How many strains of yeast does this crowd keep around the house? I have started to save and wash the yeast cake from my past two brews. I end up with 4 jars of each. I am ending up taking up quite a bit of space in the refrigerator.
In my opinion, one of the cool things of being a homebrewer is being able to use as many different strains as I would like. Economics become more important to bigger brewers and they may need to limit production to one or two strains. But this is my hobby, not my job!
I need to give away some of the yeast to brewing friends. But I think my answer to my question is 1. One house strain to keep and have available all the time. The next question is which house strain? ;D
I always use dry yeast. I like the storage feature I have BRY 97 for my American Ales, S 04 for my British ales, Nottingham for my IPA’s, and Windsor Ale for my Stouts, porters, or anything else I want to showcase the malts in.
I always have a few packs of US-05 on hand and I’ve recently started keeping some 1056 in the fridge. I’m doing what was suggested in another thread and make my 1056 starters 500ml larger than what’s needed. After pitching the necessary amount of starter, I save the 500ml extra, transfer into a sanitized mason jar of boiled/cooled water. I now will always have fresh 1056 ready to go in the fridge and US-05 as a backup.
I might do the same with a Belgian yeast, but haven’t decided which Belgian would be my house yeast (1214, 3522, or 3787).
Other than that, when I brew a particular style that calls for a different yeast, I’ll just pick it up at my LHBS.
I have several strains banked in a freezer but I normally keep 1-2 strains in my fridge. Usually I have a neutral or English strain for the majority of beers I make in a year but then I’ll use 2-3 other strains in the course of a year. I either buy them or pull them out of the freezer, use what I need and then bank them in the freezer until I need them next.
The commercial yeasts I use sometimes are: 1056, ECY10, 1968, and 04 (for emergencies). I always have the 04 on hand, and usually at least one of the liquid ones named…but don’t routinely keep them all around.
My main house yeast that I use in the vast majority of my brews is one that I’ve kept alive since the 1980s, exact strain unknown. It was passed down to me 2nd hand from a brewery source and I’m reasonably sure it has mutated some since then. So just exactly what it is is anyone’s guess. But it’s still my favorite.
My yeast bank consists of packets of S-04, US-05, and 71b (for meads and other “I wonder if I can ferment this” experiments). If I want to keep a liquid strain going I’ll generally plan a few brews and pitch on the cake of a lower gravity brew.
Thanks for all the great feedback. There are so many great options that I think getting a bigger refrigerator (or throwing out the vegetables) is the best plan.
I try to keep WY1469, SO4, either Nottingham or WLP007 (they seem very,very similar IMO) and WLP833 for lagers. Used to be WY2206, but I’ve become a fan of 833. I just tapped a Saison brewed with Belle Saison and am really digging it, so that may become a go-to, too.
2 to 4 at a time. Right now it’s 1056 and 007. Just retired 565, 023, and mangrove Jack west coast ale yeast. I usually go 2-5 generations before retiring.
I usually keep some 1056 and lately I’ve been doing Belgian Tripels and Dark Strong Ales, so I have some 530, too. I’ll keep the yeast in my frig for up to six months from last harvest or four generations, whichever comes first. I’ve harvested a few other strains from batches of Stouts and Wits and such, but they always seem to run into the six month limit before I’m ready to reuse them. I also keep some dry Notty and 05, just in case.
I like the idea of making a larger starter and holding some back instead of harvesting from the fermenter; I’ll have to try that.
US-05, 04, and Belle Saison - dry and easy to manage. This thread reminds me I have aging mason jars of washed Bavarian lager and 3711 in the fridge that need to be dumped…
I’ve got a house Belgian/saison blend and a cake from a batch fermented with dregs from Almanac Brewers reserve. I’ll probably save some wit yeast that will come out of the batch I brewed this weekend. I like to have some 05 on hand. I’m trying to get that house yeast blend worked into something I can keep going. I think I might try the larger starter and saving some method next time I pitch that.
I got the larger starter idea form Duboman in this thread http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=16566.msg208515#msg208515. I’ve done this a couple of times with 1056 and it’s much easier than washing yeast post fermentation. So far the results have been great with normal fermentations you would get from a starter. These batches haven’t been kegged yet, so I have not final taste evaluation, but I expect it to be no different than using a fresh smack pack.
Honestly, the only yeast I keep on hand is a mixed culture and a few brett strains. Sacch is just to much of a PITA to keep up on a regular basis.
If I’m brewing every week, I will use slurry from one batch to another. Otherwise, whenever I buy my ingredients for one brewday, I’ll buy the yeast for the next batch.
I have BRY 97 for my American Ales, S 04 for my British ales, Nottingham for my IPA’s, and Windsor Ale for my Stouts, porters, or anything else I want to showcase the malts in.