East Coast Yeasts

A Selection of East Coast Yeasts.

I appreciate the consistency, availability, variety, and efficiency of big business. I am also a fan of the flexibility, innovation, and creativity of small business. Big Yeast (Wyeast and White Labs) makes a damn fine product and I want to pay them their due. In the world of small yeast manufacturers Al Buck is trailblazing the way forward for all of us. His company East Coast Yeast produces twenty or more varieties featuring both year round strains and seasonal strains. His small business model allows him the flexibility to release specialty blends of souring cultures, pure brettanomyces cultures, and other strains not typically available from 'big yeast' manufacturers. His souring cultures are unlike anything available from large producers. Bugfarm VI for 2012 includes a mixture of at least 5 brettanomyces strains, wild cider yeast, lacto, and pedio. His saison strain varieties come as a mixture of two strains, a single strain offering spicy notes, as well as a farmhouse brettanomyces blend which features saison yeast and brettanomyces.

I have used each of my vials of east coast yeast in a different batch of beer. I've purchased most of his line at this point and intend to post more information and detailed reviews of the strains. I know that a list like this would have been helpful to me before I dove in with both feet. Exploring East Coast's line has been fun for me and has yielded some delicious results.

(please read more after the break.)

East Coast Yeasts I have tried and my impressions of them, if available at this point:

ECY01 BugFarm VI(2012): A large complex blend of cultures to emulate sour beers such as lambic style ales. Contains yeast (S. cerevisiae and S. fermentati), several Brettanomyces strains, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus. The BugFarm blend changes every year and can be added at any stage of fermentation. Bugfarm VI for 2012 will also feature wild yeast from the northeast (various wild yeast from commercial cider makers). Suggested fermentation temp: 60-74°F. Lambic Blend - See Update 2013

ECY01 BugFarm V(2011):  Over time displays a citrus sourness and large barnyard profile.  Bugfarm 5 for 2011 (includes a newcomer – Brettanomyces nanus & naardenensis). Also, B. lambicus/Dekkera bruxellensis known to produce citric acid. Lambic Blend - Sampling Christmas 2012

ECY02 Flemish Ale: A unique blend of Saccharomyces, Brett, lacto & Pedio perfect for flemish reds and sour browns. Dry, sour, leathery and notes of cherry stone. Designed for 5 gallon pitch, but may be added at any stage of fermentation. Suggested fermentation temp: 60-74°F. Flander's Red - Sampling Christmas 2012

ECY05 BRETT blend #9: 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. Funk is in the house, so let it out.  Sanctification Clone - Sampling Christmas 2012

ECY07 Scottish Heavy: Leaves a fruity profile with woody, oak esters reminiscent of malt whiskey. Well suited for 90/shilling or heavier ales including old ales and barley wines due to level of attenuation (77-80%) - recommend a dextrinous wort. Suggested fermentation temp: 60-68°F. Imperial Chocolate Porter - Review Late 2013

ECY08 Saison Brasserie blend : A combination of several Saison yeasts for both fruity and spicy characteristics accompanied by dryness. Apparent Attenuation: up to 80%. Suggested fermentation temp: 75-85° F. Orange Pepper Saison - Review

ECY09 Belgian Abbaye: This yeast produces classic Belgian ales – robust, estery with large notes of clove and fruit. Rated highly in sensory tests described in "Brew Like A Monk" for complexity and low production of higher alcohols. Apparent Attenuation: 74-76%. Suggested fermentation temp: 66-72° F.

ECY11 Belgian white: isolated from the Hainaut region in Belgium this pure yeast will produce flavors reminiscent of witbiers. Suggested fermentation temp: 68-74 F. Attenuation: unknown at this time. Saint Louis Witbier - Review

ECY12 Old Newark beer: Sourced from the same defunct east coast brewery as ECY10, this pure strain was used as their “beer pitching yeast”. The strain has been identified as S. cerevisae, hence it is not a true lager strain, but should ferment at lager temperatures. Suggested fermentation temp: 58-68°F. Imperial Doppelweizenbock - Review Late 2012

ECY13 Trappist Ale: Traditional Trappist yeast with a complex, dry, fruity malt profile. Rated highly in sensory tests described in "Brew Like A Monk" for complexity and low production of higher alcohols. Apparent Attenuation: 74-76%. Suggested fermentation temp: 66-72° F. Maple Triple - Review

ECY14 Saison, Single Strain: This pure strain leaves a smooth, full character with mild esters reminiscent of apple pie spice. Apparent attenuation 76-78%. Suggested fermentation temp: 75 - 82° F. Iron Brewer Saison - Review

ECY19 Brettanomyces custersianus: A newcomer to brewing with wild yeast, this species of Brett displays a strong ester profile of mango, pine-apple, and peach esters with limited to no barnyard funk. Acidity is likely to increase over time. Suggested fermentation 60-74F. American Wild Pale Ale - Review Fall 2012