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Date: 25 Aug 2006 08:49:40
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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Following a discussion on here last Wed. about the viability of old
yeast, I went home and pulled a tube of WY1388 that I'd had for a LONG
time out of the fridge. Looked at the date...April 8, 2003! So I boiled
up a qt. of 1.035 wort and added about a tsp. of yeast nutrient.
Pitched the tube into it at 4 PM last Wed. Today (Fri.) as of 7 AM, the
starter was rockin' away! I didn't know if the yeast was viable at all,
and I certainly didn't expect that kind of activity that quickly. There
are no off aromas, so I have to assume it's actually the yeast
fermenting and not bacteria. I'll step it up early next week and use it
to brew a Duvel type of thing next weekend!
--------- >Denny
--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Date: 25 Aug 2006 10:58:37
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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Denny Conn wrote:
> Following a discussion on here last Wed. about the viability of old
> yeast, I went home and pulled a tube of WY1388 that I'd had for a LONG
> time out of the fridge. Looked at the date...April 8, 2003! So I boiled
> up a qt. of 1.035 wort and added about a tsp. of yeast nutrient.
> Pitched the tube into it at 4 PM last Wed. Today (Fri.) as of 7 AM, the
> starter was rockin' away! I didn't know if the yeast was viable at all,
> and I certainly didn't expect that kind of activity that quickly. There
> are no off aromas, so I have to assume it's actually the yeast
> fermenting and not bacteria. I'll step it up early next week and use it
> to brew a Duvel type of thing next weekend!
>
I guess I should add that mine appears to be fully awake as well. I
pitched the initial tube into about 400ml of 1.038 wort on a stir plate.
It had weakly fermented most of the wort by the next day, but under a
micrscope the cell count still looked fairly low -- and there were lot's
of dead "flakes" in the starter.
I poured off about 200ml into 400ml of canned wort, and just let it
ferement out at room temp with no stirring so I could better gauge the
aroma/taste of the ferment. Shortly after pronouncing it dead on this NG
it started up and completed a nice vigorous fermentation. Smells ok --
I'll step it up to a full starter next week and do a helles or other
small beer -- then my first Samichlaus clone. Yee-hah.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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Date: 25 Aug 2006 09:18:30
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Re: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> I guess I should add that mine appears to be fully awake as well. I
> pitched the initial tube into about 400ml of 1.038 wort on a stir plate.
> It had weakly fermented most of the wort by the next day, but under a
> micrscope the cell count still looked fairly low -- and there were lot's
> of dead "flakes" in the starter.
>
> I poured off about 200ml into 400ml of canned wort, and just let it
> ferement out at room temp with no stirring so I could better gauge the
> aroma/taste of the ferment. Shortly after pronouncing it dead on this NG
> it started up and completed a nice vigorous fermentation. Smells ok --
> I'll step it up to a full starter next week and do a helles or other
> small beer -- then my first Samichlaus clone. Yee-hah.
Congrats! What was the date on yours again?
---------- >Denny
--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Date: 25 Aug 2006 12:07:00
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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Denny Conn wrote:
> The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
>
>
>>I guess I should add that mine appears to be fully awake as well. I
>>pitched the initial tube into about 400ml of 1.038 wort on a stir plate.
>>It had weakly fermented most of the wort by the next day, but under a
>>micrscope the cell count still looked fairly low -- and there were lot's
>>of dead "flakes" in the starter.
>>
>>I poured off about 200ml into 400ml of canned wort, and just let it
>>ferement out at room temp with no stirring so I could better gauge the
>>aroma/taste of the ferment. Shortly after pronouncing it dead on this NG
>> it started up and completed a nice vigorous fermentation. Smells ok --
>>I'll step it up to a full starter next week and do a helles or other
>>small beer -- then my first Samichlaus clone. Yee-hah.
>
>
> Congrats! What was the date on yours again?
>
> ---------->Denny
> --
> Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.
Not that old -- I got it 10/2005 (White Labs Zurich lager). Not sure
what the mfgr date actually was. It was amazingly dead, though -- lot's
of useless little flakes of yeast colored blecch swirling around the
initial starter. Smelled mighty belgian when I opened it up -- but this
yeast is actually supposed to do a nice belgian ale when fermented warm.
Second round of starter smells notmal to have been fermented out at room
temp. I've been looking to use that canned wort for something. I think
it was about two years old -- survived Katrina and everything. I guess
the real test will be the first beer -- I've never used this yeast before.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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Date: 25 Aug 2006 10:16:59
From: Denny Conn
Subject: Re: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
> Not that old -- I got it 10/2005 (White Labs Zurich lager). Not sure
> what the mfgr date actually was. It was amazingly dead, though -- lot's
> of useless little flakes of yeast colored blecch swirling around the
> initial starter. Smelled mighty belgian when I opened it up -- but this
> yeast is actually supposed to do a nice belgian ale when fermented warm.
Interesting on the Belgian thing! I was astounde when I realized I'd
had that yeast in the friodge for 3 1/2 years, and even more astounded
to see it take off after 36 hours!
> Second round of starter smells notmal to have been fermented out at room
> temp. I've been looking to use that canned wort for something. I think
> it was about two years old -- survived Katrina and everything. I guess
> the real test will be the first beer -- I've never used this yeast before.
I've had a couple Sami clones with it, and been really impressed. I
think you're in for a treat.
----------- >Denny
--
Life begins at 60...1.060, that is.
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Date: 25 Aug 2006 12:46:07
From: The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty
Subject: Re: Old yeast report - IT'S ALIIIIIVE!!!!!
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Denny Conn wrote:
> The Artist Formerly Known as Kap'n Salty wrote:
>
>
>>Not that old -- I got it 10/2005 (White Labs Zurich lager). Not sure
>>what the mfgr date actually was. It was amazingly dead, though -- lot's
>>of useless little flakes of yeast colored blecch swirling around the
>>initial starter. Smelled mighty belgian when I opened it up -- but this
>>yeast is actually supposed to do a nice belgian ale when fermented warm.
>
>
> Interesting on the Belgian thing! I was astounde when I realized I'd
> had that yeast in the friodge for 3 1/2 years, and even more astounded
> to see it take off after 36 hours!
Yeah -- the belgian thing kind of makes sense, though. Last night I was
celebrating Kazakhstan National Flag day. Had a Skullsplitter, EKU 28
and a Samichlaus. The difference between the EKU 28 and the Sami was
striking. Obviously Sami is bigger and dryer -- but it also has these
nice peppery notes that make it more interesting than the former, and
atypical for a lager.
Can't wait. Of course, with the amount of aging this beer will need, I
guess I'll HAVE to wait. I'm going for the full 1.130 OG. Should be
ready by around this time next year at the earliest.
--
(Replies: cleanse my address of the Mark of the Beast!)
Teleoperate a roving mobile robot from the web:
http://www.swampgas.com/robotics/rover.html
Coauthor with Dennis Clark of "Building Robot Drive Trains".
Buy several copies today!
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