British Ale Yeast List

For a master list of all beer yeasts, check out my primer on yeast.

British Ale Yeast

Gosh, where do we begin? This group is pretty versatile. London yeasts will give you a slightly more diacetyl or woody note, with a crisp, somewhat tart impression. Full-bodied yeasts will give you the fruitiness you’d expect from many English ales. And of course, you have Scottish yeasts which will accentuate the malty notes of your beer. If you’re looking to re-create a classic English Pub taste, you’ll want to start here. I have broken this list out into sub-groups: ales, then strong ales.

British Ales

Wyeast British Ale 1098

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 73-75%
  • Temperature: 64-72°F, 18-22°C
  • Flavour: This yeast allows malt and hop character to dominate the profile. It ferments dry and crisp, producing well-balanced beers with a clean and neutral finish. Ferments well down to 64°F (18°C).

Wyeast British Ale II 1335

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 73-75%
  • Temperature: 63-75°F, 17-24°C
  • Flavour: A classic British ale profile with good flocculation and malty flavor characteristics. It will finish crisp, clean and fairly dry.

Wyeast British Cask Ale 1026-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 63-72°F, 17-22°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal Availability. A great choice for any cask conditioned British Ale. Produces nice malt profile with a hint of fruit. Finishes dry and slightly tart.

Wyeast English Special Bitter 1768-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: Low
  • Temperature: 64-72°F, 18-22°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal Availability. Similar to 1968, slightly less flocculent. Produces light fruit ethanol aroma. Mild malt with a neutral soft finish. Very clean.

Wyeast Irish Ale 1084

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 71-75%
  • Temperature: 62-72°F, 16-22°C
  • Flavour: This versatile yeast ferments extremely well in dark worts. It is a good choice for most high gravity beers. Beers fermented in the lower temperature range produce a dry, crisp profile with subtle fruitiness. Fruit and complex esters will increase when fermentation temperatures are above 64°F (18°C).

Wyeast London Ale 1028

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 60-72°F, 15-22°C
  • Flavour: A rich mineral profile that is bold and crisp with some fruitiness. Often used for higher gravity ales and when a high level of attenuation is desired.

Wyeast London Ale III 1318

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 71-75%
  • Temperature: 64-74°F, 18-23°C
  • Flavour: Originating from a traditional London brewery, this yeast has a wonderful malt and hop profile. It is a true top cropping strain with a fruity, very light and softly balanced palate. This strain will finish slightly sweet.

Wyeast London ESB Ale 1968

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 67-71%
  • Temperature: 64-72°F, 18-22°C
  • Flavour: A very good cask conditioned ale strain, this extremely flocculant yeast produces distinctly malty beers. Attenuation levels are typically less than most other yeast strains which results in a slightly sweeter finish. Ales produced with this strain tend to be fruity, increasingly so with higher fermentation temperatures of 70-74°F (21-23° C). A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete. Bright beers are easily achieved within days without any filtration.

Wyeast Ringwood Ale 1187

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 68-72%
  • Temperature: 64-74°F, 18-23°C
  • Flavour: A top cropping yeast strain with unique fermentation and flavour characteristics. Expect distinct fruit esters with a malty, complex profile. Flocculation is high, and the beer will clear well without filtration. A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete. This strain can be a slow starter and fermenter.

Wyeast Thames Valley Ale 1275

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/Low
  • Attenuation: 72-76%
  • Temperature: 62-72°F, 16-22°C
  • Flavour: This strain produces classic British bitters with a rich, complex flavor profile. The yeast has a light malt character, low fruitiness, low esters and is clean and well balanced.

Wyeast Thames Valley Ale II 1882-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 72-78%
  • Temperature: 60-70°F, 15-21°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal Availability. This strain was originally sourced from a now defunct brewery on the banks of the river Thames outside of Oxford, England. Thames Valley II produces crisp, dry beers with a rich malt profile and moderate stone fruit esters. This attenuative strain is also highly flocculent resulting in bright beers not requiring filtration. A thorough diacetyl rest is recommended after fermentation is complete.

