in a basic wilko yeast imo as you get some character esters and fruitiness.

 

[Zephyr259]

Gales - That I got out of a bottle of HSB. Very characterful. Nice and fruity

Hearing you talk about that one has made me want to give it a go. Still want to try culturing up a bottle of Rochefort too.

My pack of West Yorkshire has brewed a brown porter, milk stout, 2 bitters and a pale ale thus far so that puts it on par with a dried yeast, except for the cost of extract. But I guess we shouldn't let this become another dried vs liquid discussion. :-)

 

[Brew Dad]

Another +1 for West Yorkshire yeast. I have also had good results with Wyeast 1968 (Fullers), and recently tried 1275 (Brakspear) - that one is conditioning now, first taste will come later this week.

 

[dan125]

I've been using Imperial's Barbarian strain in bitters of late. Although usually associated with East Coast IPAs, it is originally an English strain I beleive.
I usually pitch a pack direct into a relaively low ABV bitter with no starter, then use some recovered yeast in a more hoppy style after.

 

[John Holgreaves]

I have been brewing a lot of pale ales and APAs recently. I brewed a bitter using 3rd gen Imperial Dry Hop A24. I was a bit disappointed as it left a sweetish finish. Which is fine in APA's but not in a bitter. I have ordered West Yorkshire for my next brew which will loosely be related to TT Landlord which according to Wyeast came from TT's originally. Keep smiling!

 

[Nicks90]

Only ever used s04 or gervin notty from Wilko's and it's always been good!

 

[An Ankoù]

When it gets too hot to brew with much else, ie, indoor temperature approaching 30C, I use W-34/70, which will ferment at high temperatures without going crazy and without producing off flavours. I got this tip from a Brewlosophy thread. It's not a characterful yeast- it's a lager yeast for heaven's sake, and it makes the place stink of sulphur, but a life saver in the summer.

(I think it was this one https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ent-results/&usg=AOvVaw2xLThjEVyJ68JLjolff-Rt)

In fact it wasn't that one, but it does serve to show that you can brew at, say 28C.

 

[cushyno]

If you like your bitter with a little fruitiness you could try Mangrove Jack's M36 Liberty Bell.

It doesn't flocculate as well as S-04 but it gives more flavour. I've used it 4 times now for: an ESB, 2x Brown Ale(ish), and and lastly in a fruity, hoppy Yorkshire bitter. MJ don't recommend reusing their yeast but pitching straight onto the yeast cake worked well for me.

The fruitiness mellows nicely after about 6-8 weeks.

 

[entertheflagon]

I have been brewing a lot of pale ales and APAs recently. I brewed a bitter using 3rd gen Imperial Dry Hop A24. I was a bit disappointed as it left a sweetish finish. Which is fine in APA's but not in a bitter. I have ordered West Yorkshire for my next brew which will loosely be related to TT Landlord which according to Wyeast came from TT's originally. Keep smiling!

I once had a chat with a guy from TTaylors brewery who told me their yeast was quite temperature critical, they aim for 17.5 degrees for best effect, it worked well for me.