BeerBorg

Doing two lagers on my next brew day, a Czech Pilsener and a Bavarian Dunkel.

Has anyone made these styles with dry yeast and would S-23, W-34 or Brewferm Dry Lager be suitable for either/both of them? Or am I better off getting the more style-specific options from Wyeast/WL such as WY2001?

They are all good. Are you able to hold your ferment temp in the low 50's and lager at 40?

Hi, yes I have a temperature controlled keezer which I have lagered in before. I have heard from several places that S-23 has a problem with estery finish - something I definitely do not want in my Czech pils!

I would kind of prefer to pitch dry yeast so I don't have to make a huge starter to hit 400 billion cells but if there are flavor concerns I'll skip the dry

S-23 is a "weird yeast". It likes it 55-57, even 59 degrees a lot more then it likes it 50 degrees. A lot of folks try to ferment with it in the really low 50s or upper 40s and end up with a fruit bomb. Yes, it makes more esters at lower temps then it does at 55-57. It really doesn't like those low temps in my experience.

That said, it's still got more "character" then the W-34. I'd use that for a Czech pils if I could hold the temps. W-34 is an excellent yeast if you treat it right.

I have not used the Brewferm lager yeast.

Welcome to the Borg Kerblam. I've made a couple lagers with the W 34/70 and thought they both turned out very good. I've not used the S-33 so I can't really compare, but I can say the W 34/70 produced very tasty lagers.

As stated S-23 likes it warmer. S-23 was the first lager yeast I used. I stopped using it when I was able to do 5L starters for lagers.

I haven't made a lager. But I also haven't greeted Braukasper or Kerblam. Welcome to the Borg!

Thanks for the greetings and information! I'll skip the S-23 and try out the W34/70 for these batches.