Wyeast West Yorkshire Ale 1469

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 67-71%
  • Temperature: 64-72°F, 18-22°C
  • Flavour: This strain produces ales with a full chewy malt flavor and character, but finishes dry, producing famously balanced beers. Expect moderate nutty and stone-fruit esters. Best used for the production of cask-conditioned bitters, ESB and mild ales. Reliably flocculent, producing bright beer without filtration.

Wyeast Whitbread Ale 1099

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 68-72%
  • Temperature: 64-75°F, 18-24°C
  • Flavour: A mildly malty and slightly fruity fermentation profile. It is less tart and dry than Wyeast 1098 British Ale. With good flocculation characteristics, this yeast clears well without filtration. Low fermentation temperatures will produce a clean finish with a very low ester profile.

Mangrove Jack British Ale Yeast

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 57-72°F, 11-22°C
  • Flavour: Earthy, nutty, orange peel and mild spice.

Mangrove Jack Burton Union Yeast

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 62-74°
  • Flavour: Some pear esters, possibly strawberry or kiwi-like aromas.

Mangrove Jack Workhorse Beer Yeast

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 59-68°F, 15-20°C
  • Flavour: A top fermenting yeast which produces a clean, crisp flavour suitable for a wide variety of styles with different fermenting temperatures. This versatile yeast is well suited to making cask or bottle conditioned beer.

East Coast Yeast British Mild Ale ECY18

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 66-70%
  • Temperature: 60-68°F, 15-20°C
  • Flavour: Limited availability. This yeast has a complex, woody ester profile and is typically under-attenuating (does not ferment maltotriose) leaving a malt profile with a slight sweetness that is perfect for milds, bitters, or “session ales”.

East Coast Yeast  Northeast Ale ECY29

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Replication of the famous Conan strand of yeast. Unique strand with an abundance of citrusy esters accentuating American Style hops in and IPA, Double IPA, or strong ale.

East Coast Yeast Burton Union ECY17

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 73-75%
  • Temperature: 64-69°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: Limited availability. Produces a bold, citrusy character which accentuates mineral and hop flavors. Well-suited for classic British pale ales and ESB.

East Coast Yeast Old Newark Ale ECY10

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 68-72%
  • Temperature: 60-68°F, 15-20°C
  • Flavour: Sourced from a now defunct east coast brewery, this pure strain was identified as their ale pitching yeast. Good for all styles of American and English ales. Top fermenting, high flocculation with a solid sedimentation.

White Labs Bedford British Ale WLP006

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 72-80%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Ferments dry and flocculates very well. Produces a distinctive ester profile. Good choice for most English style ales including bitter, pale ale, porter, and brown ale.

White Labs British Ale WLP005

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 67-74%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: This yeast is a little more attenuative than WLP002. Like most English strains, this yeast produces malty beers. Excellent for all English style ales including bitter, pale ale, porter, and brown ale.

White Labs Burton Ale WLP023

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 69-75%
  • Temperature: 68-73°F, 20-22°C
  • Flavour: From the famous brewing town of Burton upon Trent, England, this yeast is packed with character. It provides delicious subtle fruity flavours like apple, clover honey and pear. Great for all English styles, IPA’s, bitters, and pales. Excellent in porters and stouts.

White Labs East Midlands Ale WLP039

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 73-82%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Available Sept-Oct. British style ale yeast with a very dry finish. Medium to low fruit and fusel alcohol production. Good top fermenting yeast strain, is well suited for top cropping (collecting). This yeast is well suited for pale ales, ambers, porters, and stouts.

White Labs English Ale Blend WLP085

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 69-76%
  • Temperature: 68-72°F, 20-22°C
  • Flavour: A blend of British ale yeast strains, designed to add complexity to your ale. Moderate fruitiness and mineral-like, with little to no sulfur. Drier than WLP002 and WLP005, but with similar flocculation properties. Good yeast blend for English Pale Ale, Bitter, Porter, Stout, and India Pale Ale.

