In this video, Mike and I dive into a head-to-head-to-head taste test of three popular dry lager yeast strains: W-34/70, S-23, and S-189. All of them come from Fermentis, and we wanted to find out how different or similar they really are when brewed under the same conditions. This experiment came straight from a viewer request (cheers to that!), and we set it up to keep everything the same but the yeast so we could really focus on how each one performed.
The Brew Setup: Same Wort But 3 Yeast Strains
For this comparison, I brewed a single wort using American 2-row malt and a combination of Hallertauer and Loral hops for some noble hop flavor. I used spring water to keep the profile clean and neutral.
Here’s the homebrew recipe I followed:
Batch Size: 4 gallon boil; transferred into 3 one-gallon jugs
Water:
Spring water
Grain Bill:
100% American 2-Row Pale Malt
Hops:
1 ounce (28 g) of Hallertau hops (2.4%AA)
0.5 ounces (14 g) of Loral hops (10.5%AA) 30 minutes to go in the boil
Yeast:
Jug A: SafLager S-189
Jug B: SafLager W-34/70
Jug C: SafLager S-23
Yeast Amount: 3 grams per jug
Process:
Fermentation Temp: 65°F for one week
Lagering: 1 week in the fridge before tasting
We fermented all three beers at ale-like temps (65°F), which is totally doable with modern dry lager strains, especially W-34/70. The result? Fast fermentation, minimal off flavors, and beers that were ready to sample within two weeks.
The Results: Subtle Differences and a Clear Favorite
So how did they taste? Honestly, we were surprised by how distinct each one turned out.
S-189 (Beer A) gave us a soft nose, doughy aroma, and clean malt character. It a yeast we would like to try again in a Baltic Porter or malty lager.
W-34/70 (Beer B), the crowd favorite, delivered the cleanest, most balanced beer. It really let the noble hop character shine and had the best drinkability. That’s probably why Mike keeps coming back to it in his own brewing. It just works.
S-23 (Beer C) had a stronger bite and a lingering aftertaste, likely due to its ester-friendly profile. I’d consider it for styles where a little extra complexity is welcome, maybe even a tropical stout fermented warm.
In the end, you can make great beer with any of these strains. Your choice may depend on what you’re aiming for. If you want reliable and clean, go W-34/70. If you want something a little more estery or malt-driven, S-23 or S-189 could be the ticket. Cheers to experimenting, learning, and brewing better beer.
BREW ON!