Brupaks ESB - Yeast suggestions

[Ned Buckton]

I've just got a Brewers Choice ESB kit and 1.5kg DME to brew with 'value' spring water.

I've also got to hand a packet of Nottingham, Safale s-04 and Mutons Gold yeast.

Any suggestions on the using one of the above instead of the yeast supplied with the kit?

My only thoughts are that the temp in my kitchen has dropped to around 16 deg C overnight recently, and the Nottingham states it can go down to 14 deg C?

Any advice on potential effects on flavor or will the supplied Brupaks yeast be more true to form?

cheers

[CrownCap]

I'm almost certain that the yeast that comes with Brupaks ale kits is in fact Muntons Gold. I've used the supplied yeast with the majority of my Brupaks kits and it has worked great. It is only a 6g pack mind you so is slightly under sized - pitching two 6g packs would be nearer to the recommended pitching amount.

As for the other options, S-04 would also work well and would give similar results to the Muntons Gold. Nottingham gives less yeast character but would be better suited to the lower temperatures in your kitchen (it'll take longer at that temperature too).

[Ned Buckton]

Thanks CrownCap,

I've just been pondering the temp issue and I do have an old boots 'strap type' heater I got at a car boot, although I'm not sure how much this will raise the temp.

Otherwise roughly how much longer will fermentation take at 16deg c, a couple of days?

[delboy]

I'd go with the S04 since it will probably have the closet characteristics and flavour profile to the orginal fullers yeast.

[sparky Paul]

I would almost certainly go for Safale 04 with this kit, as suggested above, to keep the sediment down. You can't go wrong with Safale.

I did the ESB and used the yeast supplied (which did look like a Munton's sachet IIRC), bottling as I usually do. It took forever to clear down in the fermenter, and the sediment which ended up in the bottles was extremely lively, only the slightest movement stirring it up.

I still have a few bottles left, and the sediment is still very unstable.

Hope this helps.

By the way, if you want to lessen the effect of the heater belt, move it further up the barrel.

[CrownCap]

Otherwise roughly how much longer will fermentation take at 16deg c, a couple of days?

Tricky to say, but maybe up to a couple of weeks if consistently at that temperature. Only way to tell how its doing is to regularly test the gravity.

Oh, and if you are bottling then, as mentioned, you can't beat S-04 (best use the belt heater overnight in that case).

[Ned Buckton]

Thanks chaps that really useful, I'll be brewing this weekend