Can anybody name a good, common, inexpensive...

Sorry... I know should've said "lager yeast", but that would make some folks wonder about the temperature bit.

Hrmm. You need to flesh this out a bit. Are you looking to make a steam beer? Define inexpensive.

P

The DCL Saflager range are good, common and inexpensive. Not sure if I'd like to taste what happens at room temp though.

How cold is the room?!

Garris>

Just about any dry ale yeast. Was this a trick question?

By "bottom fermenting" do you mean lager yeast? Most ale yeasts these days aren't really "top fermenting" anymore. The whole top vs bottom thing is more of a traditional definition.

If you want a room temp lager yeast, I'm assuming you're trying to make a "steam" beer?

If you can be more specific on what you are asking, it might help.

John.

Yeah, it's a bunch of crap. Instead of using the terms "bottom fermenting" and "top fermenting", it would be much more appropriate to use the terms "cool fermenting" and "warm fermenting". Of course, all yeasts will ferment warm, but might not all taste good when fermented warm. Some warm fermenting yeasts will ferment cool, but perhaps not as well as you'd expect (might settle out early and end up with poor attenuation). Ah, well, I suppose it will be a few more generations before we get rid of the "bottom" vs. "top" terminology.

I prefer "lager" and "ale", but I'm weird that way.

John.

wlp810 san francisco lager yeast is probably the warmest fermenting lager yeast that I know of. ie whilst retaining lagerlike characteristics.

"San Francisco Lager (WLP810) This yeast is used to produce the "California Common" style beer. A unique lager strain which has the ability to ferment up to 65 degrees while retaining lager characteristics. Can also be fermented down to 50 degrees for production of marzens, pilsners a Attenuation: 65-70; Flocculation: High; Optimum Ferm. Temp: 58-65"

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Well, of course, that would be the simplest answer... at least, to the beer educated. But when beer virgins ask what the difference is between ale and lager, I'm not going to be the guy who says "top" or "bottom" fermenting, not anymore. It's really all about fermentation temperature. They're all the same bug, they just behave a little differently at different temperatures.

Safale S04 is bottom fermenting despite being an ale yeast. Saflager S23 is also bottom fermenting and is tolerant of higher temps than other lager yeasts. A friend of mine reckons it's actually a bit better at slightly high (for lager) temps as the beer comes out less fruity.

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Just to be a bit pedantic here, they are *almost* the same, but they ARE different critters. The main difference being that lager yeast (Saccharomyces pastorianus) can ferment a few more complex sugars than ale yeast can (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). This is one source of the "cleaner" taste in a lager. Temperature (ON THE LOW END ONLY) is only one distinction between the two.