Which yeast for my Guinness?

[nigebeer]

Hi Guys,

I am going to try a Guinness AG brew from GW's BYOBRA book, I have the choice of one of two yeasts to use:-

1) Windsor
2) Wyeast 1968 London ESB.Ale.

Which one of the two would work best for this stout?

nigebeer

[Whorst]

White Labs, WLP-004, the actual Guinness strain.

[nigebeer]

Thanks for your reply whorst, but I would like to know which one of the two ( Windsor or Wyeast 1968 London ESB.Ale.) would be most suited for this stout without buying another one.

[steve_flack]

Neither as they're both fairly sweet strains. Of the dried yeasts I'd probably go with Nottingham...or S-04 at a push.

[nigebeer]

Hi Steve_flack,

thanks for the information, is there a handy list that you know of for dried yeast / types of beer / suitability?

[nobby]

Dont be put off by what people say on here. There is no right or wrong Yeast. Each yeast just gives you a beer that tastes slightly diffrent. There are so many strong flavours in a Guiness recipt that I doubt you will notice the diffrence. Just use the Windsor and enjoy your beer.

[Whorst]

I'd go Wyeast, unless you want a sweet stout. Windsor isn't known for attenuation.

[steve_flack]

Each yeast just gives you a beer that tastes slightly diffrent.

I would disagree. Even in a guinness recipe you'd notice the difference between windsor and nottingham.

[mysterio]

IMO dry stout shouldn't be super-attenuated... taste guinness and theres still a bit of sweetness there. IIRC the Guinness strain isn't even that big of an attenuator. I think people assume the 'dry' in dry stout must mean super-attenuated. I disagree, i've tried dry stout with US-05 and it's rubbish. Two dimensional and not enough sweetness to balance the roasted barley. (A 1.040 ish stout I mean, I think something above 1.050 would be fine with US-05/Nottingham)

I have not used Windsor so out of those two i'd probably use the wyeast.

[nobby]

Each yeast just gives you a beer that tastes slightly diffrent.

I would disagree. Even in a guinness recipe you'd notice the difference between windsor and nottingham.

Depends on how good a pallete you have. But like I said, each yeast will give you a slightly diffrent taste, so I dont know why you disagree with me.

[steve_flack]

It's just that the differences may be more than slight.

[nobby]

It's just that the differences may be more than slight.

The problem with most Home Brewers is consistancy in the brewing process. Unless you split the wart from the same brew its will be hard to tell. With a Bitter there can be a diffrence but I think less so with a Stout. I have made Guiness clones with Nottingham, Brewlab Border and WLP004 and they all have made very nice beers but all diffrent. I would say more because I cant guarantee consistancy.

[Oscar Brewer]

Out of the two yeasts you have I'd use Windsor and mash for 2 hours at 63 - 64C. This will lower the final gravity and tend to give a drier flavour.