Packets of brewing yeast next to a fermenting vessel with airlock bubbling

Ale Yeast vs Lager Yeast: What's the Difference?

Yeast: The Unsung Hero of Brewing

Yeast converts the sugars in your wort into alcohol and carbon dioxide, and has a profound impact on the flavour, aroma, and character of your finished beer. The two main categories are ale yeast and lager yeast.

Ale Yeast

Ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures (15–24°C). It produces fruity esters and complex flavour compounds, and most fermentations are complete within 5–7 days.

Gervin GV12 Ale Yeast is a reliable, clean-fermenting strain that delivers excellent attenuation and a well-rounded flavour profile — a great all-round choice for British-style ales.

Also suitable for ales: Young's Dried Active Yeast — a standard strain suitable for beer and low-alcohol wines.

Lager Yeast

Lager yeast ferments at cooler temperatures (7–13°C). The cold fermentation suppresses ester production, giving lager its clean, crisp, neutral character. Fermentation takes 2–3 weeks followed by cold conditioning.

Stuck Fermentations

Sometimes fermentation stalls before completion. Gervin GV7 Restart Yeast is specifically designed to re-start stuck fermentations and get your brew back on track.

Yeast Nutrients

For higher-gravity beers or fruit wines, Yeast Nutrient provides the trace elements and nitrogen that yeast needs to complete fermentation healthily.

Which Yeast Should You Choose?

Browse the full yeast range at Brewco.uk.

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