40 Years of Living Culture

It’s difficult to summarize the significance of 1007. This strain was originally called “Brewer’s Choice Ale” which truly spoke to its novelty and necessity in supporting the growth of the craft brewing industry. When 1007 first entered the Wyeast catalogue in 1986, yeast consistency, quality, and a characterized profile and style were not part of brewers’ expectations. Adopted by breweries and homebrew shops across the country (and often paired with Brewers Choice Lager) it’s humbling to see just how far and wide this strain has traveled to make great beer.

Fermentation at higher temperatures may produce mild fruitiness. This powdery strain results in yeast that remains in suspension post fermentation. Beers mature rapidly, even when cold fermentation is used. Low or no detectable diacetyl.

Past and present:

• Abita Brewing Co.
• Pinthouse Brewing
• Czig Meister Brewing
• East Nashville Beer Works
• New York Beer Project

2007 was Wyeast’s first liquid lager yeast, selected for the same qualities that distinguish the strain today: mild and neutral, with a subtle malty character and a smooth palate that delivers a clean, crisp lager experience. It remains a classic American lager strain for producing the quintessential lager. Its story is rooted in the earliest days of Wyeast, when Brewers Choice Lagers shipped alongside many orders of our ale yeast. Pioneer brewers and homebrewers were experimenting with lagers in the shadow of the industrial breweries of the era, proving that exceptional lager could be crafted at every scale. That legacy speaks to the caliber of the strain – and to the importance of an often “quiet” ingredient in defining the character of a style.

Ferments dry and crisp with minimal sulfur or diacetyl. Beers from this strain exhibit the characteristics of the most popular lager in America.

Past and present:

• Austin Beerworks,
• Crooked Pecker Brewing Co.
• The Grizzly Paw Brewing Co.
• Vanished Valley Brewing Co.
• Boxing Bear Brewing Co.

3278 is the real pioneer of culture blends and advanced brewing. Originally a pure culture of Brettanomcyes bruxellensis in the early 1990s, the number soon represented the first blend of Saccharomyces, Brettanomcyes, and lactic acid bacteria cultures for emulating the complex, historic styles of Belgium. 3278 Belgian Lambic Blend opened the doors wide open to what was possible in the infancy of US craft brewing. It would be decades before Belgian beers became a nationwide phenomenon, but pioneering brewers made early headway, introducing the nuances of funk, farmhouse, and more to the US market. Wyeast’s Wild & Sour collection has evolved over our 40 years to emulate other famous wild styles, and allow brewers to craft their own with pure cultures of brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus strains.

A blend of an authentic Belgian ale strain, two Brettanomyces strains, a Lactobacillus culture, and a Pediococcus culture, combined in specific proportions to reproduce the desirable flavor components found in beers as they are brewed in Brussels. The Belgian ale strain establishes baseline fermentation kinetics, while the two Brettanomyces strains contribute distinct Brett character and pie-cherry characteristics. Lactobacillus adds moderate acidity with a versatile profile, and Pediococcus rounds out the complexity and acidity found in traditional Lambic-type beers. Together, this blend will produce a very dry beer due to the super-attenuative nature of the mixed cultures.

Past and present breweries using either the 3278 strain blend or the earlier 5112 pure culture of Brettanomcyes bruxellensis, still available today.

• Upland Brewing
• Funkwerks
• Microbrasserie À la Fût
• Russian River Brewing Co.
• Pfriem Family Brewers
• Brasserie Dieu du Ciel!
• Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Co.