Lallemand Nottingham Ale Yeast (11 grams) Review (2026)

What Nottingham is

LalBrew Nottingham is Lallemand's English-style high performance ale yeast, marketed for its versatility across a wide range of beer styles rather than being tied to one narrow tradition. This particular listing is an 11 gram sachet, sized for a single standard batch, while Lallemand also sells it in larger 500 gram and bulk formats for brewers who go through more yeast. The manufacturer describes its flavor as slightly fruity but essentially neutral, which is why it shows up across everything from traditional English bitters and porters to modern American pale ales and IPAs.

Fermentation characteristics

Lallemand lists Nottingham at 78 to 84 percent apparent attenuation with high flocculation, meaning it ferments out a large share of the available sugars while also settling out of suspension quickly and cleanly once fermentation slows. The recommended fermentation range is 50 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, and alcohol tolerance is listed up to 14 percent, giving it enough range to handle everything from session beers to stronger ales without stalling. The manufacturer's pitch rate guidance is 50 to 100 grams per hectoliter, and the strain is noted for stress tolerance, making it a reasonable choice for higher gravity or otherwise challenging fermentations.

Clarity and cell behavior

The high flocculation rating is one of Nottingham's most cited traits among home brewers, since it tends to drop bright with less time and less need for finings than lower-flocculating strains. That fast clearing is a practical advantage for anyone bottling or kegging on a schedule, since it shortens the wait for a clear beer after fermentation finishes. The trade-off is that a highly flocculent yeast can sometimes settle out before fully attenuating if fermentation temperature drops too early, so keeping the beer at the recommended temperature range through to final gravity helps the yeast finish its job before it clumps and drops.

What to watch for on brew day

Nottingham is known among brewers for a vigorous, sometimes fast-moving fermentation, particularly in the first day or two, which can push krausen and foam higher than a slower strain would in the same fermenter. Anyone using a narrow-necked carboy or a fermenter with limited headspace should be ready to use a blow-off tube instead of a standard airlock to avoid a mess, and it helps to leave extra headroom in the fermenter before pitching rather than filling it close to the top. The strain's high attenuation also means it will ferment sweeter, higher-gravity worts drier than a lower-attenuating strain would, so brewers targeting a noticeably sweeter finish may want to mash warmer, add unfermentable sugars, or choose a different yeast with lower attenuation instead.

Who it suits

This sachet suits home brewers making English ales, porters, stouts, or American-style pale ales and IPAs who want a clean, fast-clearing, versatile strain without committing to a large package of yeast they may not use before it loses viability. Its neutral, slightly fruity profile and high attenuation make it a solid general-purpose choice for brewers who are not chasing a highly specific regional yeast character in their finished beer. Brewers who want a sweeter finish, a strain with more pronounced esters, or one with lower flocculation for a hazier style would likely be better served by a different yeast.

Frequently asked questions