Belgian Lambic/Sour Yeast List

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

Lambic/Sour Ale Yeast

Sour beers aren’t for everyone, but if you’re willing to experiment and have some fun, sour beers make for quite an adventure in brewing. You’ll produce beers that are intentionally acidic and tart, with an obviously sour taste. So, if you’re in the mood for Belgian lambic, a Gueze or a Flanders ale, you’ll need one of these yeasts.

Wyeast Belgian Lambic Blend 3278

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Variable
  • Attenuation: 70-80%
  • Temperature: 63-75°F, 17-24°C
  • Flavour: This blend contains yeast and bacteria cultures important to the production of spontaneously fermented beers of the Lambic region. Specific proportions of a Belgian style ale strain, a sherry strain, two Brettanomyces strains, a Lactobacillus culture, and a Pediococcus culture produce the desirable flavor components of these beers as they are brewed in Brussels. Propagation of this culture is not recommended and will result in a change of the proportions of the individual components. This blend will produce a very dry beer due to the super-attenuative nature of the mixed cultures.

Wyeast Belgian Schelde Ale 3655-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 62-74°F, 16-24°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal Availability. From the East Flanders – Antwerpen region of Belgium, this unique top fermenting yeast produces complex, classic Belgian aromas and flavors that meld well with premium quality pale and crystal malts. Well rounded and smooth textures are exhibited with a full bodied malty profile and mouthfeel.

Wyeast Berliner-Weisse Blend 3191-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 73-77%
  • Temperature: 68-72°F, 20-22°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal availability. This blend includes a German ale strain with low ester formation and a dry, crisp finish. The Lactobacillus included produces moderate levels of acidity. The unique Brettanomyces strain imparts a critical earthy characteristic that is indicative of a true Berliner Weisse. When this blend is used, expect a slow start to fermentation as the yeast and bacteria in the blend is balanced to allow proper acid production. It generally requires 3-6 months of aging to fully develop flavour characteristics. Use this blend with worts containing extremely low hopping rates.

Wyeast Brettanomyces Bruxellensis 5112

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: Very High
  • Temperature: 60-75°F, 15-24°C
  • Flavour: This strain of wild yeast was isolated from brewery cultures in the Brussels region of Belgium. It produces the classic “sweaty horse blanket” character of indigenous beers such as gueuze, lambics and sour browns and may form a pellicle in bottles or casks. The strain is generally used in conjunction with S. cerevisiae, as well as other wild yeast and lactic bacteria. At least 3-6 months aging is generally required for flavor to fully develop.

Wyeast Brettanomyces Lambicus 5526

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: Very High
  • Temperature: 60-75°F, 15-24°C
  • Flavour: This is a wild yeast strain isolated from Belgian lambic beers. It produces a pie cherry-like flavor and sourness along with distinct “Brett” character. A pellicle may form in bottles or casks. To produce the classic Belgian character, this strain works best in conjunction with other yeast and lactic bacteria. It generally requires 3-6 months of aging to fully develop flavor characteristics.

Wyeast Lactobacillus 5335

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 60-95°F, 15-35°C
  • Flavour: This culture produces moderate levels of acidity and is commonly found in many types of beers including gueuze, lambics, sour brown ales and Berliner Weisse. It is always used in conjunction with S.cerevisiae and often with various wild yeast. Use in wort or beer below 10 IBU is recommended due to the culture’s sensitivity to hop compounds.

Wyeast Pediococcus Cerevisiae 5733

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 60-95°F, 15-35°C
  • Flavour: Lactic acid bacteria used in the production of Belgian style beers where additional acidity is desirable. Often found in gueuze and other Belgian style beer. Acid production will increase with storage time. It may also cause “ropiness” and produce low levels of diacetyl with extended storage time.

Wyeast Roeselare Ale Blend 3763

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: High
  • Attenuation: 80%
  • Temperature: 65-85°F, 18-30°C
  • Flavour: Our blend of lambic cultures produce beer with a complex, earthy profile and a distinctive pie cherry sourness. Aging up to 18 months is required for a full flavor profile and acidity to develop. Specific proportions of a Belgian style ale strain, a sherry strain, two Brettanomyces strains, a Lactobacillus culture, and a Pediococcus culture produce the desirable flavor components of these beers as they are brewed in West Flanders. Propagation of this culture is not recommended and will result in a change of the proportions of the individual components. This blend will produce a very dry beer due to the super-attenuative nature of the mixed cultures.

Wyeast Trappist Blend 3789-PC

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 75-80%
  • Temperature: 68-85°F, 20-30°C
  • Flavour: Seasonal Availability. A unique blend of Belgian Saccharomyces and
    Brettanomyces for emulating Trappist style beer from the Florenville region in Belgium. Phenolics, mild fruitiness and complex spicy notes develop with increased fermentation temperatures. Subdued but classic.

White Labs Belgian Sour Mix WLP655

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 70-80%
  • Temperature: 80-85°F, 26-30°C
  • Flavour: A unique blend perfect for Belgian style beers. Includes Brettanomyces, Saccharomyces, and the bacterial strains Lactobacillus and Pediococcus.

White Labs Berliner Weisse Blend WLP630

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: 73-80%
  • Temperature: 68-72°F, 20-22°C
  • Flavour: A blend of a traditional German Weizen yeast and Lactobacillus to create a subtle, tart, drinkable beer. Can take several months to develop tart character. Perfect for traditional Berliner Weisse.

