Your 'Desert Island' Yeast?

I use a lot of 1056/US05/WLP001 but I also love other styles, most notably British styles. So I'd have to go with something that could do both american styles and british styles so 1968 is my answer or is it 1028, or is it WLP007? Hummm

 

I really like 1968, too. Did about 6-7 batches in a row with it, and I enjoyed it in both hoppy pale beers (floccs so quickly and throroughly) and malty dark beers. It seems like it sometimes takes a little work to get it to fully attenuate, but ramping up temps and agitating as the beer nears completion has seemed to help.

 

I guess if I had to pick one, it would be 1056/001. But I'm glad I don't.

 

Well I'd be torn between US-05 and Cali ale yeast. US-05 not needing starters and all, but Cali yeast being a bit more ballsy. I assume we have tons of wild hops growing on the island? With lots of cascade? And plenty of barley? And a nice big brewpot? And plenty of kegging supplies, or at least a lifetime supply of bottles and bottle caps?

 

I suppose if we wanted to take this question literally, the best answer would be WLP 862, Papazian's "cry havoc" yeast, which he supposedly successfully used for every beer style in the Complete Joy of Homebrewing, including lagers. But if we're talking favorites, I really like using Wyeast 1968 and WLP 830.

 

I would have to go with WLP810. This yeast will cover the styles I drink the most. Pale Ales,Bitters,Lagers of all sorts. I agree with Vikeman with his statement about being glad we do not have to make the choice!

 

Probably WY3724. Desert Islands can get pretty hot, so you'd need a yeast that can go up to 90F and attenuate well to produce dry, thirst quenching beers.

 

If I was stuck on a desert island I would first have to do some spontaneous fermentations. Just to see what was floating around in the air.

But to answer you question: us-05 is my go to. I just feel that it is the most versatile and ferments clean.

 

My desert island yeast would be the California Ale yeast; namely US-05. It is a very versatile yeast.

Below is something I posted previously:

US-05 is one of my favorite yeasts. It performs great and it is applicable to a large number of beer styles. Below are the styles that Wyeast suggests for 1056 (the equivalent of US-05):

Styles:
American Amber Ale
American Barleywine
American Brown Ale
American IPA
American Pale Ale
American Stout
Braggot
Brown Porter
Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer
Cream Ale
Dry Stout
Fruit Beer
Imperial IPA
Irish Red Ale
Other Smoked Beer
Russian Imperial Stout
Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer
Strong Scotch Ale
Wood-Aged Beer

Cheers!

 

pretty much a no brainer...yet another chico yeast vote.
I love anchor's ale strain, it is a bit more finicky, doesn't attenuate as well & I don't like what it can put out when fermented too warm.

 

WLP007 for ales
WLP940 for lagers

 

Wyeast 1318 but if my desert island consisted of only sours it would be ECY Bug County

 

It's a no-brainer. 001/1056/US-05.

 

Orval dregs. I only do Belgian style brett beers these days and I have had great results with using it exclusively in some beers. Although I prefer using a regular saccharomyces yeast in primary and a brett strain in secondary so being limited to only 1 yeast would seriously suck. If I had to pick a commercially available strain it would be Wyeast 5112 (Brettanomyces Bruxellensis).

 

Nottingham is a tempting choice here... More neutral (although less "snappy") than Chico in my experience. Reliable and flocculant... Ferment low for a super clean hoppy one, or mash high if malty is your thing.

Only problem is that it seems to slightly mute the hops AND malt as compared to Chico, but I don't keg so the flocking is worth the difference.

I also would be tempted to go with WLP500... I like Belgians

 

Chico was my go to yeast for almost everything, and would probably be my go to if I had to pick one.

 

1728 is good too - very versatile, big temperature range, can be clean or estery and can attenuate well if needed.

Not much of a fan of US05 beyond AIPA's etc.

 

Tough call but I would probably have to go with WLP002 (WY1968). But US-05 and Notty are tied for a close second.