So, I've just started my first ever home brew. It is just a simple little brew with a starter kit that only brews one gallon. I figure to start small to make sure I enjoy the process and gradually immerse myself deeper as my skills and understanding of this time honored tradition grows. My first question (of which I am sure there will be many as time passes) is what is the best type/brand/etc of yeast to go with. The kit I bought provided "Munton dry active yeast, but as I understand it... it's not the greatest. I am brewing an APA. For the time being, I will be brewing IPA's and APA's for the time being. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, CHEERS!
By far the most popular yeast for APA and AIPA is the Chico (Sierra Nevada) yeast, available as Wyeast 1056, White Labs 001, or Safale US-5.
Thanks SO much for the info!!! Entering into the world of home brewing has been a bit overwhelming, thats why I started with a kit besides the aforementioned reason.
What utahbeerdude said. You can't go far wrong with Chico for an IPA or an APA. There are many other choices to try on later batches though, once you have an idea of what flavors, aromas, and mouthfeel you want to target.
I could not agree more. Use what works to reduce headaches, namely us-05, wy 1056, WL001. They will make beer. I would not worry about tracking down fancy yeasts this early in your hobby. Take copious notes as you prepare, brew, track, bottle, and taste. It will help you identify where to improve later.
I've already started taking notes as instructions that go with these types of kits are rather sketchy at best. I've tweaked the times they wanted me to go by. As a retired chef, I can never leave well enough alone in a kitchen. I am thoroughly looking forward to my first batch. On a good note, the yeast provided started to active late last night... I knew I should have re-hydrated it before usage.
Pitching 1056 or WLP001 yeast is not appropriate for a 1G batch size because they're intended to 5G batch sizes. Pitching a smack-pak or a vial would be a waste of money. An 11-gram sachet of US-05 is the dry yeast equivalent of 1056/WLP001 liquids. One level teaspoon of US-05 is more than adequate for a 1G batch size and you get the added benefit of saving some coin.
BTW www.howtobrew.com is a great free (older) version of John Palmers How to Brew, which is considered the modern standard for an entry level brew book. Welcome to the h̶o̶b̶b̶y̶ obsession!
