Do commercial breweries buy in yeast?

[MashBag]

Errm. Do you not think all the yeasts were destinctive before they were isolated and then produced commercially?

I too just dried..

 

[Bitter_Dave]

Errm. Do you not think all the yeasts were destinctive before they were isolated and then produced commercially?

I too just dried..

Ok, I'll reword that - it would not be possible to create a dried version that retained the distinctiveness, and this is a good reason as to why they re-pitch their wet yeast it. It is not just about cost.

 

[MashBag]

Errm. Do you not think all the yeasts (wine and beer) retain their destinctiveness when they were isolated and that's why there is such variety to purchase ?

 

[MashBag]

Or put another way why is Harvey's yeast so very different from every other.

Add to that, how do you know it hasn't already been isolated (as a safeguard in a yeast bank) & stored off site. And is just not commercially available because they are protecting their USP or don't see market for it?

 

[Sadfield]

I'm sure they can get some more from John Smith's.

https://www.harveys.org.uk/news/60th-anniversary-harveys-yeast

Isn't it available from Brewlab?

 

[Bitter_Dave]

Isn't it well known that some yeast strains just don't like being dried? If it did we would have a dried version of the Fullers yeast on the market. I assumed Harvey's was dual strain yeast. I think Brewlabs have it but not in dried form.

 

[MashBag]

Isn't it well known that some yeast strains just don't like being dried?

I can only say, that the first time I have heard it. Dunno.

 

[MashBag]

I'm sure they can get some more from John Smith's.

https://www.harveys.org.uk/news/60th-anniversary-harveys-yeast

Really.... ...
Would you trust that man with your yeast. That video must be a wind up.

 

[Bitter_Dave]

Really.... ...
Would you trust that man with your yeast. That video must be a wind up.

That's Miles Jenner - a top guy who makes absolutely superb beers. Harvey's bears absolutely no similarity to John Smith's beers, so I guess their yeast must have changed.

 

[samale]

I'm sure they can get some more from John Smith's.

https://www.harveys.org.uk/news/60th-anniversary-harveys-yeast

Isn't it available from Brewlab?

Brilliant video

 

[Sadfield]

Really.... ...
Would you trust that man with your yeast.

Yes. I'd love to spend a day picking his brains over an open FV.

 

[Bzee]

It took me over 2 years to get through a brick of saf 05 and was a very boreing experience im very glad to buy little packets of what i fancey now, most times i use one packet over 2 brews by scooping some crud off the top of one brew and pouring into another

 

[MashBag]

That's Miles Jenner - a top guy who makes absolutely superb beers. Harvey's bears absolutely no similarity to John Smith's beers, so I guess their yeast must have changed.

Blimey. Perhaps he needs a break from the lab then, get a bit o'sunshine. No offense meant, just not what I expected.

 

[Twostage]

It took me over 2 years to get through a brick of saf 05 and was a very boreing experience im very glad to buy little packets of what i fancey now, most times i use one packet over 2 brews by scooping some crud off the top of one brew and pouring into another

I’d been thinking about that 500g at 10g per brew is 50 brews of similar stuff, even at 20g it’s 25 which would be at least a year if I didn’t make anything different. The one yeast I would have considered is Notty but that’s over £100.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I doubt very much Harveys have a lab. They are a regional brewery going back to 1790. I suspect the primary reason they don't use dried yeast is because it would be impossible to dry what is a very distinctive yeast. I'm sure it's the same for a good number of regional breweries. I say this as someone who uses dry yeast

You might be surprised to find out how advanced and sophisticated Harveys is:-



Around 7 minutes shows their lab but they talk about beer quality analysis. But at around 11 minutes they talk about yeast and imply they monitor their yeast very closely.

It’s called craft beer, but there is nothing craft about it….its about ruthless application of science and process.

 

[Sadfield]

I was speaking to a local brewer at the weekend, and they were talking about using AI to do cell counting. Sophisticated stuff.

 

[dad_of_jon]

I'm not sure AI is up to counting fingers on hands yet! -I'm keeping it away from my brew

 

[hoppyscotty]

I was speaking to a local brewer at the weekend, and they were talking about using AI to do cell counting. Sophisticated stuff.

Don't need AI to do that. When I did a stint in the materials lab as a grad trainee where I worked we used a really old machine that counted metal grains in alloys using a photographic method. No reason why a similar machine or method couldn't be used to count yeast cells. Everything's 'AI' at the moment..it's all just marketing. A few years ago the buzzword was 'algorithm'...

 

[MashBag]

You might be surprised to find out how advanced and sophisticated Harveys is:-



Around 7 minutes shows their lab but they talk about beer quality analysis. But at around 11 minutes they talk about yeast and imply they monitor their yeast very closely.

It’s called craft beer, but there is nothing craft about it….its about ruthless application of science and process.

Tbh it was never in doubt. Anywhere that runs there own yeast will have their own lab, to keep a track of it, and produce the volumes of starter they require.
Buying in saves that whole expensive department.

 

[Sadfield]

Don't need AI to do that. When I did a stint in the materials lab as a grad trainee where I worked we used a really old machine that counted metal grains in alloys using a photographic method. No reason why a similar machine or method couldn't be used to count yeast cells. Everything's 'AI' at the moment..it's all just marketing. A few years ago the buzzword was 'algorithm'...

True, but it could do more than count. Assess yeast viability, yeast concentration, budding index or identify other contamination. Massive speeding up the task, data collection and monitor yeast health over multiple FV.