White Labs English Ale WLP002

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Very High
  • Attenuation: 63-70%
  • Temperature: 65-68°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: A classic ESB strain from one of England’s largest independent breweries. This yeast is best suited for English style ales including milds, bitters, porters, and English style stouts. This yeast will leave a beer very clear, and will leave some residual sweetness.

White Labs Essex Ale Yeast WLP022

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 71-76%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Flavorful British style yeast. Drier finish than many British ale yeast. Produces slightly fruity and bready character. Good top fermenting yeast strain, is well suited for top cropping (collecting). This yeast is well suited for classic British milds, pale ales, bitters, and stouts. Does not flocculate as much as WLP002 and WLP005.

White Labs Irish Ale WLP004

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 69-74%
  • Temperature: 65-68°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: This is the yeast from one of the oldest stout producing breweries in the world. It produces a slight hint of diacetyl, balanced by a light fruitiness and slight dry crispness. Great for Irish ales, stouts, porters, browns, reds and a very interesting pale ale.

White Labs London Ale WLP013

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 67-75%
  • Temperature: 66-71°F, 19-22°C
  • Flavour: Dry, malty ale yeast. Provides a complex, oakey ester character to your beer. Hop bitterness comes through well. This yeast is well suited for classic British pale ales, bitters, and stouts. Does not flocculate as much as WLP002 and WLP005.

White Labs Manchester Ale WLP038

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 70-74%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Top-fermenting strain that is traditionally good for top-cropping. Moderately flocculent with a clean, dry finish. Low ester profile, producing a highly balanced English-style beer.

White Labs Old Sonoma Ale WLP076

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 70-74%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Yeast from an historic brewery in Northern California, this strain was embraced by the early pioneers of craft beer in America and continues to be a great choice for those seeking to use a traditional British-style yeast. A neutral and versatile strain, it is a great choice for pale ales, porters, and stouts. Available May-June

White Labs San Diego Super Yeast WLP090

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 76-83% +
  • Temperature: 65-68°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: A super clean, super-fast fermenting strain. A low ester-producing strain that results in a balanced, neutral flavor and aroma profile. Alcohol-tolerant and very versatile for a wide variety of styles. Similar to California Ale Yeast WLP001 but it generally ferments faster.

White Labs Whitbread Ale WLP017

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 67-73%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 19-21°C
  • Flavour: Traditional mixed yeast culture. British style character, slightly fruity, with a hint of sulfur production. This yeast can be used for many different beer styles. The most traditional choices would be English style ales including milds, bitters, porters, and English style stouts. North American style ales will also benefit from fermentation with WLP017. The beer will clear easily.

White Labs North Yorkshire Ale WLP037

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 68-72%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Availability: Nov-Dec. This yeast produces a beer that is malty, but well-balanced. Expect flavours that are toasty with malt-driven esters. Highly flocculent and good choice for English pale ales, English brown ales, and mild ales.

Coopers Pure Brewers’ Yeast

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 68-80°
  • Flavour: Clean, round flavour profile.

Siebel Inst. English Ale BRY 264

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 59-68°
  • Flavour: Clean ale with slightly nutty and estery character.

Muntons Premium Gold

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 57-77°
  • Flavour: Clean balanced ale yeast for 100% malt recipes.

Muntons Standard Yeast

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 57-77°
  • Flavour: Clean well balanced ale yeast.

Lallemand Nottingham

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: High
  • Temperature: 57-70°
  • Flavour: Neutral for an ale yeast; fruity estery aromas.

