W-34/70 / Bavarian Lager
The most-used lager yeast in the world. Originally from Weihenstephan, used in 90%+ of commercial lager production.
What it tastes like
If you drink lager — any lager, from Heineken to Augustiner to your favorite local Helles — you're almost certainly drinking beer fermented with W-34/70 or one of its identical strains. The strain was isolated at Weihenstephan in the 1970s and has since become the global standard for clean lager fermentation. It tolerates a wide temperature range, finishes dry, drops clear, and produces no detectable yeast character at proper temps. That neutrality is the whole point of a great lager.
Best in these styles
Fermentation profile
Lager fermentation is slow: 10-14 days primary at 50°F, plus 4-8 weeks lagering at 32-38°F. Critical: pitch a full 2x ale rate (need ~400B cells per 5gal of 1.050) or do a starter. Underpitching produces diacetyl. Diacetyl rest at 60-65°F for 48 hours at the end of active fermentation will clean up most off-flavors before lagering.
Available as
W-34/70 / Bavarian Lager is sold under multiple supplier brand names — same or near-identical strain.
| Format | Supplier | Product code | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry yeast | Fermentis | Saflager W-34/70 | 11.5g Most common and accessible |
| Liquid | White Labs | WLP830 German Lager | 100B cells |
| Liquid | Wyeast | 2124 Bohemian Lager | 100B cells |
| Liquid | Imperial | Global L13 | 200B cells |
Comparable strains
If you can't source this strain, these alternatives bring overlapping character or fermentation behavior.
History
Isolated at the Weihenstephan research brewery in Freising, Germany — the oldest continuously operating brewery in the world (founded 1040 AD). The strain was selected for its clean character and broad temperature tolerance. It became commercially available in the 1980s and is now the foundation of nearly all modern lager production worldwide.