Liquid Yeast

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Next up for me to experiment with will be liquid yeast. Whilst I'll look forward to the benefits on using it in English type ales, I just wondered if there was any real gains on using equivalent liquid yeast in neutral hoppy US beers over say US-05?

 

[dan125]

I've been tinkering with liquid yeast this week for the first time in ages (with a little help from the forum), and I could see how it could get quite addictive.
Gives me something beer related but not too time consuming to fiddle with in between brewing & kegging days, and it would be quite nice to build up a small bank of yeast varieties - but I was also wondering about the neutral American type yeasts.
If I don't want the yeast to really impact on the flavour there doesn't seem much point going to the trouble of using & saving liquid yeast. Unless there's something I'm missing??

 

[Covrich]

I agree, when it comes to using something really neutral and clean I wouldn't go for a liquid yeast and would be happy with US05.

If you're looking for teh yeast to add character then it is a different story.. There are loads of English liquid yeasts and some you can culture from bottle conditioned commercial beers.

The same for something like a Belgian style beer, where the yeast plays a huge part of the beer, you wouldn't want to spend all that time on the grains hops and then just put an average yeast in..

 

[MyQul]

I'm in agreement with the rest of you, I wouldn't go to the expense of spending 7 quid on a neutral strain when there are plenty of dried neutral strains.

Plenty of people have done side by side comparisons though. I you google US-05 vs (WLP001vs Wyeast 1056) you can read the results for yourselves

 

[trueblue]

I'm in agreement with the rest of you, I wouldn't go to the expense of spending 7 quid on a neutral strain when there are plenty of dried neutral strains.

Plenty of people have done side by side comparisons though. I you google US-05 vs (WLP001vs Wyeast 1056) you can read the results for yourselves

The fact I split each vial 6 ways at just over £1 per brew it works out cheaper than dried yeast. Even if you use a new vial each brew whats a few pounds spred over 40 pints, I prefer the quality a good yeast gives.

 

[trueblue]

If you're looking for teh yeast to add character then it is a different story.. There are loads of English liquid yeasts and some you can culture from bottle conditioned commercial beers.

You have to be sure the yeast is the primary yeast not a seeding yeast. A good example is Worthington white shield, a yeast I used for several years but they changed it a few years back, still makes beer but not good beer. Yeast is our most important ingredient why look for the cheapest option.

 

[Covrich]

Yeast is our most important ingredient why look for the cheapest option.

My philosophy also. I must admit I have yet to culture one up from a bottle but will be probably starting tomorrow with the Shepherds Neame strain.

 

[MyQul]

The fact I split each vial 6 ways at just over �£1 per brew it works out cheaper than dried yeast. Even if you use a new vial each brew whats a few pounds spred over 40 pints, I prefer the quality a good yeast gives.

But are neutral liquid strains of neutral yeasts better than a dried neutral strain? If they are then I definately agree go for the liquid strain, because as you demonstrate it's pretty easy to spread the cost over a several brews

 

[Leon103]

The fact I split each vial 6 ways at just over �£1 per brew it works out cheaper than dried yeast. Even if you use a new vial each brew whats a few pounds spred over 40 pints, I prefer the quality a good yeast gives.

How do you split it? What is your process?

 

[MyQul]

How do you split it? What is your process?

Dunno how trueblue does it but I jsut put the vial/trub/cultured yeast into a 2L starter then split the starter into bottles. I use 4x500ml though. Each of these bottles then becomes a new 'vial'. when I want to use one I just decant the spent wort off and put the yeast into a new 2L starter then pitch that

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

Cool, thanks guys. Will see what I can find on the interweb, just wanted some feedback from you chaps with first hand experience.

 

[trueblue]

But are neutral liquid strains of neutral yeasts better than a dried neutral strain? If they are then I definately agree go for the liquid strain, because as you demonstrate it's pretty easy to spread the cost over a several brews

Dried yeast will always lose some of it's "character" in the drying process one professional brewer told me to compare mash potato made from potato's with Smash or other instant potato's.
One home brewer I know split a wort and fermented one with dried and one with liquid about 15 of us had a blind sample and to a man everyone chose the liquid and without any communication or consulting with each other.

 

[trueblue]

Dunno how trueblue does it but I jsut put the vial/trub/cultured yeast into a 2L starter then split the starter into bottles. I use 4x500ml though. Each of these bottles then becomes a new 'vial'. when I want to use one I just decant the spent wort off and put the yeast into a new 2L starter then pitch that

More or less the same. I start the second starter 3 days before brewday and 15mins into boil take a litre of wort and cool to 20c, decant the spent wort from starter and add the cooled wort. When it's time to pitch the yeast is ready and chomping at the bit.

 

[Covrich]

More or less the same. I start the second starter 3 days before brewday and 15mins into boil take a litre of wort and cool to 20c, decant the spent wort from starter and add the cooled wort. When it's time to pitch the yeast is ready and chomping at the bit.

So you pitch at high krausen say about 12 hours after you finished your brew? do you no chill?

 

[trueblue]

So you pitch at high krausen say about 12 hours after you finished your brew? do you no chill?

No, the second starter is fermented out but I take 1 litre of wort from that days boil and crash cool. Pour away the spent wort from the started and add the cooled wort. At that point I am about 1/2 way through the boil. By the time the boil is finished and cooled with a chiller the yeast is up and running. The thinking behind it is when pitched the yeast has established it's self with the wort it is going to ferment so there is no shock for it. With most yeasts it helps them to a more rapid start.

 

[Covrich]

No, the second starter is fermented out but I take 1 litre of wort from that days boil and crash cool. Pour away the spent wort from the started and add the cooled wort. At that point I am about 1/2 way through the boil. By the time the boil is finished and cooled with a chiller the yeast is up and running. The thinking behind it is when pitched the yeast has established it's self with the wort it is going to ferment so there is no shock for it. With most yeasts it helps them to a more rapid start.

Interesting idea.. I tend to pitch at high krausen on a starter for the same reason, especially since I brew outside the fast lag time and big healthy start I think is really important, but taking a liter just after its started boiling and adding to the starter is a good idea..

 

[MyQul]

Dried yeast will always lose some of it's "character" in the drying process one professional brewer told me to compare mash potato made from potato's with Smash or other instant potato's.
One home brewer I know split a wort and fermented one with dried and one with liquid about 15 of us had a blind sample and to a man everyone chose the liquid and without any communication or consulting with each other.

Intersesting anology. And this was a neutral strain like WLP001? I'm definately willing to be convinced by the way, as I agree with you, as going on the two liquid strains I use, they're far superior to any dried yeast I've used.

 

[trueblue]

Intersesting anology. And this was a neutral strain like WLP001? I'm definately willing to be convinced by the way, as I agree with you, as going on the two liquid strains I use, they're far superior to any dried yeast I've used.

Can't remember the strain but the dried yeast was the dried version of the liquid yeast.

 

[MyQul]

Can't remember the strain but the dried yeast was the dried version of the liquid yeast.

Well you've convinced me. I need a neutral clean yeast that has a highish temp tolerance for pseudo lagering over the summer as I have 2 FV's but only one brew bag. So I need to find a sutiable temp tolerent yeast for the other FV. I was thinking of perhaps Mangrove jacks west coast yeast but I think I'm going to give WLP001 a shot

 

[Leon103]

Dunno how trueblue does it but I jsut put the vial/trub/cultured yeast into a 2L starter then split the starter into bottles. I use 4x500ml though. Each of these bottles then becomes a new 'vial'. when I want to use one I just decant the spent wort off and put the yeast into a new 2L starter then pitch that

And its kept in the fridge? How long do you think they last?