Fermentis Safale S-04

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 79%
  • Temperature: 59-75°F, 15-23°C
  • Flavour: English ale yeast selected for its fast fermentation character and its ability to form a compact sediment at the end of fermentation, helping to improve
    beer clarity. Specially adapted to cask-conditioned brews and fermentation in cylindoconical tanks

Fermentis Safbrew T-58

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 75%
  • Temperature: 59-75°F, 15-23°C
  • Flavour: Specialty yeast selected for its estery somewhat peppery and spicy flavor development. Yeast with a good sedimentation: forms no clumps but a
    powdery haze when resuspended in the beer.

Lallemand Windsor (British Ale)

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 64-70°F, 17-21°C
  • Flavour: Windsor ale yeast is a true English strain that produces a beer which is estery to both palate and nose with a slight fresh yeasty flavor. Beers created with Windsor are usually described as full-bodied, fruity English ales.

Real Brewers Yeast Ye Olde English

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 65-75%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Smooth and creamy for English ales. Does not flocculate like Southern California strains from the same manufacturer.

Brewferm Top

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: N/A
  • Temperature: 64-77°F, 18-25°C
  • Flavour: Universal top-fermenting beer yeast. Top fermenting yeast that most suitable for amber coloured and dark beers. Fast fermentation with low residual sugar. Formation of fruity esters.

British Strong Ales

White Labs American Whiskey WLP065

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 76-82%
  • Temperature: 75-82°F, 23-27°C
  • Flavour: Yeast strain that produces low ester profile and moderate fusel oils. Temperature and alcohol tolerant and suitable for American-style whiskey using barley or corn base. Also used in high-gravity beers.

White Labs Dry English Ale WLP007

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 70-80%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Clean, highly flocculent, and highly attenuative yeast. This yeast is similar to WLP002 in flavor profile, but is 10% more attenuative. This eliminates the residual sweetness, and makes the yeast well suited for high gravity ales. It is also reaches terminal gravity quickly. 80% attenuation will be reached even with 10% ABV beers.

White Labs Edinburgh Ale WLP028

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 70-75%
  • Temperature: 65-70°F, 18-21°C
  • Flavour: Scotland is famous for its malty, strong ales. This yeast can reproduce complex, flavorful Scottish style ales. This yeast can be an everyday strain, similar to WLP001. Hop character is not muted with this strain, as it is with WLP002.

Fermentis Safbrew S-33

  • Type: Dry
  • Flocculation: Med/High
  • Attenuation: 75%
  • Temperature: 59-75°F, 15-24°C
  • Flavour: General purpose ale yeast with neutral flavor profiles. Its low attenuation gives beers with a very good length on the palate. Particularly recommended
    for specialty ales and trappist type beers. Yeast with a good sedimentation: forms no clumps but a powdery haze when resuspended in the beer. Versatile strain that can perform in beers up to 11.5% ABV.

Wyeast Scottish Ale 1728

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 69-73%
  • Temperature: 55-75°F, 13-24°C
  • Flavour: This Scottish ale strain is ideally suited for the strong, malty ales of Scotland. This strain is very versatile, and is often used as a “House” strain as it ferments neutral and clean. Higher fermentation temperatures will result in an increased ester profile.

East Coast Yeast Scottish Heavy ECY07

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 77-80%
  • Temperature: 60-68°F, 15-20°C
  • Flavour: Limited availability. Leaves a fruity profile with woody, oak esters reminiscent of malt whiskey. Well suited for 90/shilling or heavier ales including old ales and barleywines.

White Labs Super High Gravity WLP099

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: >80%
  • Temperature: 65-69°F, 18-20°C
  • Flavour: Can ferment up to 25% alcohol (!). From England. Produces ester character that increases with increasing gravity. Malt character dominates at lower gravities.

White Labs Whitbread Ale WLP017

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 67-73%
  • Temperature: 66-70°F, 19-21°C
  • Flavour: Traditional mixed yeast culture. British style character, slightly fruity, with a hint of sulfur production. This yeast can be used for many different beer styles. The most traditional choices would be English style ales including milds, bitters, porters, and English style stouts. North American style ales will also benefit from fermentation with WLP017. The beer will clear easily.