[ultravista]

A pro-brewer friend provided a recipe for an imperial porter and suggested the following for the yeast.

"Good attenuating, malt accentuating, low ester producing ale strain. Look at the English & Scottish strains - find one without heavy aroma/estery character."

The starting OG is 1.084 and it should finish around 1.015.

Can someone suggest a good attenuating, malt accentuating, low ester producing English/Scottish ale yeast strain that would compliment an imperial porter?

[In The Sand]

WLP005 or 007, depending on what you mean by "good attenuating".  005 may leave you more of the maltiness you are looking for.

[rainmaker]

WLP005 or 007, depending on what you mean by "good attenuating".  005 may leave you more of the maltiness you are looking for.

I liked the WLP002.

[ultravista]

I do want maltiness. I've used 007 for Arrogant Bastards, not sure I get malt-forward out of it though.

[blatz]

his suggestions sounds like 007 to me - hard to pick up the maltiness with all them Chinooks screaming at you 

my local recently made an ESB with 007 and it was plenty malty in my opinion. but any of the suggestions will make a great Imp Porter I'd think.

[reverseapachemaster]

If you can ferment in the low 60s you could probably use any of the English strains to get a clean fermentation with more malt character than cleaner American strains. I use S04 at home because I like to ferment clean in the low 60s but grab some character in the mid to upper 60s. I know S04 is not enjoyed by all.

One alternative you may want to look at is the European ale strain. It is incredibly clean, even at upper 60s/low 70s but leaves a very malty beer. Even more malty than what you will get out of the English strains, but it can be sluggish to finish fermentation.

[kylekohlmorgen]

Strain isn't as important in a dark, higher-gravity beer vs. pitch rate, oxygenation, and temp. control. If you've got these down, most strains will happily ferment a 10% beer.

With that said, I dig the Scottish Ale strain (WY 1728) for big beers. Very neutral in the mid-60s, similar to 1056/WLP001 but more flocculent. I tried it after learning of several high-quality craft breweries using it as their house strain (Hair of the Dog is one I can remember now).

I've heard its more estery at high temps, but I haven't pushed it higher than 65F or so. Since its a flocc'er, slowly raising the temp. over a few days after high krausen (and being able to hold that temp until fermentation is complete) will help the yeast fully attenuate and clean up fermentation by-products.

[bluesman]

Strain isn't as important in a dark, higher-gravity beer vs. pitch rate, oxygenation, and temp. control. If you've got these down, most strains will happily ferment a 10% beer.

I agree.

For a clean, malty, less estery ale, I would opt for Chico WY1056/WLP001 yeast, but if you want some English Ale-like character, then go with WLP002 or WLP028.

[redbeerman]

Strain isn't as important in a dark, higher-gravity beer vs. pitch rate, oxygenation, and temp. control. If you've got these down, most strains will happily ferment a 10% beer.

I agree.

For a clean, malty, less estery ale, I would opt for Chico WY1056/WLP001 yeast, but if you want some English Ale-like character, then go with WLP002 or WLP028.

+1

[denny]

WY1450 works well for impy porter.  Nice mouthfeel.

[redbeerman]

WY1450 works well for impy porter.  Nice mouthfeel.

I have used both 1450 and S-05.  The S-05 tends to bring the FG down a few more points than the 1450, but both make for a clean fermentation.  I think the 1450 works for Denny's BVIP rather well.

[chumley]

I'm a Ringwood man, myself, for imperial porter.

[In The Sand]

I'm a Ringwood man, myself, for imperial porter.

I bet that would be good. Better do a good d-rest though.

[HoosierBrew]

1450 for me, for 1st choice.  That BVIP recipe is pretty much perfection, and the great mouthfeel  is part of the equation. 1728 works really well fermented cool as mentioned. And of course for clean and neutral, 1056 is always an option.