Chosing A Homebrewing Yeast

Many brands of homebrewing yeast are available at most homebrew supply stores. Dry brewing yeast can yield a perfectly fine batch of beer, but the liquid yeast cultures are purportedly more pure and yield faster fermentation starts.

Wyeast is one of the most commonly used brands of homebrewing yeast, and my brand of preference. It's in a liquid medium, which can make for a more aggressive initial fermentation. This reduces the likelihood of contamination of your beer with other yeasts, mold, or bacteria, thus improving flavor.

The yeast in a Wyeast packet is separated from the liquid medium by a "bubble." When you feel the packet, you can feel the bubble inside. Before brewing, you need to press the bubble firmly to "pop" it and release the yeast into the liquid medium. Before brewing, wait for the package to swell up, indicating that the yeast is active. This can take ½ to 2 days to happen.

Many homebrewers will add Wyeast to their beer directly from the Wyeast package, and achieve good results this way. My preference is to make a larger starter, as described in my procedures for the Scotch Ale recipe.