White Labs Saccharomyces “Bruxellensis” Trois WLP644

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 85%+
  • Temperature: 70-85°F, 21-30°C
  • Flavour: This strain, used traditionally for wild yeast-like fermentations, produces a slightly tart beer with delicate characteristics of mango and pineapple. Can also be used to produce effervescence when bottle-conditioning.

White Labs Brettanomyces bruxellensis WLP650

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 70-85%
  • Temperature: 85°
  • Flavour: Medium intensity Brett character. Classic strain used in secondary fermentation for Belgian style beers and lambics. One historic brewery in Belgium uses this strain in secondary fermentation and bottling to produce their characteristic flavour.

White Labs Brettanomyces Claussenii WLP645

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 70-85%
  • Temperature: 85°F+, 30°C+
  • Flavour: Low intensity Brett character. Originally isolated from strong English stock beer, in the early 20th century. The Brett flavors produced are more subtle than WLP650 and WLP653. More aroma than flavor contribution. Fruity, pineapple like aroma. B. claussenii is closely related to B. anomalus.

White Labs Brettanomyces Lambicus WLP653

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low
  • Attenuation: 70-85%
  • Temperature: 85°F+, 30°C+
  • Flavour: High intensity Brett character. Defines the “Brett character”: Horsey, smoky and spicy flavors. As the name suggests, this strain is found most often in Lambic style beers, which are spontaneously fermented beers. Also found in Flanders and sour brown style beers.

White Labs Flemish Ale Blend WLP665

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Low/Med
  • Attenuation: 80-85% +
  • Temperature: 68-80°F, 20-26°C
  • Flavour: Blended culture used to produce the classic beer styles of the West Flanders region of Belgium . A proprietary blend of Saccharomyces yeasts, Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus, this culture creates a more complex, dark stone fruit characteristic than WLP 655 Belgian Sour Mix

East Coast Yeast Berliner Blend ECY06

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 70-74°F, 21-23°C
  • Flavour: Designed to be pitched into primary fermentation for Berliner weisse, Gosebier, and other styles where lactic sourness is desired, the blend contains a kolsch ale yeast, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus delbreuckii subspecies delbreuckii.

East Coast Yeast Brett Anomala ECY04

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Flavour: Formerly known as Brettanomyces intermedius and is now named as anomala along with strains of B. clausenii and B. anomulus. This strain was first identified in beer from Adelaide, Australia. Displays a strong ester profile with some light funk and acidity.

East Coast Yeast Brett bruxelensis ECY05

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Flavour: A blend of Brettanomyces that produces a dry, leathery, horsey and/or goaty profile. Can have a pronounced barnyard character and be added at any stage of fermentation.

East Coast Yeast Brett custersianus ECY19

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 60-74°, 15-22°C
  • Flavour: A newcomer to brewing with wild yeast, this species of Brett displays a strong ester profile of mango, pineapple, and peach esters with limited to no barnyard funk. Acidity is likely to increase over time. Suggested fermentation 60-74°F.

East Coast Yeast Brett nanus ECY16, Strain #2

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: NA
  • Flavour: Name of Alternate State or Synonym: Eeniella nana. ​This yeast was first isolated from bottled beer in Sweden.

East Coast Yeast BugCounty ECY20

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: NA
  • Flavour: Availability: Nov-Dec. With over 20 different isolates combined for fermentation to overwhelm the senses, this blend is the mother-bugger for wild ales. Like the BugFarm, Brettanomyces dominants the overall population, however, other wild yeast seen in spontaneous fermentations are also included (such as Pichia and Kloeckera ). Several strains of Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus round out this large and complex culture.

East Coast Yeast BugFarm ECY01

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 60-74°
  • Flavour: A mixed culture of wild yeast and lactic bacteria to emulate sour or wild beers such as lambic-style ales. Over time displays a citrus sourness and barnyard funk profile. Contains yeast (Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces) and lactic bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus). The “Brett” population is typically >50% of the culture pitch. The blend of strains change every calendar year for those who like to blend or have solera projects.

East Coast Yeast Farmhouse Brett ECY03

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: NA
  • Flavour: Limited availability. A saison blend (ECY08) with a wild isolate from a small but fascinating producer of Saison. Can produce a funky and acidic farmhouse ale particularly when a secondary fermentable is added (i.e. priming sugar or fruit).

East Coast Yeast Flemish Ale ECY02

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: NA
  • Attenuation: NA
  • Temperature: 60-74°F
  • Flavour: A unique blend of yeast and lactic bacteria producing sour beers with leather, fruit, and cherry stone flavors. Perfect for Flemish reds, oud brune, other sour ales. The blend contains a base Belgian yeast, several Brettanomyces, Lactobacilli, and Pediococcus.

East Coast Yeast Oud Brune ECY23

  • Type: Liquid
  • Flocculation: Medium
  • Attenuation: Medium
  • Temperature: 68-74°
  • Flavour: For primary fermentations. A unique blend of fruity Belgian Saccharomyces yeast and Lactobacilli species (L. delbrueckii and L. brevis). For those who prefer sourness without the presence of Brett. Additional info: Suggested fermentation temperature: 68-74ºF