The Yeast Page

This page is dedicated to cataloging banked pure strains and keeping track of various blends of dreg and commercial strains that I’m maintaining across generations.

Banked Pure Strains

1. Hansen’s Ale Yeast (WLP075)- banked 6/12/2018
2. • Lot# PSC075 bb Aug-04-18
3. • 1000ml starter 6-7-18
4. • 8x 25ml vials frozen 6/12/18
5. Saccharomyces bruxellensis Trois (WLP644)- banked 6/18/2018
6. • Lot# 1054564 bb Oct-02-18 (mfg Apr-05)
7. • 1000ml starter 6-12-18
8. • 6x 25ml vials frozen 6/18/18
9. Voss Kveik (OYL-061)- banked 7/23/2018
10. • Lot# 018 mfg 05-07-2018
11. • 1000ml starter 7-15-18
12. • 6x 25ml vials frozen 7/23/18
13. Brett Brux HF Isolate (TYB184)- banked 11/09/2018
14. • Lot# 1060832 bb Dec-11-2018
15. • 1500ml starter 11-01-18
16. • 7x 25ml vials frozen 11/09/18 plus 1x 50ml vial

Cultures/ Blends

Posthumous Blend

A defunct blend, appearing here because it represents my entry into culturing microbes from bottles. Created in 2015 from a blend of WLP500,  Wyeast Roselaire blend (3763), and the dregs of several commercial mixed fermentations (Jester King, Tilquin, Allagash, SARA, and a few others).  This blend produced a profile dominated by moderate tartness with underlying subtle funk.  Though intended to be carried forward, this blend only saw a single generation due to my intermittent brewing schedule/ poor yeast management at the time, however two subsequent batches (Only Mostly and Amalgam) did have contact via time in an unwashed fermenter and unwashed keg.

Generations:

1. Verisimilitude and Plausibility– September, 2015.  Golden ale fermented in primary with WLP500, then split among several 1 gallon jugs, each containing the dregs of an individual commercial sour beer.

ex lagenam

Not a true in-house blend, as this culture was gradually stepped up from dregs of a single bottle of Allagash Belfius opened in May, 2018.  These dregs are fairly unique in that they contained both Allagash’s coolship bugs and a relatively fresh healthy sample of their Saison yeast.  So, by the time the culture was stepped up to 1500ml, what I had was a healthy mixed culture containing enough saccharomyces cells for primary fermentation without the addition of a commercial pitch.  Early samples present soft pear, citrus zest, hay and the promise of funk.

Generations:

1. Psychic Connection (b1)– September 25, 2018.  Grist borrowed from l’Internationale (floor malted Pils, wheat and rye malts), with 1 ounce aged Ahtanum (0.83%AA) at 60 minutes.  After several months conditioning, half this batch will be blended with a fresh young Saison to carry the tradition of Biere de Coupage from which it was born.
2. Psychic Connection (b2)- November 14, 2018.  Pennsylvania floor malted spelt replaces the wheat in this iteration.

Dignified Response (b1)– November 14, 2018. Rustic Saison brewed with floor malted Pilsner, buckwheat and wheat malts, and aged Hallertauer (0.26%AA).  This culture will be banked after this batch.

ex vespula

Another culture that was grown rather than blended.  Captured from a yellow jacket that was collected from my patio in August, 2018 and slowly stepped up to a 1500ml 10P starter before being pitched into a 5 gallon batch.  Starter is throwing huge aromas of juicy stone fruit, reminiscent of Conan back in the days when it had to be coaxed out of cans of Heady Topper.  I’m very excited to see where this one goes.

Generations:

1. Yellowjacket Wheat– November, 2018.  The first 5 gallon batch to be brewed from this culture.  Simple low-gravity grist of Weyermann floor malted pils and Pennsylvania wheat malt.  Just a few IBUs at 60 mins for mild bitterness while allowing the character of this wild-caught yeast to play front-and-center.