Beer Brewing Yeast
Best yeast strains for homebrew beer
How to pick an ale vs lager strain
Match the strain to your fermenter temperature: below 15 C choose a true lager strain (W-34/70, Diamond); at 18-22 C any ale strain works; above 25 C use Voss Kveik. All strains above are stocked in NZ and ship from Nelson.
How to pick dry vs liquid yeast
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Ale yeast for clean, reliable fermentation: Fermentis Safale US-05 is the benchmark neutral American ale strain, fermenting 18-22 C for crisp pale ales and IPAs. Lallemand Nottingham ferments 14-21 C and suits English ales, stouts and high-gravity brews. For hazy and hop-forward styles, Lallemand Verdant IPA (18-23 C) boosts fruity esters, while Lallemand BRY-97 West Coast Ale stays clean and flocculant. British character comes from Lallemand Windsor (17-21 C) or Fermentis Safale S-04 (18-20 C).
Lager brewers: Fermentis Saflager W-34/70 (12-15 C) and Lallemand Diamond Lager (12-15 C) give crisp German-style lagers; Lallemand Novalager ferments clean at ale temperatures. Mangrove Jacks M54 Californian Lager suits steam-style beers.
Heat-tolerant option: Lallemand Voss Kveik ferments 25-40 C with orange-citrus esters, ideal for summer brewing without temperature control.
Questions & answers
Do I need more yeast for a lager than for an ale?
Yes, plan on more. Fermentis recommends 50 to 80 g of dry yeast per 100 litres of wort for an ale strain such as SafAle US-05, which ferments at 18 to 26°C. For its lager strain SafLager W-34/70, fermented at 12 to 18°C, it recommends 80 to 120 g per 100 litres. For a 23 litre batch that is about 18 to 28 g, so two to three 11.5 g sachets rather than one or two. Rates differ between strains and brands, so check the instructions on the sachet you choose.
How long does dry yeast keep and how should I store it?
Unopened Fermentis dry yeast keeps for 36 months from production, and the best-before date printed on the sachet applies. Store sachets below 24°C if you will use them within 6 months, or below 15°C for longer storage; short periods of up to 7 days outside those limits are acceptable. Once a sachet is opened, reseal it, keep it at 4°C and use it within 7 days. Do not use sachets that feel soft or are damaged. Other brands set their own limits, so follow the storage instructions printed on the packet.