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How to substitute one yeast for another

A sound yeast substitution matches the traits that decide the result: attenuation, temperature range, flocculation, flavour profile and alcohol tolerance.

The five traits that matter

Any two yeasts can be compared on the same five points. Attenuation is the percentage of sugar the yeast ferments, which sets how dry or full the finished drink is. Temperature range is the band the strain ferments cleanly in. Flocculation, rated low, medium or high, describes how readily the yeast drops out and clears the beer. Flavour profile runs from clean to estery or phenolic. Alcohol tolerance sets the ceiling before the yeast stalls.

Line those five up for the strain you wanted and the strain you can get, and the size of the gaps tells you how close a substitute you have found.

Match the style-critical traits first

Not every trait carries equal weight for a given recipe. A hazy, low-flocculating wheat beer lives or dies on its yeast character, so flavour profile is the trait you cannot compromise. A crisp lager depends on temperature range and a clean profile. A strong wine or sparkling base depends on alcohol tolerance above all. Decide which traits are style-critical, match those exactly, and allow small differences on the rest.

This is why a substitution is about matching the traits that define the style, not finding a yeast that agrees on every single number.

Where a substitution goes wrong

The classic error is swapping across flavour families. A Belgian strain that throws spicy phenolics and fruity esters cannot stand in for a clean American ale strain without changing the beer into something else. The attenuation might match and the temperature might overlap, but the flavour that defines the style has gone. Respect the flavour family before you look at anything else.

Our per-strain pages carry the published attenuation, temperature, flocculation, tolerance and character so you can judge a swap on real figures rather than reputation.

Related

Sources: Fermentis (Lesaffre) · Wyeast