Different strains of brewer’s yeast have varying fermentation, flavor, flocculation, and attenuation characteristics that affect the type and taste of beer produced. Choosing the right yeast for the desired beer style is important. Kits or consulting with a local brewer can help.
Brewer’s yeast helps convert sugars into alcohol during the fermentation process. There are many different strains of brewer’s yeast available, each imparting different characteristics to the beer. When choosing brewer’s yeast for beer, you need to consider that the type of beer you are brewing will be influenced by the type of yeast fermentation, the flavors the yeast imparts, the flocculation level of the yeast, and its attenuation.
Yeasts with different fermentation characteristics produce different types of beer. Top fermenting yeasts, for example, are those that tend to form a foam on the surface of the liquid during fermentation before settling. This type of brewer’s yeast usually makes ales, wheat ales, and stouts. Bottom fermenting yeasts are those that do not form a top foam during fermentation. Brewers use this type of yeast for lagers, including Pilsners, Dortmunders and Bocks.
You should also choose the yeast for your beer based on the flavor characteristics you want to impart to the finished product. Different yeast strains impart different tastes. Varieties intended for American ales, for example, tend to produce a cleaner, slightly fruitier taste, while varieties for English ales tend to produce a sweeter, sweeter end product. The by-products of the yeast provide the variety of flavors and produce flavors ranging from fruity to tangy to medicinal. Think about which flavors you want your beer to have and which ones you want to avoid when choosing your yeast.
Flocculation is the ability of yeast to clump and settle in beer. The type of brewer’s yeast for beer you choose should again have flocculation qualities suited to that particular style of beer. The yeasts have this characteristic with low, medium and high capacity. Beers, for example, usually include medium-high flocculation yeasts, while lagers tend to incorporate low-medium capacity strains.
Attenuation is the conversion of sugar into alcohol. This feature influences the final gravity of the beer. The lower the dampening capacity of the yeast, the higher the gravity and the sweeter the final product will be. The yeast strains are low, medium and high for this trait. The best way to choose an appropriate yeast for your beer is to purchase a kit as it will include the proper yeast for that style of beer; if not, talk to a local brewer – hands-on experience often offers the best advice.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
